Mental Health At Work: How to Support Neurodiverse Employees
Disclaimer:
This blog explores the topic of mental health in the workplace. Eden Scott in no way professes to be a mental health expert; however, the topic of employee wellbeing and mental health at work is an important one to our company and many of our clients. Therefore, we believe that it’s an important subject to discuss openly.
You may find the following resources helpful:
Mind
Mental Health Foundation
SAMH (Scotland only)
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is ‘a viewpoint that brain differences are normal, rather than deficits.’
Neurodiverse people include those people on the autism spectrum, people with ADHD and those with learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dyscalculia,
Why is it important to support neurodiverse employees?
Some 30-40% of us are considered to be neurodiverse - a massive proportion of the workforce. That means you’re very likely to have a number of neurodiverse people on your team, whether you’re aware of it or not.
By providing support to neurodiverse employees, not only are you equipping them with the help that they need to perform their roles effectively; you are also making it more likely for your team to deliver on its targets.
Mental health at work: How can you support neurodiverse employees?
Employers are faced with many challenges when it comes to providing support.
First, you might not be aware of an employee’s neurodiversity, and as such, you might not even know the type of support that you should provide.
Secondly, there are so many types of neurodiversity that there is no ‘one size fits all’ support that you can provide.
However, despite the challenges, there are still things that you can do:
1. Create a supportive environment
Regularly talking about mental health at work and detailing the support available to employees can help them to feel more comfortable in sharing their concerns with you and your HR team.
For more on creating a supportive work environment, check out managing employee mental health.
2. Ask how you can help
When an employee makes you or your HR team aware of their neurodiversity, it’s OK if you’re unsure how to help. The best thing to do? Ask them what help they need.
Everyone is different, and only individuals can know what support they require to support their mental health at work. Your job is to make them feel comfortable enough to share their requirements with you.
3. Be open to making changes
You might be asked to provide quieter spaces for concentration, give longer deadlines or provide more flexible working hours, amongst other requests.
It’s important to accommodate your team’s requests as far as is feasible, or, if not, then to provide suitable alternatives. Your HR team will be aware of the legal requirements you have to accommodate your employees.
4. Check-in
Make sure you routinely check in with your employees to find out whether the changes you’ve made are helping them.
You can reflect together on what’s working and which areas could benefit from further support.
That way, you can collaborate in a way that’s fruitful for both parties.
Final thoughts
Neurodiversity shouldn’t be a barrier to a successful career. Supporting your neurodiverse employees with their mental health at work will empower them to perform their roles to the highest standards.
Learn more about workplace mental health.
