In this section

    Continuous improvement

    To ensure ongoing refinement and effectiveness in recruitment strategies, implementing a system for continuous improvement is crucial.  

    This approach involves actively seeking and utilising feedback to enhance the recruitment experience for all candidates, including those from neurodivergent backgrounds.  

    How to integrate inclusive practices

    Organisations can integrate inclusive practices into their continuous improvement strategies by;  

    • Feedback loop: Establish a robust mechanism to gather feedback from both candidates who have gone through the recruitment process and new employees. This feedback should focus on their experiences, with a particular emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility. Encourage honest feedback by providing multiple anonymous and accessible formats for submission. 
    • Analytics: Regularly analyse recruitment metrics such as time to hire, cost per hire, candidate satisfaction and staff turnover. Pay special attention to how these metrics might differ among neurodivergent candidates and use this data to identify patterns or areas needing adjustment. This analysis will help pinpoint aspects of the recruitment process that may unintentionally exclude or disadvantage certain groups. 

    By continuously improving recruitment practices through feedback and data analysis, organisations can better adapt their strategies to meet the needs of a diverse applicant pool, thereby enhancing fairness and effectiveness in hiring. 


    How can you tell if your recruitment process is inclusive?

    Signs that your recruitment process is neuro-inclusive:

    1. Diverse applicant pool: You observe an increase in applicants that are neurodivergent and possess a range of skills, indicating that job descriptions and recruitment messages are broad and welcoming to all. 
    2. Open disclosure and accommodation requests: Candidates feel comfortable identifying as neurodivergent and requesting accommodations and adjustments for the recruitment process suggesting a supportive environment that respects and values diversity. 
    3. Low drop-off rates: Neurodivergent applicants progress smoothly through all stages of the recruitment process, showing that screening practices, communication methods, and expectations are clear and accommodating. 
    4. Clear communication in assessment methods: Candidates understand the expectations of them before and during assessment methods, including questions asked during interviews. They are able to demonstrate their skills and respond confidently, indicating that the process is flexible and designed to suit a variety of communication styles. 
    5. Positive candidate feedback: Applicants report a straightforward and engaging application process, and feel they were able to showcase their strengths effectively, showing that the process is well-structured and considerate of different needs. 
    6. Balanced use of technology: Feedback about screening tools such as personality or skills tests and virtual interviews is generally positive. Candidates appreciate the technology used for being fair and enabling them to demonstrate their capabilities effectively. 
    7. Flexible job descriptions: Job descriptions are broad enough to attract diverse candidates and explicitly state that equivalent skills and unconventional career paths are valued, encouraging applications from those who might not traditionally meet every single criterion. 
    8. Accommodating application system: The online application system is easy to navigate, offers features like progress saving and spell checking, and is compatible with assistive technologies, making the application process accessible to everyone. 
    9. Recruiter awareness and training: Recruiters and interviewers are well-informed about neurodiversity and unconscious biases and actively offer accommodations or alternative arrangements during the recruitment process, demonstrating a commitment to neuro-inclusive hiring practices. 

    These signs reflect an organisational culture that not only acknowledges the importance of diversity but actively promotes and supports it through its recruitment practices. By fostering an inclusive environment, organisations can benefit from the wide range of perspectives and skills that neurodivergent individuals bring to the workplace. 

    “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.”