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What is Neurodiversity?
According to the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN), neurodiversity “describes the natural way that people think, learn, perceive the world, interact, and process information differently.” You might hear the term “neurodiversity” or "neurodivergence" when individuals reference diagnoses such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), any of the four “D’s” (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia), and more.
More than anything, neurodiversity means that individuals move through and experience the world we live in differently. This diversity of thought might present itself in the way that people work, their approach to a challenge, and the way that they’re able to get the best out of themselves on a daily basis.
Neurodiversity is an ever-evolving area of study. For a long time, neurodiversity was limited in its categorization to simply the most “extreme” of cases – individuals whose diagnoses included extraordinary struggles in day-to-day living, those who perhaps needed adult supervision and care throughout their lives, those whose visibility struggled to maintain themselves within social norms, etc.
Today, as neurodiversity becomes more and more understood, science and medicine have begun to recognize the nuance in each individual’s neurodiversity, giving understanding, language, and access to resources to individuals who have been struggling quietly in an effort to blend in.
Why Does Neurodiversity Matter?
The importance of neurodiversity in the workplace goes beyond ADA accommodations and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging programs. While we can’t under-emphasize the importance of both systems and their work in creating accessible workplaces, embracing neurodiversity in the workplace contributes to business elements that everyone can understand – productivity, creativity, innovation, and the bottom line.
Many strengths lie beyond the initial challenges that neurodiversity diagnoses may suggest. For example, an individual with autism may excel at pattern recognition or detail-oriented and complicated work due to their ability to operate within complex subjects, while a person with ADHD can be successful in times of crisis and high-pressure because of their hyperactivity and increased sensitivity to what’s going on in the world around them.
Embracing neurodiversity in the workplace means creating environments that allow individuals to celebrate their unique strengths, while the business can benefit from increased productivity and reduced turnover.