Lost in Translation: CEO commentary on communication and neurodiversity

We’ve all been there, a time when communication breaks down because something has got lost in translation. It may be the sequencing – which has a different logic to different individuals. It may be the tone – urgent because this is a priority, or tongue-in-cheek because this really isn’t a priority. Or it may be the timing… or the detail…. or the never-ending long list of micro and macro elements that we humans include and/or omit in our daily and varied communications.

I struggle with this, and I’m a middle-aged neurotypical with a specialism in communication. So how must my 20-year-old autistic student daughter feel?

I raise the point because April marks World Autism Month, the PSI has both autism and neurodiversity special interest groups, and because I personally feel strongly that a practical understanding of autism and neurodiversity still needs to play catch up with the growing awareness of both. There are organisations, individuals (like said daughter) and professionals far better placed than I to suggest the practicalities of what that understanding entails, but one thing I do know that is a non-negotiable hygiene factor in this, is patience.

When my kids were small, they were indoctrinated in the need and benefits of taking a few breaths. Now that they’re older, I find it’s myself who needs to do the deep breathing. The patience that my daughter has taught me, implicitly and unbeknownst to her, is a daily work in progress, because it takes continuous patience to communicate effectively… with everyone - neurotypicals too. To check if what I’m saying makes sense to the other person, to try to ‘take a beat’ before wading into an avalanche of views, instructions, or details (I’m an over-explainer according to my other children!). But the psychological benefits to both me and my audience, to whomever I’m speaking, are vast – emotional regulation, clarity, empathy and especially, reduced anxiety.

I also make these points because as an employer, a line manager, a colleague, and a mentor, I am extremely conscious of the invisibility of neurodiversity which makes it easy to overlook or diminish the need to ensure the work environment is a safe and ‘friendly’ space. The research should come as no surprise, but autistic people face a number of barriers to the traditional workplace, including lack of accommodation and supports, and perceptions of bias and discrimination. It’s the reason why 6 in 10 are afraid to be open about their diagnosis. I cannot hand on heart nurture my daughter’s self-awareness and self-advocacy and then discourage her to not be “too” openly autistic. The hypocrisy is a struggle because the world of work has not yet converged with the reality that a large portion of the working population is not neurotypical (because in truth, what actually is “neurotypical”?).

The reality that a huge number of autistic adults are un/under-employed is both unfair and unacceptable. The growing awareness I mentioned needs to progress into demonstrable understanding. The fact that half of employers are unsure what reasonable accommodations an autistic staff member might require, and that 6 in 10 employers lack a dedicated autism-friendly policy, needs to change.

The PSI has adopted an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) theme for its 2024-2026 strategy, so we need to look at ourselves in this regard.

If as the research suggests, some 80% of autistic adults are more likely to disclose their diagnosis if confident they would be supported, then as that employer, line manager, colleague, and mentor, I need to make it my business to assure there is visible support. More than being vocal, as with all inclusive endeavours, it means being pro-active. The PSI team undertook neurodiversity training this month, so we’re on that journey. And as part of our EDI work, we will be reviewing our internal policies specifying neurodiversity and autism in our EDI references, and also looking at recruitment, sensory environments and autism-friendly workplace communication.

There is so much we can and we want to do, but as I’ve learnt, patience is important. So we will consider each action consciously, and make each change thoughtfully so that the outcome – the PSI as a demonstrably diverse and inclusive employer organisation - is sustainable.

Thank you Emma.

Blog post by Sheena Horgan Chief Executive Officer The Psychological Society of Ireland

Reference:
AsIAm and IrishJobs (2023). Autism in the Workplace. Retrieved from https://assets-global.website-files.com/6537ebfefba7b3c24a18e646/65f201020206226bbd209458_Autism-in-the-Workplace-Report-New-Logo.pdf