Karen Blake
Co-CEO, Tech Talent Charter
Inclusivity is essential for success, especially in tech, as digitalisation continues to influence all areas of business operations and shape organisational practice and wider society.
A key indicator of an inclusive culture is the extent to which your workforce feels psychologically safe. This can be measured in part by their willingness to share personal demographic information.
Why an inclusive workplace culture is crucial
Low disclosure rates often signal an exclusive culture, where employees feel unable to share important aspects of their identities and instead feel pressured to assimilate into the majority group. This not only impacts employee wellbeing but also hampers workplace innovation and productivity, stifling creativity and potential profitability.
Neurodivergence in the tech workforce
Recently, the Tech Talent Charter revealed that more than half (53%) of technologists identify as neurodivergent. However, when organisations were asked directly, they reported only 3% of their technology workforce was neurodivergent, indicating a massive disconnect between the workforce and their employers.
A significant gap exists between employer-
reported neurodiversity rates and the
actual rates reported by tech workers.
Growing awareness and support
Employer interest in neurodiversity is surging. Awareness has increased dramatically in recent years, with the number of organisations measuring neurodivergence in their workforce rising from 26% in 2021 to 68% today.
However, a significant gap exists between employer-reported neurodiversity rates and the actual rates reported by tech workers. This underscores the need for clearer discussions about neuro-inclusive workplace cultures, how neurodivergent individuals prefer to discuss and disclose this information and, most importantly, the support needed in a work context.
Challenges in reporting neurodivergence
One notable challenge is that neurodivergence is not always regarded as a disability by neurodivergent employees. Although legally protected under disability equalities legislation, just over 16% of neurodivergent technologists said they would not mention neurodivergence when asked to report disabilities, while 17% were unsure if they would disclose it.
Supportive, inclusive policies essential
While rising awareness of neurodivergence among employers is encouraging, it’s crucial for businesses to understand that awareness alone is insufficient. Meaningful change comes from providing needs-led support at a policy level and fostering an informed and inclusive approach at the managerial level.
To truly create an inclusive environment, employers must not only recognise the diverse needs of neurodivergent employees but also implement tangible support mechanisms. This involves offering tailored resources, fostering open communication and ensuring that policies are adaptable to the unique requirements of all employees. Only then can we build workplaces where everyone feels valued, understood and empowered to contribute their best.
