Neurodiversity, you and 2022
Fellow neurodiversity advocate Uptimize has recently published a series of positive predictions for workplace neuroinclusion in 2022, and some of the ideas driving it. Key takeouts, fitting with much of our own research, are summarised here — along with a link to the full article.
Neurodiversity was one of the most popular topics among our partners’ teams in 2021, and through our work with subject expert Dr. Anne Cockayne we were delighted to support so much conversation and knowledge sharing towards great neuroinclusion among all kinds of teams. Fellow neurodiversity advocates Uptimize have recently published a series of positive predictions for workplace neuroinclusion in 2022, and some of the ideas driving it. Some key thoughts, fitting neatly with much of our own research, are summarised below, along with a link to the full article.
Facts and figures will drive us forward.
As more companies embrace neuroinclusive approaches to team and work culture, more data around impact will become available and shared. A number of our partners are building specific metrics around perceived neuroinclusion and the effect of workplace adjustments, to pulse surveys, exit interviews and broader DE&I efforts; letting what they learn drive continual conversation around inclusive growth. It matters more when it’s measured, and stories told creatively with data can capture all kinds of imaginations. Here’s to plenty of positive tales well told in ‘22, as further invigorators of curiosity and change.
Neurodiversity in job titles.
In the past, internal neurodiversity initiatives have been limited in their scale and lacking the oxygen of publicity; reliant on ‘one and done’ training sessions with fuller development only open to small numbers of colleagues, often within the HR function. As the scope, scale and impact of neuroinclusion initiatives grow, we’re beginning to see a new full-time role emerge within progressive organisations for a ‘Head of Neurodiversity,’ or ‘Neuroinclusion Manager’ — roles with extraordinary potential to cataylse change at both a team and customer level. And our own programmes in this space reveals the emerging value of ‘neurodiversity champions’; team members identified, empowered and enabled to drive awareness and conversation in all kinds of business units — offering a trained-up point of contact for anyone wishing to discuss their personal perspectives on the topic. Much of our ongoing work in this area is focussed on helping organisations share, among themselves, what they’re learning as they role out such programmes in very different contexts.
"It matters more when it’s measured, and stories told creatively with data can capture all kinds of imaginations."
Connect the team and customer experience.
Uptimize point out how recent years have seen a meteoric rise in neurodivergent self-advocacy; of employee activists like Nat Lyckowski (IBM), Austin Aja (Salesforce) and Rachel Craddock (Thales) changing the workplace from the ground up. And, now, as workplace neuroinclusion initiatives are growing in profile, organisations will realise the often untapped potential among a neurodivergent workforce; with neurodistinct individuals perfectly placed to inform the positive changes that can be made to the product and customer experience, and actively looking for alignment between the two.
Read the uptimize piece in full here.
Read more about our NeuroAware programme, and ongoing partnership with Dr. Anne Cockayne.
You'l find a wealth of original and curated resources to support your curiosity around neurodiversity and neuroinclusive teams in our digital Course Pack. Alongside enlightening reading, listening and viewing; there's a 'neurodiversity knowledge check' — very helpful for prompting conversation and ideas among groups.