Can Dyslexia be seen as a gift to employers? Recommendations for HR departments to reframe dyslexia in the workplace

Aim – Dyslexia is one of the most prevalent neurodiversity but research looking at the effect of the diagnosis on adults in the workplace is sparce. This research aims to shed light on the positive attributes that employers can bring when hiring dyslexic people. The central research question being Can Dyslexia be seen as a gift to employers? Recommendations for HR departments to reframe dyslexia in the workplace. Design – 4 in-depth semi-structured interviews with people with a diagnosis of dyslexia who are working, looking at their experiences of support, working with the diagnosis and reasonable adjustments. And two in-depth semi-structured interviews with HR professionals on the changes they have seen and what businesses are currently doing to support their dyslexic workers Findings – Most of the dyslexic participants have had feelings of being on the outside looking in, and while some have found organisations that work with them to manage the effect of the diagnosis on their output, some are still trying to find that perfect fit. Many spoke of the mechanisms they have developed throughout school playing a large role in helping them succeed today. Additionally, they reported feelings of ‘being the bad guy’ to get what they want. The professional participants gave great insight to what their organisations are doing to compare these feelings but did admit that dyslexia isn’t the first thing they thought when looking at disability and inclusion. The key insights on reasonable adjustments and commitment from the very top of the company shows they steps are being taken to find support solutions that will work for their employees. Contribution – This study looks at a less tapped into neurodiversity and adds to the existing pieces looking at adults with neurodiversity’s with a specific view on the workplace. By presenting real people’s views we are able to better identify with their struggles and provide recommendations that will provide support. Limitations – This is a small anonymous study and so that does mean that this research can only be viewed as a jumping off point of further research, laying the foundation for larger more conclusive studies in the future