Pamela Furr is founder and Chief Financial Officer of Puzzle Box Academy and Kaleidoscope Interventions. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
getty
Inclusion is a buzzword we hear often in relation to neurodiversity, but its true meaning can get lost in the shuffle. I define inclusion as when you see no lines of difference between people. You don't apply labels based on ability, learning style, diagnosis or background. You don't put people into separate neurotypical or neurodiverse boxes. You simply celebrate that we are all human beings and that we can all learn from each other.
Over the last 10 years, I’ve developed a school system that provides individualized learning environments for neurodiverse students so they can thrive. I’m both an educator and a business owner, and I’ve found that many of the lessons I’ve learned from classroom behavior management are also invaluable in organizational behavior management. Other business leaders frequently ask me: How do we make our company more neurodiverse? This is what I want all leaders to know about creating genuine neurodiversity in the workplace.
Foster A Sense Of Belonging
Cultivate a work environment where differences are not only accepted but integrated into the fabric of the organization. This requires getting buy-in from your staff at every level. Start building inclusion and belonging during the onboarding process, with the HR or training manager asking every new employee questions about how they work best. For example: What do you feel contributes to a great work environment for you? Which things did you like or dislike from your previous workplace? What do you want your colleagues to know about how you like to work and communicate?
Better yet, have all new hires fill out “all about me” surveys, similar to those you probably wrote when you were in elementary school. You spend eight or more hours with your colleagues every day. Put in the time to get to know their interests, quirks, preferences and pet peeves. You can even make this into a bingo-style game with the whole office’s surveys. It’s a fun way to boost team morale while making everyone feel safe, welcome and appreciated.
Blur The Lines
If you observe a truly inclusive classroom, you shouldn’t be able to tell at a glance who is neurodiverse or who is neurotypical. Every child, whether or not they take a bit longer to learn than the person sitting next to them, should be in an environment that fits their needs but doesn’t make them feel like an outlier.
The same is true for a workplace. Look for ways to create a work environment that supports specific needs without singling out any individual. For example, an employee with autism, ADHD or anxiety might prefer to wear noise-canceling headphones to block out distractions and hyperfocus on certain tasks. But making a rule that just Carlos or Amanda can wear headphones at work would set them apart from their coworkers and label them as different. Plus, plenty of other employees, regardless of whether they have a diagnosis or not, could also benefit from this policy. Instead, make wearing headphones an option for all staff.
A question I love to ask employees in these types of situations is: Do you think anybody else could benefit from this? It’s not about making special concessions or accommodations. It’s about having open, empathetic conversations to design the best possible environment for all your team members.
Offer Flexible Scheduling
Acknowledge that everyone is dealing with their own unique life circumstances, whether they are managing a difference or disability, parenting, caregiving or simply getting up early. Offer as much flexibility as you can in scheduling, and try to set employees up for success. If your company is completely remote, with asynchronous teams in different locations, you likely already have guidelines in place for how and when people can work. If you work in a more traditional office, you can test out different strategies to make sure your business and employees are getting what they need.
I’ve had great employees who were chronically 15 or more minutes late to work every morning, and we’ve resolved the problem in one of two ways. In some cases, they just needed a small grace period to deal with traffic or other minor morning setbacks. I told them they could arrive by 7:45 and start their shift at 8, so there was an additional 15-minute buffer, just in case. For others who struggled to get to work on time regardless of the buffer, we made a new deal: They could start their shift later in the morning, but they’d also have to stay later in the evening. As an added bonus, they would complete a task to make the morning smoother for the rest of the team, such as printing out papers and leaving them on their desks. This way, everyone was happier and more productive.
Express Gratitude
Show your employees that you value and appreciate the gifts they bring to your organization. Spend time with them, learn what makes them tick and express gratitude for who they are and what they do. Depending on each employee’s preferences, you could write unexpected thank-you notes, give kudos in newsletters or all-team meetings or celebrate wins in one-on-one check-ins. Remember that employees who are struggling may need gratitude more than anyone. Be intentional about connecting with them, human to human, and recognizing their contributions.
The bottom line is that inclusion means inviting everyone to the table and making sure they feel safe and comfortable in their place. Be intentional about creating a workplace that includes and celebrates a diverse team, and you can help your employees and your business reach their full potential.
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
