Fostering neurodiversity means companies can tap into unique talents and perspectives that drive innovation and creativity. Mia Kenward-Levene from Thriiver shares work with Mishcon de Reya to foster neurodiversity and advice for early talent teams.
Our session at ISE’s Student Recruitment Conference considered the transition of neurodivergent individuals from higher education into the workforce.
Tom Wicksteed from Mishcon de Reya joined us for the session to offer insights into how his workplace has been fostering neurodiversity and the importance of leveraging the unique strengths that neurodivergent graduates contribute to organisations.
Importance of neurodiversity in the workplace
Neurodivergent individuals bring exceptional strengths, such as innovative thinking, attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and persistence. However, traditional recruitment processes and workplace environments may inadvertently exclude these individuals.
By focusing on inclusivity, employers can enhance their talent pool but also foster a more dynamic, innovative, and productive workplace.
How Mishcon de Reya is fostering a neuroinclusive culture
Mishcon de Reya, an international law firm established in 1937, has been on a journey towards inclusivity.
They believe that to provide the best advice to their clients, they need a diverse pool of lawyers and business professionals, as it allows for a broad range of perspectives and experiences.
To ensure that these values are achieved, they critically assess the initiatives already in place and look for ways to improve. Thriiver has been working alongside Mishcon to help them create a neuroinclusive environment.
Their journey to inclusivity starts with the recruitment process. They ensure job descriptions use inclusive language and only state the essential skills and experience necessary for the role.
Within the job description, there is also a statement to inclusivity ‘We strive to create a fully diverse and inclusive workplace where all our people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We are proud of our agile working culture and are always happy to talk flexible working.’
Within the organisation, Mishcon de Reya strives for inclusivity through various groups such as the ‘Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee’.
In addition to this, they ensure that training is delivered to individuals who work within teams with neurodivergent employees, to ensure they understand how to work effectively with them.
Tips to fostering a neurodiverse culture
1. Review and adapt job descriptions: traditional job descriptions can be a barrier to neurodivergent candidates. Ensure that job requirements focus on essential skills rather than generic criteria. Avoid overly broad requirements like ‘excellent communication skills’ if they aren’t necessary for the role.
2. Inclusive job advertisements: clearly state your commitment to diversity and inclusion in job postings. If the role is hybrid/remote, highlight flexible working conditions, and offer reasonable adjustments for the interview.
3. Adapting job interviews: traditional job interviews can be challenging for neurodivergent individuals. Consider providing the questions in advance, to allow candidates to give more detailed, quality examples to help interviewers better understand their suitability for the role.
4. Partner with specialist organisations: collaborate with organisations that support neurodivergent communities. These partnerships will help employers reach a broader candidate pool and gain insights into the best practices for inclusive recruitment.
5. Awareness training: educate your HR team, line and hiring managers about neurodiversity and how to engage understand specific needs and challenges. Training should cover understanding the different neurodiverse conditions, recognising unconscious biases, adopting inclusive techniques, and creating a psychologically safe environment. This collaborative approach helps identify appropriate adjustments required to mitigate challenges.
6. Create ERG neurodiversity support networks: ensure that there are ERG networks available within the organisations. These groups can be instrumental in breaking down barriers and fostering a more inclusive workplace.
7. Know your legal obligations: By law, employers must consider requests for reasonable adjustments and agree to make those changes when they are deemed reasonable under the circumstances. Many graduates, familiar with requesting reasonable accommodations under The Equality Act (2010), bring this knowledge into the workplace and expect their employers to provide these adjustments.
8. Ongoing review: It is important to remember that the individual’s needs may change over time, so employers should regularly review and monitor any adjustments.
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