How HR can support dyslexia in the workplace

When thinking of neurodiversity, Dyslexia is the most common and at the top of the list. Statistics show that as many as one in five of your employees is likely to be dyslexic.  It is crucial that HR understands this and offers support to employees with challenges faced in the workplace.

Dyslexics find things like spelling, reading out loud and memorizing facts to be tricky, this is because their brains process information differently than others around them.

They are often assessed against these skills which can determine intelligence, leading to misjudging by employers or colleagues labeling them as “careless” or “not capable”.

Dyslexics often hide their dyslexia from their employer. By doing this, they do not receive support and prevents employers from empowering their dyslexic strengths.

Did you know that dyslexics excel at the exact skills which are vital to the future of work? Their creative thinking and problem-solving techniques to collaborating with others, they have incredible leadership and people skills.

Less than one in five dyslexics believes their employer understands dyslexia. What can HR do to support this?

Create a workplace that allows employees to work and achieve in their own way:

• Modify current recruitment processes. Standardized tests don’t allow dyslexics to show their strengths. Modifying the process by allowing them more time will make the process more friendly.
• Show understanding of the value of dyslexic thinking. Not only to current applicants, but also current employees as it will encourage more dyslexics to apply and raise openness in the workplace.
• Support dyslexic workplace challenges. The tiniest thing that you can do will make a huge impact. Examples include presenting information in more visual ways, keeping instructions brief, having short meetings and minimize emails that are sent.
• Empower strengths of dyslexics. Promote a dyslexic employee into a management role and watch them build a high-performance team. Enable them to participate in meetings where “big picture” thinking is needed. Involve them in complex projects and watch their ability to see things in a different perspective will help your organization in the future.

There is a great opportunity for HR to redefine dyslexia as a skillset instead of a disability while developing a culture revolving around it.