Mitigation

As for mitigations for these issues, this is an overview of suggestions, which also demonstrate the clear potential benefits for all IT professionals of getting these issues right:

1. Clear communication

• Have well-defined meeting agendas and adhere to them
• Allow a reflection period post-meetings before decisions
• Provide written communication for clarity, including for instructions, meeting agendas, and post-meeting minutes

2. Education and awareness

• Mandatory training on neurodiversity for all staff
• Continuous education campaigns and awareness programs
• More emphasis on diagnosing neurodiversity and promoting understanding

3. Workplace environment and adjustments

• Recognise roles where individuals can work independently and contribute significantly
• Offer flexibility in remote working and adjust to individual communication preferences
• Ensure proper equipment and environment for neurodiverse and disabled individuals
• Redesign office lighting to use natural daylight and minimize disruptions
• Foster an environment where neurodiverse individuals can express themselves without undue pressure
• Implement a structured system for identifying and supporting the needs of neurodiverse and disabled individuals from day one

4. Inclusive recruitment processes

• Remove traditional test requirements from interviews and adapt more flexible processes
• Provide potential interview questions in advance
• Focus on real work tasks and abilities rather than stressful interviews

5. Promote neurodiversity

• Consciously deploy neurodiverse individuals in teams
• Encourage senior neurodiverse individuals to role model and ‘come out’
• Reconsider performance metrics to be inclusive of neurodiverse individuals
• Provide greater advocacy for neurodiversity networks

6. Accessibility and tech adjustments

• Promote system design that caters to varied barriers and undergo conformance testing
• Provide tools that help with audio levelling in team applications like MS Teams and Zoom
• Emphasise the importance of accessibility in all applications and platforms

7. Support and understanding

• Promote a better understanding of the diverse challenges faced by disabled individuals
• Offer better IT support attuned to individual requirements
• Allow employees to voice what they need rather than making assumptions
• Encourage open conversations around accommodations

8. Culture and management

• Ensure managers and coworkers undergo proper training regarding neurodiversity
• Foster a culture that discourages discriminatory behaviours
• Introduce anonymous upward management or electronic suggestion boxes
• Stress the need for more inclusive senior management to drive change
• Strive for fair pay, assessment, and career progression opportunities for all

9. Miscellaneous

• Address the challenge of background noise in workplaces
• Offer more opportunities and placements for disabled individuals
• Have stringent measures to monitor career advancement of disabled colleagues and ensure fairness
• Expand awareness efforts, e.g., through BCS groups for different categories
• Advocate for more disabled parking spaces and other physical amenities

Here are some specific mitigations commenters suggested, in their own words:

‘Having someone who can help facilitate my contribution into a team or into meetings by helping me navigate the social/conversation cues.’

‘Recording of MS Teams meetings as standard (non-confidential meetings).’

‘Allow employees to determine for themselves what works best for them.’

‘Better understanding of the different ways you can assess someone's capabilities.’

‘Developers should be trained to realise that all users of the systems that they develop and implement are not 20-35 year old males. Testing should be done, (revolutionary I know) and by a representative sample of users, not by the developers.’

‘Event organisers being aware that ice breaker portions of events can often be very stressful for hard of hearing individuals when there are lots of people talking at the same time - perhaps more accommodation of hearing loops?’

‘We need justifications to be given FOR in-person meetings, as opposed to AGAINST them.’

‘I always encourage people to ask questions if they're unsure about something to do with my conditions, but I know that not everyone is comfortable with that. I would suggest that a discussion is always had on the first day, during the HR induction, to ask if someone classes themselves as neurodivergent/disabled (as you have here in question one) and that this information is passed to ALL of the relevant people (like operations or facilities management) so everyone is clear on specific modifications/needs that someone may have.’

‘Increased conformance testing. Building that type of testing into testing standards / regimes / testing software. Sites / online systems could publicise / put on their system that it meets standard X. It might be a factor when people are deciding which system to use, bring them more business.’

‘More awareness, kindness and understanding of the value that diverse thinking can offer.’

‘Better access to diagnostic services. Generally the issues I've experienced have been through lack of understanding rather than malice.’

‘Organisations need to stop seeing disability as a single concept, or a set of types of impairment, and start considering the wider context, because transitioning from education to the jobs market with a disability and acquiring one as an experienced professional are two entirely different things which require tailored solutions to address.’
‘An effective complaints and redress policy would be preferable to a disciplinary course of action.’

‘We all know the answers - we just need better people in senior management to drive cultural change.’