By Angela Prentner-Smith

WE are living through an awakening. I nearly said renaissance, but there’s no rebirth here – just a new understanding. Neurodiversity was a word we as business leaders largely hadn’t heard about a few years ago, let alone set our business strategy around it. Yet here we are. Yes I am asking to presume your business needs a strategy predicated on neurodiversity.

Neurodiversity is a movement – one which looks at the world of autism, ADHD and related "conditions" and advocates they are seen as a normal part of the tapestry of human difference, rather than something fundamentally wrong with a person. They aren’t something to be fixed, but to be embraced.

"Diagnoses" (I prefer to say "identification") of ADHD and autism in particular are growing exponentially, partly driven by lockdown exposing behaviours and removing coping mechanisms, ultimately with the potential to cause trauma for the individual. Partly due to increased understanding particularly when we apply a gendered lens. It used to be thought that girls and women just didn’t really have autism and ADHD – we have now learned it can just present differently.

As society generally learns about neurodiversity and droves of people understand the why behind their struggles, their feelings of not fitting in, and navigate their identity with the human constructed labels – these individuals will ask more of you as a business.

What we are learning is that adjusting the world for those at the edges of the bell curve, brings benefits to everyone. Neurodivergent thought can bring real benefits to a team and to a business. Looking at the world in a different way, processing information differently and solving problems with novelty are associated with neurodiversity and business innovation.

Sadly the stats don’t go in favour of employment for those with autism, with just 21 per cent of people with autism in employment. If we look at those in prison, about 30% (if not more) of prisoners are thought to have ADHD. So the workplace can by its design exclude those that are neurodivergent.

ADHD can be linked with entrepreneurial thinking, creativity and energy, whilst autism is linked with pattern finding and analysis. Dyslexia can be associated with innovation, and visual thinking, whilst my own label – dyspraxia – is associated with strategic thinking and enhanced empathy. All these strengths of neurodivergence, are strengths we as business owners need in abundance.

The first step in the journey to welcoming and harnessing the whole gambit of neurodiversity is to create and maintain psychological safety. That is an environment where we feel safe to speak up, to challenge the status quo and try new things, supported by leadership. Though psychological safety is at the core of high performing cultures – for everyone, it is even more important for minorities of every ilk – and the neurominority, arguably even more so.

Creating an environment where you can challenge the status quo, is good for everyone, but fundamental to a neuroinclusive workplace. If your thinking and actions don’t align with the status quo, a workplace that only allows for the status quo – excludes you by design.

Angela Prentner-Smith is Founder and MD of This is Milk

www.thisismilk.co.uk