4 Ways to Support and Coach a Neurodivergent Workforce

When we talk about diversity, we sometimes forget about its equally important partner, inclusion, and how the lack of inclusion impacts various people with disabilities. Approximately 14% of adults within the U.S. possess some kind of disability, and nobody is immune or protected from joining this segment of the workforce. 

As VP of people and culture and chief diversity officer for the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, I’ve been working to learn more about how to support neurodiverse individuals, many of whom experience executive dysfunction. Here’s how executive dysfunction can show up in the workplace and how to support affected employees to create an inclusive work environment. 
 

Background

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Executive dysfunction is a symptom that happens with conditions that disrupt your brain’s ability to control thoughts, emotions and behavior. It’s common with conditions like ADHD, but can also happen due to brain damage or degenerative brain diseases.” 

More than 13% of all children attending K-12 schools are considered “special needs” or receive special education program assistance, and many of those children will eventually join our workforce. I have come to realize that there are many talented and productive employees within our U.S. workforce who experience executive dysfunction.

When discussing neurodivergence or executive dysfunction, we need to understand that there is a broad spectrum covered under this umbrella. Often, the manner in which these conditions show up can vary greatly from one individual to the next. Executive dysfunction is a symptom that is often not easily detectible or observed by managers or co-workers.

Some of the most creative people in the world operate with executive dysfunction. Because of their neurodivergence, the manner in which these individuals process information can deviate from the norm and what managers are accustomed to seeing. Sometimes, these individuals are ostracized or labeled as poor performers or ineffective employees simply because they sometimes utilize a different approach to getting things done.

In some of my HR roles over the years, I have had the pleasure of working with several gifted scientists, engineers, and artists. In these scenarios, it wasn’t uncommon to have their managers approach me to complain about the lack of employee productivity, only to learn later that the employee was extremely gifted and capable. Some of these employees experienced executive dysfunction or identified as neurodivergent. 

Some of these individuals are brilliant and have great contributions to make, but they might have trouble explaining their thought process clearly because they understand the process in their head, but struggle with putting it into words for others to understand.

Over time, I’ve tried to gain greater insight regarding various forms of neurodivergence so that our team can better support these employees. This is also a case of employee universal design because any resources or tools that management provides for neurodivergent employees can support and assist all employees in the workforce.

Ways Executive Dysfunction Shows Up in the Workplace

As HR leaders, recognizing the signs of executive dysfunction can help you know when to advocate for and better support employees.
 

Signs of executive dysfunction may include:

• Low tolerance for frustration.

• Inability to complete tasks.

• Struggles with directions that involve many steps.

• Forgetfulness or distractibility.

• Low motivation to get started.

• Impulsivity.

• Difficulty with emotional regulation.

• Lack of awareness around time.

• Trouble organizing or staying on schedule.

• Difficulty processing information.

• Emotional distress.

How HR Leaders Can Provide Support

As HR leaders, we should always be looking for ways to be more welcoming and inclusive. Here are four ways leaders can better support and coach neurodivergent employees:

1. Champion employee accommodations and go beyond ADA requirements.  
   Demonstrating empathy and understanding toward the needs of employees is the most important step. As HR leaders, we should advocate for accommodations first and foremost by listening to employees’ needs. While receiving a note from a physician is sometimes necessary under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), there are other times when requiring an employee to provide a physician’s note can serve as a roadblock or impediment to achieving employee productivity and success.  
    
   There are some tools and resources that are often easily implemented, such as software that enables printed information to be converted into speech or that allows images to be enlarged on a computer screen. Some employees may simply need a quiet place to work, where they can focus on a task without noise, or a set of headphones that enable them to block out distractions.  
   
   
2. Help staff members set specific, achievable, short-term goals.  
   Coach managers to be as clear as possible regarding instructions and expectations for projects and tasks. Sometimes, this requires taking larger tasks and breaking them down into smaller steps to keep employees from being overwhelmed.  
    
   If a manager assigns a project that will take several weeks to complete, it might be best to establish short-term goals with achievable deadlines. For example, rather than assigning a project with 28 steps over a three-month period before evaluating outcomes and results, try assigning projects using specific milestones that can be achieved, reviewed, and celebrated intermittently throughout a project.  
   
   
3. Encourage employees to block out undisturbed time on their calendars to get projects done.  
   There are times when an employee with executive dysfunction can become hyperfocused on a particular task and may spend more time than a manager believes the task should take. Alternatively, there are times when an employee may not allocate enough time to complete a task or may avoid a task altogether if it is not their favorite thing to do. In each of these cases, it can be beneficial to have managers partner with employees to block out undisturbed time in their calendars so that dedicated effort can be allocated for specific tasks.      
   
   
4. Encourage managers to provide written instruction, outlining priorities.  
   It is not unusual for employees to gravitate to their favorite duties and tasks and to avoid less desirable projects. Providing employees with emails or written instructions that outline priorities can help them better understand which projects are more important and therefore need to be prioritized. This may require visual aids such as checklists, physical calendars, or flowcharts. For some employees, this could be color-coded systems that help them prioritize tasks.
    

These recommendations can help support some employees with executive dysfunction, but they may not apply to all neurodivergent employees with different work styles. It is important to pay attention to employees’ performance to ensure the accommodations you provide are effective, with the understanding that it may become necessary to make further adjustments or reassignments.

As HR leaders, you can choose to see neurodivergence as a strength, recognizing that neurodivergent employees’ differences can be an asset to your organization.

For more resources on supporting neurodivergent employees, view the SHRM Toolkit: Employing People with Cognitive Disabilities.

Note: Paul Johnson is the VP of people and culture and chief diversity officer for the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. All views expressed are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.