Making a job offer

Creating an inclusive and equitable job offer process in recruitment ensures that all candidates, including neurodivergent individuals, can engage confidently and without barriers.

Make an offer

Creating an inclusive and equitable job offer process in recruitment ensures that all candidates, including neurodivergent individuals, can engage confidently and without barriers. A well-structured and accessible job offer phase supports informed decision-making and promotes a positive candidate experience.

Prioritising inclusivity in the offer phase

The “Making an offer” stage can present challenges for candidates who may experience barriers in understanding or negotiating terms. This guide outlines strategies to make the offer process more inclusive and accessible.

Neuro-inclusive job offers

Selection Process

Focus on skills and attributes

Barrier: Neurodivergent candidates are sometimes overlooked due to non-essential social or communication skills, even if they possess the core competencies required for the role.
Strategy: Develop a structured framework for evaluating candidates based strictly on role-specific skills and strengths. This framework should focus on competencies demonstrated during the assessment process, avoiding unrelated attributes that don’t impact job performance.

Recognise and address unconscious bias

Barrier: Unconscious biases may lead hiring managers to favour candidates who seem like a “good fit,” often valuing personal similarity or comfort over skills over different perspectives that the team needs.
Strategy: If you notice you’re leaning towards a candidate for being a “good fit,” revisit the assessment framework to ensure you’re evaluating based on objective skills and strengths. Recognise that prioritising familiarity can lead to missed opportunities for innovation, fresh perspectives, and valuable experiences that could benefit the business.

Job offers

Communication preferences

Barrier: Offers requiring verbal negotiation or multiple back-and-forth exchanges may create anxiety, especially for those who prefer written communication.
Strategy: Ask candidates for their preferred communication method (e.g., email, phone, text, or video) and use it to discuss offer details. This ensures comfort and clarity in negotiations.

Transparent and detailed job offers

Barrier: Lack of clarity on salary, benefits, and terms can be overwhelming, particularly for candidates who benefit from structured information.
Strategy: Provide a clear, detailed offer that includes salary, benefits, start date, and available accommodations. Offering a point of contact for questions and a written summary can enhance understanding and reduce ambiguity.

Employee insight: “I wish I had received guidelines on my pay structure and a contact list for questions when I started. Clear instructions make such a difference.”

Allow sufficient decision time

Barrier: Tight deadlines for responding to job offers can add stress for candidates who may need extra time to review or consult their support networks.
Strategy: Clearly communicate the response deadline, allowing adequate time for consideration and providing a contact person for questions. This reduces pressure and supports informed decisions.

Encourage disclosure and offer support

Barrier: Fear of bias or stigma may prevent neurodivergent candidates from disclosing needs, leading to unaddressed requirements.
Strategy: Foster a supportive environment by openly encouraging disclosure, if candidates choose, and emphasise the availability of accommodations. Highlighting the organisation’s commitment to inclusivity can make candidates feel safer to share.

Employee insight: “I usually do not disclose my autism diagnosis, at any stage. I would only disclose if it was a disability-specific role or the organisation had made it really clear they value neurodiversity.”

Inclusive training for recruiters and managers

Strategy: Train those involved in the job offer process on inclusive practices and the value of diversity. This ensures recruiters and managers can engage without unconscious biases, promoting a positive candidate experience.

Negotiation

Structured negotiation framework

Barrier: Ambiguous or rigid negotiation processes may discourage neurodivergent candidates from negotiating their needs. If a person’s needs are not met, it increases their chance of not accepting the offer or only staying in a position for a short period of time which will cost the business.
Strategy: Offer a negotiation framework outlining areas open for discussion, such as salary range, work hours, or flexible arrangements. Clearly listing non-negotiable aspects in job descriptions can help candidates avoid unnecessary stress.

Employee insight: “Putting the non-negotiable in the job descriptions would help not waste peoples and employers time.”

