Diversity, Equality & Inclusion, Guest Conversations and Highlights, Specialist HR Topics and Masterclasses, Wellbeing

Podcast Episode 241: Harnessing Neurodiverse Talent In The Workplace – with Amanda McEvoy

2 months ago

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4 min read

This Episode: `Harnessing Neurodiverse Talent In The Workplace – with Amanda McEvoy`

Lucinda discusses the important topic of neurodiversity with independent consultant Amanda McEvoy. With over 20 years of experience in the health sector and a personal connection to neurodiversity through her family, Amanda shares her insights on the challenges and strengths associated with conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia.

The conversation delves into the unique ways neurodiversity presents, particularly in females, and emphasises the need for organisations to create inclusive environments that harness the talents of neurodivergent individuals.

Key Takeaways

Neurodiversity encompasses all individuals, including both neurotypical and neurodivergent people. It refers to the variety of ways in which our brains function, affecting our experiences, strengths, and weaknesses.
Female autism often presents differently than male autism, leading to under-diagnosis. Many girls are adept at masking their symptoms, which can result in their neurodiversity going unrecognised until later in life.
Organisations should focus on making reasonable adjustments that benefit all employees, not just those who are neurodivergent. Simple changes, such as using plain language in job descriptions and allowing flexible interview processes, can create a more welcoming atmosphere.
Companies that actively seek to hire neurodivergent individuals can benefit from their unique skills and perspectives. Embracing neurodiversity can lead to increased productivity, retention, and overall workplace satisfaction.

Best Moments

“When I hit menopause, my symptoms actually got a lot worse. And I realised that actually, I got diagnosed with ADHD.”

“Girls are fantastic at masking… they learn very quickly how to adjust, so they therefore become fantastic at masking or fawning.”

“It’s really about adjusting the environment, so not expecting the individual to fit into the environment, but actually adjusting the environment to make it easier for the individual to thrive.”

“If you can do it in construction, you can do it in any industry. It’s just about working out what is your strategy for harnessing it.”

Valuable Resources

Find out more about Actus solutions:

Actus solutions

The HR Uprising Podcast | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher

www.hruprising.com
The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group
HR Uprising Mastermind – https://hruprising.com/mastermind/
New Info-book: Rethinking Performance Appraisals

Additional free HR Resources

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About The Guest, `Amanda McEvoy`

Amanda McEvoy is a passionate learning and development expert and the Company Director of McEvoy Training Solutions Ltd. With a background in Leadership and Organisational Development, Amanda has a wealth of experience working with SMEs and the Public Sector. Since starting her company in 2011 after the birth of her second child, Amanda has focused on offering flexible, tailored solutions in areas such as Insights Discovery, Mental Health First Aid, and Menopause. Her mission is to help businesses and individuals achieve their goals through personalised training, with a strong emphasis on Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, and Health & Wellbeing.

Connect with Amanda…

amanda@mcevoytrainingsolutionsltd.com

www.mcevoytrainingsolutionsltd.com

About The Host

Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles. Lucinda, for over 10 years as CEO of Actus Software has worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. Certainly, it was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together.

“If you look up, you rise up”

How To Be A Change Superhero – by Lucinda Carney