How can you build your managers’ confidence in managing neurodiversity at work challenges?
Managers do not need to be neurodiversity experts: they need the confidence and skills to be ‘respectfully curious’ and have the confidence to manage neurodivergent team-members inclusively and effectively.
We include contemporary research and learning from Employment Tribunal cases in the design of our training. We have in depth discussions with our clients so that we cover key issues of the day in supporting neurodivergence in their workforce.
Our overall aim is to:
- Give your team a solid understanding of the way neurodivergent colleagues may experience their working environment
- Give managers the skills to ask good quality questions to identify what’s needed in each individual case
- Support managers and senior leadership in making their working environment effective and constructive for everyone
We deliver training to whole teams, managers and senior leadership.
We raise awareness about prevention of issues and early intervention techniques so that any impact can be fully addressed and supported by your managers and processes.
What exactly does a neurodiversity at work workshop look like?
We build all our training programmes bespoke, so that’s down to where you want the emphasis of your workshop to be, and who we deliver it to. Here is an example of what a typical course could look like, but please get in touch to tailor this for your business.
| Topic | Content |
|---|---|
| Introduction and welcome | What are your experiences, questions or concerns about managing neurodivergence in your team? |
| What is neurodiversity and neurodivergence? | We are all neurodiverse and around 20% of us are neurodivergent. Explanation of key concepts and respectful language Examples of neurodivergence |
| Equality Act 2010: is neurodivergence a disability? Do all neurodivergent people have a clinical diagnosis? | Exploration of neurodivergence against the legal definition of disability and key duties that will arise if it applies. Will all neurodivergent people be able to provide a medical diagnosis? Challenges and benefits of having a diagnosis |
| Understanding the impact of having a neurodivergent condition as a team member/manager/senior leader | We look at how the workplace can feel, sound and look as a neurodivergent person, according to different neurodivergent experiences and conditions |
| What are the potential challenges that neurodivergence might bring to the team member/manager/senior leadership? How do we overcome them? | A practical look at the day-to-day impact. Noticing and early intervention. Practical solutions |
| Changing the mindset from difficult conversations to relationship building | Practice of: Great questions – respectful curiosity, Active listening, Reframing, Summarising, Action planning |
| What other approaches have proven to be effective in supporting a thriving, inclusive workforce? | Exploration of: Self-advocacy and advocacy, Mentoring, Reverse mentoring, Coaching using neuro-inclusive techniques, Positive culture |
| Focus on support and resources to use to minimise the adverse impact of neurodivergence on management issues such as performance, behaviour and sickness absence | Case scenarios worked through in small groups |
| Making the most of internal support networks and the role of Occupational Health and other external support | We explore internal support networks (ERGs and allyship) and the external support networks that may be available |
| Adjusting the working environment for neurodivergent team members, managers and senior leadership. The spectrum from adaptations to reasonable adjustments | Ensuring adaptations and adjustments are reasonable for the team member, team and your organisation |
| Planning and implementing effective action and support plans | Introduction to an action planning structure and techniques to encourage collaboration and consultation to create the solution |
| The benefits and opportunities of an inclusive, neurodiverse and neurodivergent workforce including at management and senior leadership level | We introduce the compelling data and research that evidences the competitive advantage that this can bring to being an employer of choice and leader in your field |
| Keynote summary and takeaways |
