By Rebecca Keegan, Training & Regulatory Assurance Officer
The key points in this article include:
- What is neurodiversity and what are the conditions considered to be on the neurodiversity spectrum?
- What does neurodiversity look like in the workplace?
- What can be done to make a workplace more accessible to those who need it?
- How can we aid colleagues who are neurodivergent?
- Most importantly, how can we celebrate neurodiversity in the workplace and beyond
First, what does being ‘neurodivergent’ mean?
If someone is ‘neurodivergent’ it means they have a brain that functions differently to that of a ‘typical’ or ‘normal’ brain. Neurodivergent is a broad term for a large group of conditions and disorders, such as those listed below:
- ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
- ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity disorder)
- Bipolar disorder
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- OCD
What is the difference between a ‘neurotypical’ and a ‘neurodivergent’ person?
If you had a machine that measured someone’s brain function throughout their day, a neurotypical brain would look a bit like this: