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Managing neurodivergent employees can be a challenge for managers. At Adjust our managers training aims to improve confidence for managers who want to know how to ensure neurodivergent employees can thrive. 

One of the best ways to understand this further is from the perspective of a neurodivergent employee. In this blog we speak to a neurodivergent woman named Suzanne who provides clear and practical advice for managers who want to learn how to manage neurodivergent employees.

Suzanne: I received my diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD five years ago at the age of 38 following a 17-year long career. Sadly, my overall experience of ‘being managed’ has been a far from positive one. In the last four years I’ve had six jobs. I’d like to give examples of when I’ve been managed badly and also when I’ve been managed really well.

In each job I have either been managed no differently to a neurotypical employee or treated like a child and micro-managed. Every job has had a detrimental effect on my mental health. I have been patronised, bullied and ostracised. I don’t pick up on hints so often miss subtle nuances in conversations. I have no interest in office politics, gossip or spending time outside of work with colleagues, so I am branded unsociable. Few managers or colleagues have looked beneath the label and got to know me as a person.

“Few managers or colleagues have looked beneath the label and got to know me as a person”

 With no support forthcoming and feeling unable to ask for help, in each situation I have eventually resigned out of sheer exhaustion as I simply could not maintain the ‘normal’ façade that was expected. I was terrified that people would notice I wasn’t coping.

 However, with one employer, I felt things were different. I had two managers and an assistant manager. As I began struggling to cope with aspects of the job (mostly due to sensory issues), the two managers tried implementing strategies which did nothing to empower me and only made me feel even more of a problem.

One day, the assistant manager suggested going to the canteen with a sheet of flip chart paper and some coloured pens. We spent an afternoon creating a mind-map of the things I was finding difficult and shared ideas around solutions. As a visual person this was perfect for me.

One issue we identified was the lack of opportunity for me to exercise which, owing to my ADHD, I rely on heavily to burn off anxiety and to physically tire myself out. I joined a nearby gym and went swimming at lunchtimes. This was a simple but highly effective strategy that worked.

“We spent an afternoon creating a mind-map of the things I was finding difficult and shared ideas around solutions. As a visual person this was perfect for me”

 All three managers and some members of my team came to a talk I gave for National Inclusion Week about being autistic. Although they didn’t always get it right, they listened and they continued investing in me, making the effort to get to know me as a person which made me feel valued and respected. When I left the role, the assistant manager gave my leaving speech and called me an inspiration.

He was friendly, approachable, not over-bearing and treated me like the highly skilled, intelligent, professional person I am. He trusted me to get on with my job without micro-managing me. This was a perfect example of good management.

Lots of managers fear they are doing the wrong thing with an autistic staff member, but the worst thing a manager can do to an autistic employee is not manage them at all. Few autistic people will do a job they are incapable of, or don’t want to do. Acknowledging the condition, learning how it affects your employee and adjusting your management style accordingly is key.

Being treated the same as other employees is very damaging. I didn’t want special treatment, but I did need to be managed differently. I declared my neurodivergence in every job application I submitted and used it as evidence that I was an extremely competent, reliable employee. I was successful in getting every job I applied for.

“The worst thing a manager can do to an autistic employee is not manage them at all”

 Here are Suzanne’s key tips when it comes to managing neurodivergent employees:

1. Every neurodivergent employee is an individual

Having five neurodivergent employees may require five individual strategies. Reading an article about autism and adapting your management style to suit this will not be effective. The neurodivergent community is just as diverse as the NT population and what works for one won’t necessarily work for another.

“Having five neurodivergent employees may require five individual strategies”

 

2. Invest time and effort

The only way you will achieve the trust of an autistic employee and thus benefit from their skills is by taking the time to get to know the person. They may not be forthcoming, so you need to find unique ways to communicate with them. It may even have to be done through another person, like an advocate at work.

“Make them feel valued, and let them know that you are genuinely interested in getting to know them as a person”

 

3. Keep your mind open and be willing to be flexible

Workplaces are designed to suit neurotypical employees, but this makes a typical day at work for an autistic person far more taxing. Autistic employees can be tenacious, loyal, honest and hard working. They often have to be reminded to take a break or go home, and some can hyper-focus. In the right conditions, we can block out unnecessary stimulation and completely immerse ourselves in the task at hand.

Autistic employees can be tenacious, loyal, honest and hard working

Finally, don’t be condescending. Trust that your employee is perfectly capable of doing the job, otherwise they wouldn’t have applied for it. If they do appear to be struggling, consider that it may be the work environment causing issues. If in doubt, just ask how they would prefer to be managed and what they need. When managing neurodivergent employees you may need to invest extra time, but with understanding and acceptance, rewards will be reaped long term.

We hope that reading about Suzanne’s personal experiences has been insightful. Everyone is different, so other neurodivergent employees will have other experiences and a different journey.

At Adjust we provide training for specifically for Managers to increase their confidence in this area.

If you are an employer, you can contact Adjust to ensure you have the confidence to retain, recruit and manage neurodiverse employees.