Spotlight on Diversity and Inclusion | A parent's perspective on neurodiversity

Alastair Proven
Senior Consultant
Capco

“Do you know what neurodiversity means?” Nobody has ever asked me that question. My son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 21 and after carrying out his own research, he told me that he, his brother, and his mum (my wife) were all neurodiverse. I had no idea what this meant because I hadn’t realised there was such a thing as a “typical” brain. There is!

We had worked through many challenges as our eldest son was growing up and we knew he needed more support than most (although not nearly as much as some other children). However, as he started university and progressed into the grown-up world, it became clearer to me how his diverse needs were impacting his life.

He initially started working at a clothing retail store. Before we knew it, our son needed our help with planning a complex discussion with his manager about how certain aspects of his role (for example checkout work) would be easier for him than others (such as touching fabrics). He found many things over-stimulating and challenging, such as the store’s loud environment, brightness and the variety of smells. These challenges were new to all of us, but he didn’t give up. He worked hard, asked for help when he needed it and did well in his short time with the company.​​​​​​​

Fast forward a few years and my son has successfully completed his degree in archeology and is working in his field. His new workplace challenges might differ, but we all now know a lot more about what he needs to help him succeed – both at work and at home to either help prepare for a busy week (normally away from home) or recover from the efforts and new changes as the day/week progresses.

Being the only “neurotypical” one in the family, I have aimed to learn as much as possible about neurodiversity and how we can all embrace our differences to help everyone succeed. Now that I am better able to recognise neurodiversity, it is evident to me just how many neurodiverse colleagues I have worked with over the years. They may not even know it themselves, but their “superpowers” are there, and through their unique and diverse skillsets, they contribute to realising hugely successful programmes of work.  

The key to helping neurodiverse individuals flourish is in understanding how we unlock and harness their potential. Not the potential of one, but of all. Whether someone is neurodiverse or neurotypical, how do we make sure colleagues who struggle to work in large open plan offices, can still do their best work for companies and customers, alongside their colleagues? How do we make sure people can plan taking time away from their desk to allow them to focus? How do we make sure everyone feels comfortable speaking up? Many of these challenges are not new to organisations but asking everyone to acknowledge and be cognisant of the needs of diverse individuals will pave the way for a more varied range of stronger solutions.

So, to answer my original question about the meaning of neurodiversity - simply put, neurodiversity means that we as people are all different, and one reason for this is the diversity in the ways our brains process information. If we can open ourselves to the fact that not everyone thinks in the same way we do, then we can better support family, friends and colleagues who need it. We all have a responsibility to make sure we understand each other and our individual differences. Educating ourselves and being open minded about how we work with others is key to creating an inclusive, safe and productive workplace.