Neurodiversity is a hot topic right now. It is estimated that around 1 in 7 people – more than 15% of people in the UK – are neurodivergent, which means that the brain functions, learns and processes information differently. Neurodivergent experiences can range from autism to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), to dyslexia and dyspraxia.

Each of these can affect how individuals think or respond to their environment. As a result, neurodivergent people are increasingly recognised by organisations as bringing unique perspectives, ideas and talents to the workplace – so much so, that ‘Dyslexic Thinking’ is now a recognised LinkedIn skill, after years of being championed by Richard Branson.

But how do you make sure your organisation is able to recruit neurodiverse people and enable them to thrive in your working culture, especially when it comes to your digital communications, tools and meeting practices?

From recruitment and onboarding to training, there are at least 10 points in the employee journey where digital accessibility needs for the neurodiverse community could come into play.

However, when looking at the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) – which are the international technical standards for delivering accessibility in websites and apps – the needs of neurodiverse people are not well represented. Many individual researchers have created sets of guidelines to remedy this, but many of these are contradictory and inconsistent.

There is a valid reason for this. Everybody with a neurodiverse condition is unique, which means their accessibility requirements are unique as well. Therefore, it is a challenge to develop guidelines that capture the needs of people across the spectrum, while not confusing digital professionals trying to follow them. HR staff, designers and content authors want guidelines to say yes or no, black or white. But that doesn’t really work in this context, when there are many shades of grey.

We have worked with the National Autistic Society to research and develop new guidelines, to help companies understand how to design for these important audiences. These capture, and help companies understand, people’s user needs. For example, people with autism can be extremely task-focussed, so if they can’t find the information they need towards the top of a page, they can get anxious and leave. Similarly, too much information on page can be overwhelming if the user finds it hard to filter out what is important and what isn’t.

Digital accessibility is a major issue. Our latest report An Immature Response? Why organisations are failing to build digitally accessible product and services, revealed that more than a third (37%) of organisations launch digital products without conducting accessibility checks, and one in three (35%) said they would still proceed with a launch even if they knew the product wasn’t accessible having tested it. Imagine how demotivating it would be to work for a company that created a digital product or service that you couldn’t access.

With that in mind, there are a few key points that HR directors should consider if they want to unlock the talent within a neurodiverse workforce:

1. Attract new recruits with inclusive design: Keep your website simple – don’t have pages that require lots of scrolling and consider the amount of detail you include. It is also preferable to enable personalisation when it comes to websites. Allowing the user to change the text and background colours on your website would help potential neurodivergent talent to engage with your company. Similarly, ensuring your website’s colours respond to dark mode is a key step to take.
2. Adapt the recruitment process: Simple adjustments to how you recruit potential employees can transform a neurodivergent candidate’s experience. For example, think about the application form – ensure that people have time to apply for the job and there are no timeouts. Allow people to ask for additional time to navigate competency tests if they need it. Perform often don’t perform at their best in interviews if they’re required to have their camera on in face-to-face video calls. And consider the interview room, or background on a call. It’s important to remove bright colours such as red as this could cause distraction and anxiety.
3. Training and employee engagement: Many neurodivergent employees don’t necessarily like face-to-face communication. The increased ability to work remotely and to manage workplace interaction online during the pandemic facilitated more employment opportunities and greater productivity for many neurodivergent workers. As such, e-learning, or at least remote learning, could be a more preferable way of conducting training or communicating company news than face-to-face – just ask if they have a preference.

Designing for inclusivity
Without doubt, when it comes to attracting the best talent, great minds don’t always think alike. A neurodiverse workforce can bring new and valuable perspectives to your organisation – employees are often creative thinkers and strategic problem solvers. As a result, many companies, particularly those in the creative and technology industries, are recognising the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workforce, which also include increased productivity and employee loyalty, and improved reputation.

This is why it is so important to ensure your digital communications are accessible to all – it could open the door to a pool of untapped talent.