#Neurodiversity #HRprofessionals #Inclusion #WorkplaceCulture
Hey there, fellow HR professionals! Let’s talk about inclusion for neurodivergent individuals in the workplace. 🧠💼
So, I recently shared my personal struggles as an autistic HR employee in trying to fit into the traditional “socially normal” mold expected in the workplace. I’ve found that while companies preach about inclusivity, there’s often an unspoken pressure to conform to certain social norms that can be challenging for neurodivergent individuals like myself.
Here are some thought-provoking questions to consider:
– Neurodivergent professionals: Have you ever felt the need to mask your true self to fit in at work?
– Allistic peers: Does your company have measures in place to combat implicit discrimination towards individuals with disabilities?
I believe that raising awareness and promoting education around neurodiversity can help create a more inclusive and welcoming work environment for all employees. Here are some possible solutions to consider:
– Implement neurodiversity training for all employees to foster understanding and empathy.
– Encourage open dialogue and create a safe space for neurodivergent individuals to express their unique perspectives.
– Emphasize the value of diverse ways of thinking and problem-solving in the workplace.
Let’s work together to build a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected for who they are. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! 🌟 #InclusionMatters #DiversityandInclusion #NeurodiversityAwareness
Curios. How do you think you’ve been treated poorly?
I hope we can get an interesting discussion going on this topic.
I feel you
Similarly I am a high performing employee and have done very well for myself all things considered. But I’m so drained at the end of the day. I’m masking hard all day
WFH helps so much because I can drop the mask between meetings and restore energy
Working in a large company in a cross functional role and not part of a tight knit team also helps a lot for me. I’m a HRBP and work most closely with my clients rather than a small group of team mates. I’ve always struggled long term in a small company. Too exposed
I feel you. I’m ADHD and the impulsivity and emotional dysregulation makes it hard to work in an office environment, HR or otherwise.
Hey – fellow neurospicy HR professional here.
I’m lucky to work at a company that has leaned heavily into equity and inclusion for everyone and I am the HR sponsor for our disability network. I lead the ND subcommittee and all ND divergent programming for the site, and have disclosed my diagnosis to a select few folks. I assume that others in the org have put two and two together about my spaghetti brains based on my passion and advocacy for the subject matter, as well as my obvious quirks.
That being said, it took me a couple years to get comfortable leaning into who I really am and expressing that openly in this workplace, especially after years of working in extremely competitive environments where I had to mask and fake it till I made it, often at the expense of my mental health and well-being. It’s almost been a gradual “coming out” process for me, and I’m very fortunate to have an extremely supportive manager and two-up with whom I can be very frank about who I am, how I show up, how I prefer to work, and why I do some of the things that I do. They are very intentional about creating an environment of psychological safety and are truly the reason for both my success and loyalty to this organization. They got me an awesome pair of huge noise canceling headphones so I can visually signal to people in the office when I don’t want to engage, and although we are expected to be in office three days per week, I can come in on low traffic days and can flex my hours so I’m not overwhelmed. I’ve been at this HR jawn for over a decade, and I have never worked in an environment where I truly feel so encouraged and supported to be and explore my weird self and leverage my unique talents.
I am getting more comfortable explaining to others outside of HR how and why I show up because I believe that transparency is essential to an effective working relationship. Although I may not be able to maintain eye contact or seemingly actively participate in debates, I can still add value to the team. I lean into what I’m good at, and delegate/partner with others to help me execute where I have gaps. The proof is in the pudding and I’m often praised for my analytical skills, strong interpersonal connections, atypical perspectives and disarming charm.
We have an extremely robust anti-discrimination policy and are fully transparent with our employees in terms of education around disability in the workplace and how to navigate the reasonable accommodations process. This is the first and only place I’ve ever worked that takes such a proactive approach to ensuring folks feel enabled to request the help they need in order to be their best at work.
I fully realize that what I have found in this organization is extremely and unfortunately rare, but it’s been life-changing for me.
This kind of posts have a very obvious answer although is not the one that most of us want to here.
Humans are social animals, full stop. The same way that you can’t switch of your neurodivergenvy, neurotypical people can’t switch of their social instincts.
I am naturally gonna develop a better rapport and trust with a peer who comes and talks to me while looking me in the eyes, that once in a while asks how I am doing, that ask for help, and here and there engages in small talk.
Not being interested in small talk or conversations that do not add value is absolutely valid, but surely you understand your peers will naturally gravitate to more social people. Because we are social animals. And that is neither discrimination not treating you poorly.
Find a niche where you excel as an IC and your cultural performance doesn’t hinge on neurotypical social behavior.