Neurodiversity In Manufacturing: Everything You Need To Know

In the last decade awareness surrounding neurodiversity in the workplace has grown across all industries, including manufacturing. 

In 2013 SAP launched its Autism at Work Program, which provides onboarding and job coaching to neurodiverse employees with the expressed goal of having them represent 1% of its global workforce.

In 2016, automotive leader Ford launches the FordWorks program, the first automotive disability pilot ever, where the company collaborates with organisations like the Autism Alliance of Michigan to identify roles that align with neurodiverse skills.

Today, Siemens is well known for its neurodiversity inclusion policies and targeted hiring practices, reporting increased innovation in engineering and IT teams.

Where did these initiatives come from? Well, in many ways they speak to the era. The 2010s was very much defined by accelerated diversity awareness and change. 

But also they’ve grown out of the work of consultancies like Perfectly Autistic, which has helped global manufacturers like GSK, Britvic and PepsiCo enhance their approach to workforce neurodiversity.

Perfectly Autistic was founded by husband and wife duo Kelly and Hester after they were diagnosed as neurodivergent in their late forties.

This was shortly after their two children were diagnosed with ADHD and autism. 

NCI states around 15-20% of the world’s population is neurodivergent. The true numbers are likely higher due to the barriers to diagnosis, especially for those who present atypically. 

For this reason, many neurodivergent people are unaware of their neurodiversity or unable to access a diagnosis.

Kelly and Hester’s diagnosis has not only positively changed their lives but the lives of other neurodivergent workers through their vital consultancy work. 

Welcome to their official guide to what neurodivergent accommodation should look like in manufacturing: starting with an overview of the average neurodivergent experience in the workplace.

Autism, ADHD and neurodivergency: a masked reality

Neurodivergent people often have complicated and discouraging experiences of the workplace - a place that isn’t designed for them. 

“One of the areas I found challenging was the people management side,” Kelly explains. 

“I found it hard to relate to others around me and understand their challenges. Despite this I was successful in leading several high performing teams.”

Kelly’s experience reflects the research of Dr. Lawrence Fung, Director of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project. 

On McKinsey’s ‘McKinsey Talks Talent’ podcast, he said that neurodivergent employees tend to struggle most with the unspoken social rules or ‘hidden curriculum’ of the workplace.

This sociological concept coined by educator Philip Jackson in 1968, describes two simultaneous challenges: one visible and clear and one concealed and undefined. Aka, your job on paper versus your job in practice.

“A hidden curriculum is that we’d expect a meeting leader to sit at the top of a 30-person conference room table, with more junior people sitting in peripheral positions,” explains Lawrence. 

“But there’s usually no book talking about this and no one verbalises where to sit. People with autism need a heads-up about those types of things.”

The hidden curriculum of work often leads neurodivergent people to mask to fulfil its requirements.

“Masking is something autistic people do to fit in with those around them,” Hester says.

“It is incredibly draining and exhausting. It can happen subliminally, it’s often not a choice. You look at how others respond in certain situations and copy them often unintentionally.” 

According to CPD, anywhere between 70% to 94% of autistic people will mask during their life. Masking has a long-term negative impact on the health and wellbeing of neurodivergent people, causing what’s known as burnout.

Burnout is exactly what it sounds like: lighting a match too quickly and watching it burn into a stub. It’s a chronic state of exhaustion that isn’t solved by a lazy weekend, leading to a loss of executive functioning. 

Avoiding burnout is paramount for neurodivergent workers. No longer masking helps, but the consequences make it a decision few can make.

Kelly experienced this himself while working in corporate marketing at a global manufacturer.

“When I received the diagnosis it was a huge relief because I could answer the questions I had about myself over the years,” he says.

“But it raised a sadness. I didn’t know who the real me was. For forty years I’d been masking, and making decisions based on what I thought others would do.”

When he gained the courage to share this with his boss, he was met with a crushing reaction: laughter. 

“He said, ‘well you don’t look autistic’,” Kelly recalls. 

“I didn’t know how to reply, but I knew that I didn’t want to continue my career with that company.”

Perfectly Autistic: What their training can teach you

Perfectly Autistic offers bespoke solutions that are tailored to the specific culture and needs of every manufacturer.

“For some an introduction to neurodiversity session works well, whether a lunch and learn or an online webinar,” says Hester.

“For others with greater understanding we look to line manager or HR training. We also train neurodivergent managers too.”

Training that focuses on line managers specifically is vital for manufacturers according to Hester and Kelly.

“They hold a lot of power and can often make changes to a person’s role or environment to enable them to thrive,” says Kelly.

“Companies are keen to train their staff, but for some sadly this is still a tick box exercise. To be truly successful and inclusive it needs to go beyond a one off training session.”

True neurodivergent inclusiveness comes down to open-mindedness and a willingness to be flexible. For example, many neurodivergent people are highly sensitive to sensory stimuli like loud noises, which are common in manufacturing environments. Wearing protective headphones is the norm.

One employer Hester and Kelly worked with would not approve their employee’s request to wear noise cancelling ear buds, only permitting them to wear over-the-ear headphones. 

They had read that autistic people wear headphones, so in their mind that’s all they needed, regarding the request as frivolous and unreasonable. 

In reality, that employee experienced sensory overload and even sensations of claustrophobia in headphones due to their physical pressure and enclosed nature.

“Remember that everyone is different, so one size doesn’t fit all,” says Hester.
“It’s important to listen to the autistic / ADHD individual, understand their challenges and strengths and provide support tailored to them.”

The talent pipeline & changing mindsets 

Thanks to the work of Perfectly Autistic, mindsets towards neurodivergence are changing.

This is prominent with today’s youth. A study by CYPHER found that more than a third of 16–24-year-olds identify as neurodivergent. Education and workplace training must account for these future workers.

“Schools are increasingly adopting more inclusive approaches to education,” says Hester.

“It’s so important to support neurodivergent students as they will leave education and potentially pursue a career in manufacturing.” 

This is very true. Manufacturers want to create a robust employee pipeline, and many attracted to the field are neurodivergent. For autistic people who crave structure and routine for example, the production line has strong appeal.

Experts have even described neurodiversity as a ‘hidden superpower’ in manufacturing, due to the acute pattern recognition and problem-solving skills these workers bring. 

But it’s critical to remember that neurodiverse people aren’t a resource to be tapped or problems to be resolved- but people, who are valuable and diverse in their differences.

To read the full story in the magazine click HERE

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