15th November 2023 5 MIN READ •Diversity and Inclusion
As awareness of neurodiversity in the world of work increases, more employers are turning their focus on becoming a neuro-inclusive workplace. But before employers can widen their talent pools and search for neurodivergent talent, they must first consider their current workplace, their culture, and their recruitment processes, to ensure their place of work is right for neurodiverse employees.
Let’s explore the importance of neurodivergent recruitment, and what steps you can take to build a neuro-inclusive hiring process.
Neurodivergence at work
Neurodivergence is an overarching term referencing those who see the world differently to their ‘neurotypical’ counterparts. Neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD and Autism along with many others are grouped under the same term as a recognition of their conditions.
Only 22% of neurodivergent adults in the UK are employed, despite the benefits they can bring to the workplace. A deep focus, high productivity and creative thinking are all benefits that come with employing neurodivergent people.
Neurodivergent recruitment: How to make your recruitment neuro-inclusive
Many neurodiverse individuals are confronted with complicated recruitment processes that are far from being neurodivergent-friendly. Over-complicated job ads, confusing application processes and traditional in-person interviews are all obstacles that can put neurodivergent candidates at a disadvantage.
Although there are signs of change, with some organisations making adjustments to their hiring process to remove barriers for neurodivergent candidates, there is still a way to go for many looking to build a diverse workforce.
5 ways to support neurodivergent recruitment
The first steps in building a neurodivergent workforce is to ensure your recruitment process is catered to neurodivergent candidates. Below are 5 ways you can adapt your current hiring practice to support neurodivergent recruitment.
1. Neurodivergent-friendly job adverts
For many recruitment campaigns, job adverts are the first point of contact for candidates. They deliver crucial details about the role, outline key responsibilities and share the main reasons why a candidate should join an organisation. But for neurodivergent people, traditional job ads are often confusing, long-winded and difficult to read. So how can you make them neurodivergent-friendly?
Start with the writing. Is the advert clear and easy to understand? Ensure important information including salary, hours, and essential skills are written in a straightforward manner and that it’s easy to read.
An unnecessarily long list of essential skills is enough to put anyone off, and in neurodivergent recruitment it’s no different. When writing a list of essential skills, ask yourself, are all of these skills essential, or just a nice-to-have? ‘Essential skills’ such as ‘working well in teams’ and ‘excellent communication’ are elements of work that may not come naturally to neurodivergent people, which may make them less inclined to apply, meaning you’ll be missing out on high-quality talent.
2. Accessible application process
You’ve reviewed and improved your job ads, now what’s next? To help aid neurodivergent recruitment, you must look at your application process as a whole.
Is your application process clear? Do your candidates know what comes next after they click apply?
For neurodivergent recruitment best practice, outline each step of your hiring process and make them visible for neurodivergent candidates during the application process. Keep your candidates informed of any updates or changes to your process.
Make your application process easy for your candidates – think about where they are when applying for your roles. Neurodivergent people can be sensitive to external stimuli, so it might be difficult to finish an application in one sitting. Can your candidates leave an application form and return to it on a later date?
Finally, ensure your application forms are accessible. Many neurodivergent people utilise assistive equipment when using technology. Adapting your application process to allow candidates to use assistive equipment such as text to speech can massively increase the accessibility of your roles.
3. Candidate assessments
Does your neurodivergent recruitment process include skill-based candidate assessments? Basing a candidate’s suitability solely on a CV isn’t the most inclusive way to hire. The introduction of candidate assessments helps to level the playing field, whilst improving your neurodivergent recruitment campaign’s efficiency.
Neurodivergent applicants may struggle with the traditional CV. It may be difficult to outline all their skills in writing, which traditionally puts neurodivergent candidates at a disadvantage from the get-go. Candidate assessments help everyone to show their qualities and their eligibility for the role.
Choosing from various skills, personality and aptitude tests, employers can identify a candidate’s suitability for a role much easier than sifting through hundreds of CVs. To make this approach more effective, introduce a scoring based system to your hiring process. Not only will it make hiring decisions more efficient, but it can also help to reduce unconscious bias when hiring, giving every candidate the best chance to secure the role.
4. Take a different approach to traditional interviews
Traditional interviews are a big part of the recruitment process that some neurodivergent candidates can struggle with. From external stimuli like lighting and noise to on-the-spot questions, it can be quite a daunting experience. Luckily, there are a number of ways employers can adapt their interview process to better accommodate neurodivergent applicants and to create a more supportive neurodivergent recruitment process.
Start by planning ahead. Pre-planning can encourage interview attendance and reduce the chances of candidates backing out last minute – key details such as interviewer names, where the interview room is, who they’ll see when entering the building, what the interview will cover etc. All of this will make the candidate experience much more comfortable and allow them to be at their best.
When interviewing neurodivergent candidates, adapt your questions. Long complicated questions may not be the best – shorter, more precise questions may get the best answers.
The location of the interview can also have a considerable influence on a neurodivergent candidate’s success. Interviews held in an office could be a distraction; noise levels, lighting and unfamiliar surroundings could all put some neurodivergent people at a disadvantage. Make sure to ask your candidates where they would be more comfortable, what would help them, or even if they’d prefer a video interview.
Finally, make it practical. If your candidate struggles with traditional interviews, consider switching up your process. Introduce practical tasks and give candidates a chance to show off their skills in a way that is more comfortable for them.
5. Adapt your onboarding process
Your hiring process doesn’t end with a handshake and a signature. Once an offer is made, you must consider your onboarding process.
Getting your onboarding right for any candidate is essential, and with neurodivergent recruitment, it is no different. But you can’t take a one-size-fits-all approach for neurodivergent employees – you must adapt the way you onboard your people.
Introduce onboarding microsites to create a seamless onboarding journey for your successful applicants. Here, they’ll find key details about their employment. Start dates, line managers, images of the office and the team, and first day start times are all important details to share with candidates before their first day.
When practicing neurodivergent recruitment, a slower integration might be a good option. Start by bringing in a new hire to meet the team, get familiar with the office and get comfortable with their workstation. Take additional time to explain things; time off, sick days, points of contact, and ensure your neurodiverse new hires have all the additional equipment and support they require before their first day.
Finally, look for ways to support your neurodivergent employees at work. Are they comfortable with their surroundings? Can you offer any additional equipment such as noise-cancelling headphones? Can they work remotely when needed? Keeping your people engaged is crucial and will lead to a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
Introducing…
Neurodivergence at work: Build an inclusive workplace with Talos360
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