Neurodiversity at Work audiobook cover - Drive Innovation, Performance and Productivity With a Neurodiverse Workforce

Neurodiversity at Work

Drive Innovation, Performance and Productivity With a Neurodiverse Workforce

Theo Smith and Amanda Kirby

★ 4.4 / 5(320 ratings)
Start ListeningDownload App
Categories:
Corporate Culture

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

Listen to Neurodiversity at Work — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from Neurodiversity at Work

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Neurodiversity at Work

Mind Map

Neurodiversity at Work
Understanding Neurodiversity+
Step 1: Confront Hidden Biases+
Step 2: Collaborative Interviewing+
Step 3: Person-Centered Environments+
Broader Impact & Action+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
Why do traditional hiring processes often exclude neurodiverse candidates?
  • A. They lack the necessary educational qualifications for corporate roles.
  • B. They heavily reward a specific kind of performance in highly ritualized conditions.
  • C. They require candidates to have a formal medical diagnosis before applying.
  • D. They rely too much on written tests rather than face-to-face interactions.
Question 2 of 7
According to the text, what is the danger of hiring managers relying heavily on their 'intuition'?
  • A. It usually results in finding candidates with the best technical skills but poor soft skills.
  • B. It helps identify neurodiverse individuals who might otherwise be overlooked.
  • C. It often involves unconscious bias, leading to the creation of weak, homogenous teams.
  • D. It speeds up the hiring process but leads to frequent employee turnover.
Question 3 of 7
When writing a job advertisement, what is a recommended strategy to attract neurodiverse talent?
  • A. List as many hard and soft skills as possible to ensure only top-tier candidates apply.
  • B. Use complex industry jargon to test the candidate's existing knowledge of the field.
  • C. Avoid mentioning diversity and inclusion so candidates don't feel singled out.
  • D. State explicitly that the company is committed to creating an inclusive workplace and is interested in hiring neurodiverse people.
Question 4 of 7
How can hiring managers adjust the interview process to make it a more productive collaboration?
  • A. By providing the interview questions to the candidate ahead of time.
  • B. By asking candidates to solve complex riddles on the spot to test critical thinking.
  • C. By having multiple managers interview the candidate simultaneously to simulate office pressure.
  • D. By refusing remote interviews to accurately judge the candidate's body language.
Question 5 of 7
What does a 'person-centered approach' mean in the context of supporting neurodiverse employees?
  • A. Creating a standardized checklist of accommodations that all neurodiverse employees must follow.
  • B. Asking individual employees what specific support they need instead of using a one-size-fits-all model.
  • C. Assigning a dedicated HR representative to monitor the employee's daily productivity.
  • D. Ensuring that neurodiverse employees are placed in open-office environments to encourage socialization.
Question 6 of 7
Why does the text emphasize the importance of putting implicit workplace expectations in writing?
  • A. Because neurodiverse employees are legally required to sign a contract acknowledging office rules.
  • B. It allows management to easily discipline employees who do not participate in social events.
  • C. Unspoken rules act like a 'secret rulebook' that can cause immense stress for new employees trying to decipher them.
  • D. It prevents employees from asking questions during their induction meetings.
Question 7 of 7
What is the primary purpose of a neurodiversity network in the workplace?
  • A. To diagnose employees who might be unaware of their neurodivergent traits.
  • B. To separate neurodiverse employees into specialized teams based on their specific diagnoses.
  • C. To train neurotypical employees on how to act as therapists for their neurodiverse coworkers.
  • D. To advocate for inclusive workplaces, share experiences, and put pressure on management to make changes.

Neurodiversity at Work — Full Chapter Overview

Neurodiversity at Work Summary & Overview

Neurodiversity at Work (2022) is a practical guide to recruiting neurodiverse employees and creating work environments that allow them to thrive. Thanks to the digital revolution, the world of work has changed dramatically over the last decades. Yet corporate culture has remained trapped in archaic hiring practices that don’t work for the neurodiverse. By updating these practices, you’ll create a more inclusive workplace, which will yield more successful and innovative teams.

Who Should Listen to Neurodiversity at Work?

  • Hiring managers seeking to attract neurodiverse candidates
  • Leaders looking to create a communicative, trusting workplace
  • Anyone who wants to learn how to advocate for themselves in a corporate environment

About the Author: Theo Smith and Amanda Kirby

Theo Smith is a talent acquisition leader and a member of the Resourcing Leaders 100. He led recruitment strategy at NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. 

Professor Amanda Kirby is a doctor, tech entrepreneur, and experienced researcher. Her previous books include How to Succeed in Employment with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Autism and ADHD and How to Succeed in College and University with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Autism and ADHD. 

Both authors identify as being neurodivergent.

🎧
Listen in the AppOffline playback & background play
Get App