Yesterday our team had the privilege of participating in a neurodiversity awareness training facilitated by the nonprofit ADHD Aware.
The workshop covered everything from what neurodiversity is to tangible steps we can take as a company to better support neurodivergent employees.
One part that stuck with our team was when the trainer explained that creating a neurodiversity-friendly workplace isn't about completely transforming everything we do. It's more about making small reasonable adjustments to how we communicate, manage teams, and structure the work environment. Minor tweaks that remove barriers and allow people to thrive as their authentic selves.
The "aha" moment was realising that concepts like offering noise-cancelling headphones or giving clear written instructions aren't just nice extras. For some neurodivergent people, those simple accommodations could mean the difference between succeeding or burning out.
Our biggest takeaway was just how important empathy is in this process. We learned that if someone is sharing a challenge they face, avoid trying to "solve" it. Listen, validate their experience, then collaborate to find accommodations. Make it about supporting people, not fixing them.
We left feeling energised and proud to be a company investing time and resources into neurodiversity awareness. This training marks just the beginning of our journey toward becoming a workplace where every employee feels welcomed, valued and able to perform at their best.
Our team now better understands how we can support each other in an inclusive way. And we're eager to put what we learned into practice through open communication and leading with compassion.
If your organization is interested in neurodiversity training, we highly recommend connecting with ADHD Aware. The workshop gave us valuable insights and practical tools for nurturing empathy. It's an investment that will pay dividends in employee wellbeing and retention.
This experience reinforced that diversity training is not a one-and-done checklist item. It's an ongoing process of growth for both individuals and organisations. Our team is walking away motivated to keep learning, listening and taking steps to become more supportive of neurodiversity in our workplace.