How to Create Safe Work Environments for Employees with Disabilities

Listening is necessary. Listening is complex. And listening neuroinclusively 🦋🧠 ♾ requires letting go of biases. In this article, I discuss how managers (but also people, in general) could develop neuroinclusive listening skills. This requires letting go of biases, such as biased interpretation of body language and the habit of looking for hidden cues where there are none - just honest and straightforward communication. 🦋🧠 ♾ Neurodivergent Body Language It is crucial to avoid assumptions: for instance, limited eye contact from an autistic person might not signify disinterest – it might be a sign of focusing on the content of communication. Likewise, an autistic person or ADHDer might fidget not out of impatience and definitely not out of disrespect, but as a self-regulation mechanism. Focus on what the neurodivergent person is saying, and do not be distracted by trying to read their body language, unless something appears to be a clear sign of discomfort. In that case, it could make sense to ask directly how someone is feeling, rather than jump to a conclusion – they might be stressed by the topic of your discussion, or they might simply be cold. Understanding what is happening can help address concerns immediately and make necessary adjustments. 🦋🧠 ♾Unique Communication Needs Some employees may prefer written interactions that involve technology and asynchronous communication that allows time for careful expression of points. To support these employees, managers then can communicate active listening via written, verbal, and especially action follow-up. Inclusive listening is a must for inclusive workplaces. #neurodiversity #management #HumanResources #communication #employees #EmotionalIntelligence #culture #inclusion #PsychologicalSafety #diversityequityinclusion #neuroinclusion #neurodiversityatwork #listening #activelistening #actuallyautistic #Autistic #Adhd #autism #neuroinclusive #managers #leaders #inclusiveleadership #leadership https://lnkd.in/gUTTFQyk

Today is International Day of People with Disabilities. Of course, people with disabilities live with it every single day. However, we need these awareness days to start or make progress with conversations and actions. Here are things you can do to do that. 1. Listen to the voices of people with disabilities. 2. Be yourself. Always. When I start talking to someone who never met me, I see the subtle familiar change on their faces. They change how they talk to me. Some of them — unintentionally, I'm sure — talk to me like I'm 5 or obtuse. The key is to let me see your face and enunciate. Don't speak louder, please. It's easier to ask someone to speak up than say they're too loud. 3. Provide two modern communication options always. Online and in person. 4. Avoid assumptions and ask. Getting me an ASL interpreter without asking will deprive someone else who needs the interpreter. There's a shortage of interpreters. Let's make sure the right people have access to them. 5. Understand one person does not represent an entire disability category. Not all deaf folks sign. Not all deaf folks lipread. Not all deaf folks talk with their mouths and voices. The list goes on. 6. Involve people with disabilities from start to finish and beyond. Pay them for their time. Turning off the sound does not mimic the experience of a person who depends on captioning every day. Refer to No. 4 as companies and product development often make assumptions. 7. Hire qualified people with disabilities. They bring so much to your organization. Data shows that people with disabilities tend to be the most loyal and best workers who bring in more revenue for companies who hire them. The hiring process needs to change. 8. Make progress with accessibility every day. It can be small steps like adding alternative text (image descriptions) to images. Make captions part of your video creation process. 9. Skip using overlays on your website to fix accessibility. This isn't making progress. It's a step backward. 10. Avoid hiring speakers who know little about accessibility and disabilities. Some people with disabilities aren't qualified to speak on these topics. 11. Ensure XR, virtual reality, and augmented reality are accessible. 🔔 Tap the silent profile bell to catch the next post (Wow! 33k!) 👉 Follow hashtag #MerylMots to find all my content ❤️ Like this? Repost and add your thoughts in the comments 📧 Want to work with me? Drop me a line! #Disability #IDPWD #Hiring #Accessibility Image: White generic person figure with a flourish around its top half and International Day of People with Disabilities