During National Neurodiversity Week (18-24 March 2024), it's important to highlight the significant challenge of recruiting neurodiverse talent. We know that 15-20%* of the population are considered neurodiverse and unless we recognise this in our hiring strategies that could equate to 15-20% of candidates that are alienated or deselected from a recruitment process.

Neurodiversity encompasses the natural spectrum of human brain functioning and realises the unique strengths and perspectives of individuals with conditions such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia to name but a few.

In recent years, businesses worldwide have increasingly acknowledged the value that this talent brings particularly in driving innovation and expediting problem-solving. In fact, there are so many advantages it’s difficult to list them all...

• Enhanced creativity and innovative thinking

• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills

• High levels of concentration and commitment

• Exceptional memory recall

• Accuracy with factual information

• A keen eye for detail and error detection

• Reliability, persistence, and dedication

• Unique technical and design strengths

You’ll agree that these skills are essential to a modern workforce and so how do we ensure that we recruit these people into our teams?  Traditional methods have often inadvertently (or advertently) overlooked neurodiverse candidates, leading to missed opportunities for both employers and individuals.

When benchmarking recruitment processes, the first essential is to recognise that neurodiverse conditions may not always be visible or obvious. From the outset, application and screening activities must include procedures to identify what additional support may be needed to make roles accessible to everyone.

This strategy involves several key steps:

Tailored Recruitment Strategies: Recognising that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work for neurodiverse candidates, recruitment strategies need to be flexible and inclusive.

Inclusive Job Descriptions and Adverts: Job descriptions must be carefully crafted with inclusive language and delivered via inclusive formats.

Adapting Hiring Processes: Specific adjustments in recruitment processes would benefit neurodiverse candidates, this could include providing clear instructions, allowing extra time for questions on the process, as well as for task completion, and offering alternative communication channels during interviews.

Specific training for hiring managers and recruiters: Providing specific training for hiring managers will make the process easier and less open to complications and misunderstandings.

Supportive Onboarding and Integration: Once an After hiring a neurodiverse candidate, providing adequate ongoing support to meet their specific needs is essential for success.

Hybrid / Flexible Working Patterns: Flexibility can be particularly beneficial for people who may thrive in environments where they can work autonomously and manage their own schedules. To support a neurodiverse workforce, companies should consider hybrid or flexible working patterns that are accepted as the norm for those who need them.

Measuring Success and Continuous Improvement: Tracking the impact and refining recruitment strategies on an ongoing basis are crucial to neurodiversity initiatives.

At Vermelo, we've been collaborating closely with our RPO clients to reshape recruitment strategies to attract this diverse talent pool. This has included:

• creating customised strategies that attract and accommodate all types of candidates

• supporting clients writing job descriptions and adverts that are suitable

• attractive and welcoming to all, designing flexible processes built to accommodate various communication styles and the preferences of individuals

• providing training and support to help hiring managers understand, for instance, how hidden cues and non-verbal signalling can help or hinder an interview and selection process

• developing comprehensive onboarding programs to support neurodiverse employees in excelling in their roles

• advocating appropriate flexible working patterns to help neurodiverse candidates flourish in their roles

• establishing KPIs and metrics to monitor success, ensuring alignment with organisational goals.

This National Neurodiversity Week, we emphasise the importance of levelling the playing field so that neurodiverse talent is available to all companies. By strategising for success businesses can unlock new ideas, drive innovation, and foster a culture of excellence.

For further resources on embracing neurodiversity in the workplace, we encourage you to visit the Workplace Resources Hub provided by National Neurodiversity Week: https://www.neurodiversityweek.com/resource-hub

We’ve been supporting clients with their recruitment processes for many years, you can see some of our success stories here. If you would like to discuss how we can help you realign your recruitment processes to ensure inclusivity and attract a wider pool of diverse talent, please get in touch.

*Source: https://mydisabilityjobs.com/statistics/neurodiversity-in-the-workplace/