Flexibility in negotiations

Barrier: Traditional negotiation structures can make it difficult for some candidates to express needs, especially around accommodations.
Strategy: Emphasise flexibility and openness to discuss tailored work arrangements, such as remote work or flexible hours. This shows a willingness to meet individual needs.

Employee insight: “I would not be able to take part in negotiations without support. I would feel like a burden and not feel like part of the team if I put myself first. Even though over time I’d burn out without accommodations, which would end up not helping the team anyway. So having a very relaxed environment to ask about accommodations with support would be good. Having a list of what accommodations, they couldn’t negotiate about on the job description would be helpful too. It would stop me from applying for jobs not suitable.”

By embracing these inclusive practices, organisations can create a job offer process that empowers neurodivergent candidates, fostering a work environment where all employees can succeed and feel valued.

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“As an employer I believe and have seen that supporting neurodiversity isn’t just about being inclusive, it’s good for business. It attracts a wider talent pool, boosts innovation, improves employee well-being, and reduces costs. In short, it strengthens your employer brand and builds a successful work environment.”

“As a small business we create policies and procedures collaboratively with staff, making sure that the policies are designed for them by them”.

“When you’re in an inclusive workplace people identify and understand the strengths you bring and accommodate work to focus on your strength areas”

“In an inclusive workplace neurodivergent employees should feel that they are understood by staff.”

“Inclusive onboarding for me really enhanced the comfort. Your first day can be really scary as you don’t know what to do, who to meet. At one place started at they told me what the plan was, who I was to meet and gave me clear instructions of where to go which helped me have a plan until the person who was collecting me arrived which made the whole thing a little bit less stressful.”

“I found work tours really helpful when they are part of the interview. It helped me sell myself during the interview as you can look at the types of equipment you will be using and get a better idea of what they want from you and the employer gets to see how you react to the environment”

“Feeling understood by my manager meant that I felt valued by the workplace, and that my unique perspective was valuable. When managers have understood me and my strengths, I have definitely felt more motivated to do my best for the business or company as a result.”

“I’ve noticed that in workplaces I’ve been in positive changes have been really successful when they come from the top down.”

“In the business I work in, to show job seekers that we are inclusive we have inclusivity statements on our website and our job ads. We also offer adjustments and accommodations as part of the recruitment process”

“The advice that I would give to businesses wanting to be inclusive is you have to start somewhere, even with something small. Be open to new ways of thinking and get input from staff to start making inclusive changes. Get it going, get it moving and let’s start doing something.”

“Your workforce needs to reflect your customer base. It really allows your customer base to feel more welcome and like they belong. I have found also that diversity of thought, skills background and knowledge also reduces bias and group think within an organisation, that’s one of the key things I have found”.

‘In an organisational setting, inclusion is seen as a means to improve performance and employee satisfaction. It improves employee loyalty, creative problem solving and teamwork.

“In my previous role I did not disclose this information because I was already having difficulties with colleagues. In my current role I have disclosed to team members I am comfortable with.”

Autism SA completed a National Survey in 2023, where 72 neurodivergent people were asked if they had disclosed during the recruitment process or in a workplace. 33% shared that they had not disclosed, 40% said that they had disclosed their diagnosis, while 26% partly disclosed.

“I love sharing my experience of being on the spectrum with people. It’s all about awareness”

“The number one thing that neurodivergent jobseekers look for when determining if an organisation is inclusive, is inclusive statements and language”

“Inclusive workplaces enhance teamwork and collaboration by valuing diverse contributions and perspectives.”

“Neurodiverse workplaces better reflect and understand the needs and preferences of diverse groups of people. This helps to expand the market and customer base and provide a wider range of products and services.”

“A diverse workforce is able to tackle a wide range of work challenges, thereby increasing overall efficiency and productivity.”

“This diversity can promote innovation and creativity, as different ways of thinking can lead to different perspectives and approaches to problem solving.”

“As an autistic employee, feeling valued motivates me to do my best”

“Inclusive recruitment has allowed us to build a diverse talent pipeline, ensuring our organisation’s long-term success.”