How this Company Makes Neurodiversity Business as Usual [Case Study]
Beth Rees: Senior Health and Wellbeing Consultant
Mark Lyddon: Health and Wellbeing Programme Lead
NeuroWork: Can you both give an overview of where you started at your job, and how you have progressed in your positions to where you are today?
Mark
I joined CGI in 2020 in Beth’s role, I spent two years as senior consultant before an opportunity arose for me to be promoted into the lead position. I was very fortunate that my manager at the time was open, honest, supportive, and preparing me for promotion in the future. By cross working, sharing insight, roles, and responsibilities I could feel the sense of responsibility that was being shared with me, preparing me for leadership. I have been the programme leader since Jan 2022 and supported the business to hire Beth in March 2022. I now manage the health and wellbeing multifaceted offer across the UK and Australia, supported by Beth’s extensive professional knowledge and personal experiences and insight.
Beth
Before working for CGI, I had as they call it a ‘squiggly career path’ – in and out of jobs in the communications sector. I struggled with burnout and regular meltdowns/shutdowns which resulted in having to leave jobs that I enjoyed. That’s when I began going into businesses as a volunteer and sharing my mental health experiences in the hope of inspiring change. It was shortly after doing one of these talks for CGI that I started as the Senior Health and Wellbeing Consultant. I began my role supporting members (that’s what we call our employees) with their health and wellbeing but have since moved on to creating wellbeing webinar series, supporting our mental health first aider community and being an active member of our neurodiversity network.
NeuroWork: How long have you both been working together?
We’ve been working together for two years (Since March 2022).
NeuroWork: How would you describe your working relationship with each other?
Interestingly we completed an ‘Invisible Differences’ exercise at an event recently, designed to illustrate the differences in individual working styles and preferences. A scenario was read out and attendees had to physically place themselves somewhere on the sliding scale. On every scenario we found ourselves at opposite ends of the scale, giving each other a little wave when we passed one another! This exercise just highlighted that being at different ends of the scale we still work well together. We’re lucky that we have an open and honest working relationship, communicate well and regularly with each other, and have different perspectives to bring to the team. We have regular touch points throughout the day, week, month which help us to align our working ways and what we are looking to achieve in our team of two. Good communication is important for us and we also share a good sense of humour that helps to reduce the barriers that other employees may have when seeking support or meaningful conversations with their manager.
NeuroWork: Many autistic people have reported struggles to progress in their careers. What are your tips for autistic people who aspire to attain a senior role in their careers?
We are all unique and have different learning and development styles. It’s important to take your time and try not compare your work journeys to others. Find strategies that suit your personal circumstances and career goals, focus on your strengths, and your reasons why you want to be in a senior role.
Our top tips are:
Understand Your Strengths: Reflect on your hobbies and pastimes to identify transferable skills and strengths. There is often an important cross over between interests and skills. For example, Beth used to volunteer for different charities sharing her experiences of mental health and neurodiversity at work. She now uses this in her Health and Wellbeing role to support others. It’s important to find a career that aligns with your strengths, and just as importantly your interests.
Find a Mentor: We both have mentors within CGI and value these relationships as they’re a great support in our roles and ambitions. Having someone separate from your immediate job that you can speak to regularly or ask questions to can be so useful. They can also share their words of wisdom and expertise too.
Communication: We know for many autistic people; communication can be difficult. For us, it’s crucial in our working relationship and it’s important for Beth as an autistic employee that communication is clear and concise. It’s good to ask yourself what your preferred communication method is – is it through email, by phone, instant messenger, or face to face? Knowing this can give you more confidence when looking at a senior role and establishing what works best for you can also help to build strong relationships, giving you a network of support, advice, and potential job growth.
Be Patient but Persistent: None of us were lucky enough to find our dream job overnight, despite what we might see on social media. It’s important to work out your why (why do you want a more senior role?) and the steps you need to take to get there. If you need to trial a few different roles to get to what you really want to do, that’s OK.
NeuroWork: What are your top tips for autistic professionals seeking to thrive in their careers?
Beth
It’s important to look for organisations that are actively supporting and seeking out neurodiverse talent. Within a few days of starting at CGI, I’d been told about and prompted to join the neurodiversity network several times by different people. This has been so important to my career and finding those with a similar mind to mine.
Showcase your unique skills: With our different brains, come different and unique perspectives. Skills such as attention to detail, hyperfocus, creativity and logical thinking are sought after in many professional roles. CGI pride themselves on ‘doing complex things well’, which means they very much rely on candidates with unique skills, perspectives and strengths they can utilise so make sure to showcase what positive differences you bring to an organisation.
Seek out structure: For me, structure is vital to me feeling calm, focused, and able to work well. Try to create or seek out workspaces that minimise sensory overload and provide clear expectations.
Share what accommodations you might need: Many people don’t feel comfortable sharing their neurodivergence with their employer for fear of what might happen. Disclosing your neurodivergence can mean getting support or accommodations within your role to help you do it the best you can. With that being said, you should only disclose if you feel comfortable doing so.
Find a community: Making connections with other autistic professionals can provide support, mentorship, and opportunities for career advancement. Some organisations (like CGI) actively work towards creating inclusive workplaces and have networks or groups to support neurodivergent employees. Joining LinkedIn and making connections that way can be really great too.
Take time for you: Managing stress and creating a healthy work-life balance is crucial for long-term career success and to avoid bouts of burnout or shutdown. Making sure I start and finish work on time and taking regular breaks is an important part of my process but one that sometimes slips! That’s why I set alarms to remind myself and have family members remind me if I forget. Planning in time to be outside and time to be alone, can help with emotional regulation after a busy workday too.
NeuroWork: What tips do you have for individual managers who are managing an autistic employee?
Mark
From my perspective, managing an autistic employee can be a rewarding experience that has benefits for both of us in our team. A few suggestions for other managers would be:
Get a better understanding about autism and neurodiversity: There are lots of great charities, organisations and resources out there designed to help managers better understand autism, neurodiversity and what can be done to support an employee to do their best.
Clear communication: From working with Beth, I’ve learned to use clear, concise instructions and avoid ambiguous language. We also find regular 1-2-1 meetings to discuss work and provide feedback can be very helpful for both of us. It also means questions can be answered and any confusion identified too.
Tailored support: Recognise that support needs can vary greatly among autistic individuals. Be prepared to offer personalised workplace adjustments and accommodations.
Focus on strengths: Autistic employees often have unique skills, such as attention to detail or specialised knowledge. Get to know what these are and ensure the employee is utilising these strengths in their role.
Promote awareness: By following the steps above you’ll lead by example, showing your commitment to helping autistic employees develop and progress. It’s important to have a workplace culture that values diversity and promotes autism awareness but also acceptance, among all that work there.