Creating a neuro-inclusive hiring process

As we advance towards greater diversity and inclusion in the workplace, we need to also encompass invisible differences – such as neurodiversity

By Kristin allen and Sara gutierrez

Most organisations today understand the importance of diversity in the workplace and recognise that differences of thought lead to innovation, creativity, and, in general, better business outcomes. However, until recently, neurodiversity has yet to be a part of the dialogue.

Neurodiversity is still largely overlooked in many companies' DEI initiatives, even though these individuals are believed to make up 15% to 20% of the population. Unemployment for neurodivergent adults runs at least as high as 30% to 40% – three times the rate for people with a disability and eight times the rate for people without a disability.

Neurodiversity is an umbrella term that refers to natural variations in how people think and process information. Neurodiver gent conditions include autism spectrum disorder, dyspraxia, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Tourette Syndrome. Some in the field include mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression and acquired brain injury under the neurodivergent umbrella. It's common for individuals to have more than one neurodivergent condition.

A large part of the reason for the high rate of unemployment is due to bias. In a survey from the UK's Institute of Leadership & Management, half of the respondents reported they feel uncomfortable hiring or managing someone who has one or more neurodivergent conditions. Negative and false stereotypes persist, such as their incapability to perform their role and a need for extra supervision.

The good news is that over the last couple of years, as organisations grapple with the future of work and social justice concerns are revealed, there is emerging awareness that individuals are just that – individuals. We have different interests and skills. We define success differently. Some of us might want a traditional career trajectory, while others want to try new roles continually. The momentum to at least have conversations around neurodivergent talent is increasing globally. We see interest both from our clients and in professional associations at industrial and organisational psychology conferences.

Organisations are also becoming increasingly aware of the benefit of hiring neurodivergent individuals. Common strengths within the neurodivergent talent pool include high- er-order cognitive functioning reliant on comprehension, creativity and innovation and the ability to be hyper-focused on solving a problem and being entrepreneurial. Additional research shows that neurodivergent talent with autism and dyslexia have above-average skills in pattern recognition, memory and mathematics.

We know that having a diverse workforce – and the accompanying diversity of thought – leads to better business outcomes. Numerous studies also point to the strengths neurodivergent individuals bring to the workplace. JPMorgan Chase, which employs 175 neurodivergent employees worldwide as part of its Autism at Work initiative, found these individuals made fewer errors and were 90% to 140% more productive than neurotypical employees. Other studies have found that neurodiverse teams are 30% more effective than neurotypical ones.

Many leading global organisations now have targeted programmes around diversity. Microsoft, for example, has a Neurodiversity Hiring Programme that recognises neurodivergent talent employed by the company and offers stated practices on the application and interview process.

To bring neurodivergent talent into your hiring pool, consider how they may encounter each step of your recruiting and hiring process, including assessments. Too often, organisations lose neurodivergent talent early in the process, which means they never make it into your applicant pool.

As you broaden your diversity initiatives to include neurodivergent talent, you may have to refine some of your traditional hiring practices. Below are five tactics to help you create a more inclusive hiring programme.

Bring neurodiverse talent into the conversation to promote powerful change When designing DEI policies, ensure that the neurodiverse population has a voice. These individuals can share a wealth of information about how you can better your hiring process, the assessments in particular, and how to make them more inclusive. Many changes don't require much effort but could have a considerable effect.

We've learned the importance of having neurodiversity representation on our research team. Since neurodiversity is about cognitive differences, those who aren't neurodivergent might not think about things the same way. Having their input can be essential to creating an inclusive culture.

Question the qualifications required for a job

Neurodivergent talent is likely to have a 'spiky profile' with areas of both strength and challenges, which has implications for how recruiters select, measure and make decisions about competencies.

Frequently, neurodivergent individuals stop short of applying for a job. Many job descriptions ask for more than a dozen qualifications, touching on a cadre of skills and personality traits. Does the individual need to be the best at every qualification listed, or can a candidate be productive and excel in some critical competencies for the open position? You may inadvertently cut individuals out of the process because they need to fit the complete profile listed. Take a moment to examine the job critically, including what success means for that role.

Keep assessments accessible and ensure inclusivity Neurodiversity is often a hidden condition. So assessing whether a neurodiverse job candidate is the right person for the job can be challenging, especially since many of these candidates aren't willing to disclose their condition and request accommodations – especially in a highstakes hiring context. There

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Recognise that strengths and challenges vary by condition and across individuals are several reasons for this: they haven't been diagnosed, do not consider their condition a disability and/or fear the potential stigma and discrimination. Suggestions for enhancing the assessment experience include changes in word choice to ensure inclusive language, providing clear instructions about what to expect; sharing interview questions in advance; customisation options to remove features candidates may find stressful or that enable candidates to demonstrate their strengths, such as game-based, cognitive ability assessments; offering extra time; and allowing for breaks between assessment components. It's also helpful to encourage candidates to try practice assessments.

Neurodiversity includes many different conditions. Strengths and challenges vary by situation and individuals with those conditions. We must refrain from making assumptions about individuals who are neurodivergent; there is both commonality and variance of strengths and challenges across neurodivergent states. For example, within our survey, we found a variety of perspectives represented by participants who had autism and were professionals. As you assess the neurodivergent job candidate, consider each person on a case-by-case basis and their needs.

The ideal scenario would be assessments that are accessible and inclusive for all, removing the burden of disclosure.

Understand that a one-sizefits-all approach does not apply

What works for one individual may not work for another. We recommend that HR leadership make assessments as inclusive as possible by implementing accessible content and platforms, knowing what modifications are possible, and then implementing them. Look at the experience from the individual's perspective to understand how the test-taking experience might affect them and how you can modify it to best help candidates demonstrate their abilities.

We are at the beginning of understanding neurodiversity in the workplace. While more organisations are asking questions, they may need help to ensure success for the neurodivergent individual. More research is required to ensure we have accurate information. However, we know that using inclusive language, recognising that every individual has different needs, and harnessing the unique abilities of neurodivergent individuals will create a welcoming culture where all employees will thrive.

Kri

is Senior Manager, Psychometrics and Sara guti E rr E z is Chief Science Officer at SHL.