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In the last episode, we explored how to know if you have a psychologically safe workplace, this week we will be looking at different ways we can foster a psychologically safe workplace.
A review of what we learned-
If you have a truly inclusive workplace, everybody’s neurological needs are likely to be met.
If there are instances where neurological needs are not being met, a psychologically safe workplace facilitates a safe space where employees feel comfortable talking about and asking for what they need to succeed.
Asking reflective questions can give you an insight into how psychologically safe your workplace is.
Reflective questions can also help you become an active ally, making purposeful and meaningful steps to create a psychologically safe environment for your neurodivergent colleagues.
What steps can be made to foster a psychologically safe environment?
Since 2018, I have practised in the statutory sector, within the NHS and I am currently practising in the voluntary sector. This has exposed me to very different ways organisations work. And having spent time reflecting on my experience in each setting and within each role, I have identified a handful of factors which were either missing from the work environment or I have identified as practices which made me feel psychologically safe.
In episode two we identified that an organisation or team need to achieve inclusion safety, learner safety, contributor safety and challenger safety to be psychologically safe. Within episode three we briefly explored what achieving each of these stages might fool like. For example, we know we have achieved challanger safety when we do not feel shaned for making a mistake, or we do not feel like we are shaming someone for making a mistake. In this episode, I would like to look at some of the less obvious nuances of facilitating psychological safety at work.
Recognise strengths
Recognise unique strengths - As social workers, we should know that every individual has unique strengths. When we move into the workplace, we bring our individual lived experiences and strengths to the job.
Therefore, fostering an environment where neurodivergent talents and needs are fully understood without judgement will help create a psychologically safe environment for all employees, especially neurodivergent employees to open up and share their expertise and experiences.
Recognise strengths without minimising challenges
It’s important to recognise individual strengths, whilst also being mindful of the inevitable challenges that come with being neurodivergent in a world or workplace designed for neurotypical adults.
If you notice something is challenging for a neurodivergent social work colleague, be mindful that they are working in a system that is not designed for them. Therefore, this challange, that you as a neurotypical social worker might struggle with, will be more taxing on them mentally, emotionally and physically.
Be curious and ask if there is a way to adapt a process or system that is standardised for neurotypical social workers and which works against neurodivergent social workers.
Or work with with your neurodivergent colleague to support them through the neurotypical structure/process - especially if the process or way of working cannot be changed.
Think about the everyday language we use
Be mindful of the language you use. In my experience and from speaking to other neurodivergent social workers, they have been made to feel like a burden for their reasonable adjustments.
One manager described my reasonable adjustments to a colleague as ‘difficult’, ‘time-consuming’ and ‘in the way’.
Another described reasonable adjustments as ‘privileges’, which minimised the fact that it enables me an equal chance to work and achieve.
At my ASYE panel, I was told they ‘wouldn’t have known I was dyslexic’ which made my mind spiral and wonder what they meant. Did they think a dyslexic person couldn’t produce a good piece of written work? Did they think my work had to be full of grammatical mistakes?
Be curious and seek understanding
Ensure all levels of management have a basic level of understanding of neurodiversity. Moreover, extend this to ensure the whole organisation have a basic understanding.
Ensure managers and leaders understand that differences are not deficits. Be curious about how neurological differences could contribute to your team and how the team can support one another.
Don’t judge or make assumptions about your colleagues or employees. Ensure managers and leaders have an understanding of their neurodivergent social workers' needs (individually). Each individual has unique abilities.
Training ensures visibility
Without training, myths and misconceptions can spread like wildfire. For example, many employees think of their neurodivergent co-workers as peculiar and strange, most often, people think that these co-workers have mental health issues (GMB union, 2018).
This misconception is extremely harmful and can be put right with training. Holding lunch and learns, and educating employees on how neuro-cognition is different in neurodivergent people supports the understanding and appreciation of neurodivergent thinkers and our unique talents and abilities (GMB union, 2018).
Be mindful of our lived experiences
It’s important to understand that we have different lived experiences of being neurodivergent.
For example, I hold trauma from education, which I discussed in a previous episode: after disclosing I was dyslexic and dyspraxic to a teacher, they asked me ‘if you can’t think or do, what’s the point in you?’
And therefore as a newly qualified social worker found it emotionally triggering when I needed to disclose or discuss my needs.
It is also important to note that not all neurodivergent workers agree that they have a disability (EY, 2018).
Support groups or a support team
Knowing and seeing other neurodivergent colleagues can help us feel represented and help squash feelings of isolation. We have peers who might understand our experience through their own lived experiences and who might understand the challenges we have personally encountered. Having a private and confidential support group to voice and process these experience offers an outlet for neurodivergent employees.
It also provides a platform for peer support where we can share strategies, advice and guidance.
It will enable us as a collective to reflect on what the organisation is doing well and identify where there is room for improvement. Improvements led by the experience of neurodivergent employees are important.
Whether a support group or a support team, employees need to know that this support system exists, and most importantly, how to access it. confidential, private sessions are necessary to provide opportunities for individuals to voice their concerns.
Open doors instead of closing them
Fostering psychological safety starts at the beginning of the recruitment process. Make your adverts multi-modal (video, voice, poster etc) so it is accessible to all.
If a candidate has disclosed they are neurodivergent, get in contact with them and see how you can tailor your interview and recruitment process to meet their needs.
Allow neurodivergent employees to work from home as they are able to control their immediate environments. Since the pandemic, accommodating remote workers is easier than ever. The pandemic forced many organisations to shift the way they see traditional work and to embrace the benefits of increased logistical flexibility.
Sometimes we have duty days or duty weeks, and it may not be possible to work from home, therefore there may be times that there is a service need for the individual to be in the office. Make sure you communicate this with an explanation and discuss what reasonable adjustments could be made to ensure you are supported at work. It might even be your preference to be with work colleagues at this time too.
If you use a one model fits all, you are closing doors for neurodivergent candidates.
Finally, Update your work landscape…. And I don’t mean the gardens!!
Once you have been curious and got to know the needs of your neurodivergent social workers/colleagues, you can make informed adaptions to mitigate sensory overwhelm.
Where high activity and/or noise cannot be eliminated, create access to quiet areas where people can retreat and focus. Avoid–or at least, offer relief from–harsh lighting, sound or smells.
Thank you for reading the final episode of creating a psychologically safe work environment for neurodivergent colleagues. Please do get in touch and let me know how you have begun to actively foster a psychologically safe work environment for your neurodivergent social workers/colleagues!!
Send me a message if you would like to see a particular subject discussed in the future, or if you would like to post a contribution to the blog.
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