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Championing Dyslexia at Work: Learning from Global Best Practices 
Championing Dyslexia at Work: Learning from Global Best Practices 

October 29, 2022

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Curious why “neurodiversity” has become the newest business buzzword on everyone’s lips? How about what makes ‘Dyslexic Thinking’ a skill recognised by LinkedIn? Or why Harvard Business Review positions talent that thinks differently as a competitive advantage for organisations? These are all the signs of a dynamic shift in the space of workplace inclusion, where slowly but surely, businesses are opening their eyes to the unique capabilities of individuals who are wired differently.  

The pool of persons with Dyslexia (a staggering 20% of the population) and other Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs) represents the greatest untapped resource in the global workforce. Along with its D&I merits, the inclusion of this community brings with it a host of business advantages. For starters, individuals with dyslexia excel at connecting the dots across vast, seemingly unconnected pieces of information, and seeing the big picture; shine when it comes to drawing insights from complex issues and themes and making predictions based on the information gathered; are excellent at leading teams due to their exceptional ability to empathise and communicate ideas in a clear, simple manner; problem-solve in innovative ways due to their non-linear style of thinking, making them the ideal strategic thinkers for an organisation; and think creatively to develop out-of-the-box solutions and ideas, which can breathe new life into their teams.  

Research shows us the business edge of organisations that celebrate those who think differently- neurodiverse teams are 30% more effective, on average. A survey by the Institute for Corporate Productivity concluded that 86% of employers rate employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities as “good” or “very good” along the parameters of dependability, motivation, engagement and integration with their peers. At JP Morgan Chase, neurodiverse hires make fewer errors, and are 90% -140% more productive. SAP and Ernst and Young’s neurodiverse employees have been instrumental in developing technical products and solutions that have saved or earned their employers millions of dollars in revenue.  

Recognising that cognitively diverse teams are necessary for an organisation’s successful future, many companies like SAP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Microsoft, Ernst & Young and the Virgin Group have instituted strong inclusion programmes that are looking to dyslexia and SLDs as the next frontier of inclusion. 

For recruitment, this may entail steps like making the language of job listings more inclusive, rethinking strategies like filtering by academic scores, and relying less on traditional processes of performance-based evaluations and more on evaluations that allow for a demonstration of how engaged they are, where is their acumen, aptitude and interest lie. Offering candidates the necessary accommodations, like extra time for completing a task, not making eye contact or shaking hands during interviews, breaks in between tasks, etc., can go a long way in enabling them to perform their best. On conventional methods of recruitment followed by most organisations, Kunal Jhunjhunwala, Founder and Managing Director at the multi-national Airpay Payment Services (and proud dyslexic) says he never got recruited from campus because he never qualified the benchmarks. He says, "Something that I've done at my own organisation is start with the soft skills. You test them, see if they fit in culturally or have the mindset, the acumen that we're looking for, and then you look at everything else.” 

In terms of pipeline building, focused internship programmes for candidates with SLDs are a welcome step, so that they may interact first-hand with the organisation’s culture before choosing to apply to full-time roles. 

In terms of organisational work culture, this could entail bringing on experienced partners to sensitise employees and leaders on working within neurodiverse teams. Similarly, support may be provided to new hires as part of the onboarding process. For example, at EY’s Neuro-diverse Centres of Excellence (NCoEs), trainers help neurodiverse hires adjust to the business environment and negotiate interpersonal relationships at work.  

Workplace accommodations play a crucial role in helping ALL employees thrive and perform to their potential; these may include  

  • Accessibility aids (like immersive readers, text-to-speech software, brain mapping tools, etc.) 

  • Assistance for organising and recording work meetings, to support dyslexic employees’ information processing needs 

  • Designated ‘quiet’ zones (with fewer bright lights, less sound, and limited movement) that address overstimulation  

  • Flexible seating options in office 

  • Allowing the use of noise cancellation headphones 

  • Flexible work options, including work-from-home 

Assigning mentors to employees with SLDs who can help them prepare professional development plans to match their skills, interests and goals will support them in their career path and ensure that they are on track to developing technical and soft skills needed for the job. 

At the end of the day, inclusion cannot be just a hiring activity which check-marks the number of “diverse” employees; it must be deeply embedded in culture- a culture where every member performs to their full potential, with an environment that is enabling that performance. As EY NCoE Leader Hiren Shukla rightly points out, "A lot of companies think this is a hiring program. It's not about hiring. You can get 50 people in the front door. Are you going to keep them? Are they going to grow? Are they going to be engaged? Will they be leaders in your organisation? These are the key answers ... for sustainable and scalable value creation."  

The more diverse organisations are, and the more they unite different ways of thinking, the further they progress by building on each other's strengths through collaboration. Teams that seek to create a culture of acceptance and celebrate diversity in all its forms cannot afford to ignore neurological diversity, and must draw on the experience of those organisations that have walked this path before them. Stay tuned for new posts in the series ‘Dyslexia@Work’, as we delve into the four key pillars of inclusion- recruitment, building inclusive work culture, technology interventions and the role of mentorship for professional development.   

This article is written by Deepika Ghosh, Lead for Workplace Inclusion and Entrepreneurship, and Noopur Jhunjhunwala, Co-founder and Trustee at ChangeInkk Foundation. 

 

References: 

  1. Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage (Harvard Business Review) 

  1. Dyslexic Thinking is now officially recognised as a valuable skill! (LinkedIn)


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At ChangeInkk Foundation, we strongly believe that without the contributions of individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities, India will not grow to become a $5 trillion economy. After all, 40% of the world’s self-made millionaires are Dyslexics and #DyslexicThinking has powered most innovations that have changed our world! So, we are working hard to break the stigma surrounding Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs) and are raising awareness around the many strengths of dyslexic minds. We are actively building inclusive ecosystems that support them- from cradle to career.

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