The Talent Gap

9 min read

We talk a lot about the struggles of attracting people to our profession, but are we addressing a fundamental issue in our hiring practices and our perception of the type of people we want working in the profession?

A report from City & Guilds in March 2023[1] quoted that around thirty percent of neurodivergent individuals are not working. This number likely increases once you factor in the number of undiagnosed individuals. This compares to averages of around 4% unemployment amongst the general UK population[2].

The CII Professional Map outlines the key behaviours that individuals need to present as ideal members of our profession[3]. Neurodivergence covers a number of different conditions such as Autism, ADHD, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, and Dyslexia.[4] Here I’m going to focus on how someone with ADHD exhibits all of these behaviours and how we might be letting them down by not providing them with the same opportunities to get the roles they deserve and to thrive in them.

Key Behaviours and ADHD Traits

Insight

Many adults with ADHD possess exceptional creative abilities and a unique approach to problem-solving. They may find novel ways to approach tasks and explore unconventional solutions[5]/6

Drive to Deliver

ADHD can come with high levels of energy and enthusiasm, which can translate into a passionate drive to accomplish tasks and meet client expectations. Hyperfocusing can result in a high level of output and deliver strong results. It should be understood that this would come in bursts, potentially resulting in a different path to completion of a task.5/[6]

Curiosity

Individuals with ADHD are usually inquisitive, which can lead them to explore new ideas and seek innovative solutions.

This propensity for exploration, the ability to generate new ideas and approach problems from unique angles is invaluable.

Integrity

Upholding ethical standards is a key component of professional behaviour. A common  ADHD trait is to possess a strong sense of fairness and justice (known as justice sensitivity[7]), driving them to naturally act with integrity and uphold strong moral principles. This commitment to ethical behaviour is crucial for building trust and maintaining strong relationships with clients and colleagues.[8]

Impact

ADHD often comes with honesty and a preference for clear unambiguous communication, which can really help to drive innovation and productivity.

When harnessed appropriately, the ability to hyperfocus on engaging tasks can lead to exceptional creativity[9] and innovation in their work, and can help to create unique solutions. [10]

Inclusivity

People with ADHD are likely to empathise with others and appreciate what diversity can offer. Being a group who will have been discriminated against and often misunderstood, they will understand that allowing individuals to thrive in the right environment will bring results. They will be more likely to champion individuals and positive policies to allow this. [11]

Customer Focus

People with ADHD are likely to show empathy and understanding towards people’s needs, and bring their integrity into dealing with clients.

Their justice sensitivity will likely result in making sure that processes are followed and things are done properly.

How are we failing?

I do believe that our workplaces are set up to make neurodivergent individuals fail. This isn’t on purpose, but there is an unspoken neurotypical lens which everything is viewed through, that most people are unaware of, and may be inadvertently feeding into. I don’t think it is wrong to say that being neurodivergent is hard, and this is mainly due to how badly society is set up for anyone who is. Ignorance is no longer an excuse, and we need to actively engage and make changes.

Specifically focussing on ADHD again, I have set out some common issues with typical workplace setups that can have a big impact on how successful someone with ADHD is.

Interviews

Format & Style

  • Lengthy interviews – individuals with ADHD may struggle to sustain focus over a prolonged period of time.
  • Panel interviews – having to divide attention between different people, managing multiple perspectives and personalities, is difficult and tiring.
  • Unstructured – jumping from one topic to the next and back again can make it hard to organise thoughts and highlight strengths.
  • Noisy or cluttered environments can be a distraction and make it difficult to focus and organise thoughts. When someone with ADHD is distracted and loses focus, it can be difficult to immediately get it back again, which is detrimental in an interview format.[12]

Questions

  • Ambiguous questions – it can be very difficult to decipher the interviewer’s intent. Something vague like “tell me about yourself” isn’t specific enough to allow focus on the expected answer.[12]
  • Hypothetical questions – people with ADHD are more likely to take things literally and be honest, they may not be able to tell you what they would do. They may want to answer with exactly what they would do at your company, and they can’t do that as they don’t know your processes.

Preparation

  • Having some core questions beforehand can make all the difference[12]. This isn’t cheating, this is just allowing someone to prepare a response and showcase their strengths. Just because they might not be able to recall something on the spot doesn’t mean they are not capable.

Communication

  • People with ADHD may have a tendency to interrupt, especially if excited about a topic. They may also end up rambling a bit or talking quickly. Even if you don’t know if someone has ADHD, if you reframe this as excitement rather than being rude, it helps to not judge. They may be able to mask this to some extent in normal circumstances, but interviews are highly stressful. The likelihood is that they just wanted to make sure they have covered what they wanted to before they missed the opportunity or were asked to focus on a different topic.
  • They will often struggle with self-promotion and find it hard to articulate their strengths.

Work Environment

Office

The office can be a noisy place, full of interruptions and other sensory inputs such as strong smells. These can combine to overwhelm and distract which can be exhausting and have a big impact on productivity. Couple this with being unable to control the temperature, wearing uncomfortable clothes, and taking fewer breaks, being in the office can present real barriers to performance.

Meetings

  • Enforcing cameras on can create issues. People with ADHD are likely to find this more stressful and end up focussing on the wrong things or not feel able to participate.
  • Not giving opportunities to speak or present ideas.
  • Not having an agenda or limiting preparation time but expecting people with ADHD to contribute on the spot is quite common, but you won’t get the best answers or input this way and they may struggle and feel marginalised. This can also lead to an unstructured format which will present other challenges around focus.
  • Length – maintaining focus in long meetings is difficult. It’s in everyone’s interests to keep meetings focussed and on track. Strong moderation and not overfilling meeting agendas can help.

Awareness and Understanding

Although I have focussed mainly on ADHD in this article, often colleagues and managers are just not aware of the needs of any neurodivergent individuals and will default to practices that are exclusive. Training should be given on how to lead in a neuroinclusive way to give everyone the best chance to thrive at work.[13]

You can’t rely on making adjustments, partly because research has shown that around 30% of neurodivergent people hide their conditions from their employers.[14], fearing stigma and discrimination. Add to that the number of undiagnosed people who aren’t even aware that they would benefit from adjustments, all leads to the conclusion that the “normal” needs to change if you are going to make the most of the talent available.

Those who do this will gain a competitive advantage and tap into a fantastic talent pool who can drive businesses forward in innovative new ways.

[1] Neurodivergent employees impacted by lack of training and support in the workplace – News | City & Guilds

[2] Who are the millions of Britons not working, and why? – BBC News

[3] https://www.ciigroup.org/en/professional-map/individuals/download-the-map/

[4] What is Neurodiversity?

[5] Harnessing ADHD Strengths in the Workplace

[6] Career Counseling for Adults with ADHD

[8] What Is ADHD? Meaning, Signs, Causes, And How To Cope

[9] The science of ADHD and creativity: Thought patterns & medication effects

[10] What Is Job Crafting? How Adults with ADHD Thrive at Work

[12] Interview Adjustments – ADHD UK | Guidance on Interviews”>ADHD Interview Adjustments

[13] How to Understand, Support & Harness ADHD at Work

[14] Why three in ten neurodivergent staff hide their condition from their managers – And what employers should do about it

References

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