Zarah ChoudharyThe HR Dept Ltd polled HR consultants and found that 89% worked with at least one employer who had only learned of an employee’s neurodivergence after hiring them over the past 12 months.
The organisation surveyed 36 HR consultants across the UK to determine how businesses approached neurodivergence during job interviews, and to gauge the level of understanding around supporting staff.
More than half (56%) of respondents had worked with several businesses in this position.
79% of respondents believed that the number of businesses that discovered an employee’s neurodivergence after being hired increased from the year prior, calling into question the perception that the stigma around disclosure has improved.
Sue Tumelty, founder and executive director at HR Dept Ltd, said that candidates often avoid disclosing their neurodivergence at interview due to the fear of their success being impeded by discrimination.
This is resulting in employers only discovering that an employee needs additional support several weeks into a role.
Tumelty said: “This isn’t beneficial to anyone.
“Not only is an employee going without the support they need but the employer’s ability to accurately assess how the new employee is progressing, is also hampered.”
She added: “Clearly, there is still a stigma attached to neurodivergence which is dissuading candidates from being upfront about their needs.
“More must be done to ensure that businesses are effectively alleviating any fears candidates may have and are able to cultivate an inclusive environment that makes it easy and comfortable for interviewees to be transparent about their additional support requirements.
“Employers also need to be better supported in understanding how best to put this into practise.”
Following conversations with clients, 64% of HR consultants said employers lack some understanding about reasonable adjustments for neurodivergence, with 22% of those believing that there is a strong lack of understanding.
More than half (56%) also reported that employers lack confidence in being able to make adjustments successfully, and 17% of those believe that employers are very unconfident in doing so.
Lucy Westlake, director of The HR Dept Norwich and the East Coast, said: “Employers already have a huge amount to juggle, and whilst awareness is improving and many are eager to do better, the lack of understanding and confidence around the topic is simply stalling engagement.
“There needs to be better support and training available to help employees who suspect they are neurodivergent, particularly around discovering ways of working that will enable them to work to their full potential.
“As well as resources to help employers to understand what ‘reasonable adjustments’ do and do not entail, and improved access to guidance about how best to support individual needs.”
Tumelty added: “Not only will a greater understanding around neurodiversity ensure that employees get the support they deserve, but it will also give managers the confidence to recognise behaviour that isn’t occurring as a result of neurodivergence and therefore requires a different approach.”
She continued: “Ways of behaving that are brought on by neurodiversity and those that can be avoided, such as misconduct or being rude are entirely different, so employers need to feel confident in carrying out their usual disciplinary processes when appropriate, particularly when the wider workforce is at risk of being detrimentally impacted.”
Westlake noted: “If employers can recognise that everyone communicates and processes information differently and are able to take a more flexible approach to internal communications, training and assessments, for example, the entire workforce will benefit in tailoring of communications styles and preferences to engage all, not just neurodivergent individuals.”
