Education & Awareness: Neurodiversity @Work Webinar Series
Education & Awareness: Neurodiversity @Work Webinar Series
Creating an inclusive workplace starts with you. Our education and awareness services enhance understanding, challenge misconceptions, and build organizational capacity to create inclusive hiring and management practices.
Employ Different Thinking:
Specialisterne’s Neurodiversity @Work Learning Series for Employers
Specialisterne’s Neurodiversity at Work Webinar Series offers employers live, web-based educational sessions that support businesses in building a neuro-inclusive workplace. The series is comprehensive, covering topics that span the recruitment life cycle – from building awareness and understanding of neurodiversity in the workplace to inclusive recruitment strategies and inclusive management practices. Each webinar is supported by clear learning objectives with calls to action and opportunities for applied learning.
The Webinar Series is designed to be flexible and customizable to the unique needs and context of your organization.
Just starting your journey towards building a neuro-inclusive workplace? We offer single introductory webinars designed to engage your entire organization and introduce learners to neurodiversity and workplace inclusion.
Ready to explore strategies for building more inclusive hiring and management practices?
Curate your own learning series based on the unique needs of your organization or team or meet with a Specialisterne team member for recommendations. Sessions can be paired with follow-on consulting sessions to support strategic planning and change management.
Our learning series supports organizations to:
Develop enhanced understanding and awareness of the value and benefits of a neurodiverse workforce
Build engagement and support of a Neurodiversity Hiring Initiative (e.g. identification of allies and champions and internal program enablement)
Build confidence and capacity to adopt and implement inclusive HR practices and procedures that promotes neuro-inclusion
Cultivate a workplace environment and culture that is adaptable and open to different ways of thinking and working
Neurodiversity @Work Learning Series for Employers
Session 1: Introduction to Workplace Inclusion – Foundational Session
- Introduce learners to the concept of disability from a critical, structural lens
- Introduce the basic concepts of neurodiversity and inclusive language
- Examine accessibility, including the societal barriers faced by neurodivergent employees
- Provide concrete steps and actions that all employees can take to build a more inclusive workplace
Session 2: Exploring Neurodiversity – Foundational Session
- Introduce learners to the concept of neurodiversity, diving deeper into different diagnoses, labels and identities that fall under the umbrella of neurodiversity
- Develop understanding of how to navigate and use inclusive language and labels related to disability and neurodiversity
- Invite learners to consider the benefits of a neurodiverse workforce, focusing on capabilities versus disabilities.
Session 3: The Power of Different Thinking: Driving Change Together – Complimentary Session
- Introduce learners to the concept of neurodiversity
- Explore real world examples of how employers from around the globe are championing neurodiversity in the workplace
- Challenge learners to reflect on what they can do to advance neurodiversity awareness and acceptance in their workplace
Session 4: Inclusive Recruitment
- Introduce learners to the barriers that exist for neurodivergent candidates in the recruitment lifecycle
- Explain what inclusive recruitment is and how to practice it within your organization
- Teach learners how to write an inclusive job posting by utilizing job analysis to understand the role
- Provide concrete steps and strategies for using accessible language
Session 5: Inclusive Screening, Assessment, and Selection
- Explore some of the common barriers that neurodivergent individuals face in screening, assessment, and selection practices
- Examine interviewer bias and how this contributes to overlooking neurodivergent candidates
- Provide tips for inclusive screening, assessment, and selection including how to conduct a job analysis and how to define screening and selection criteria
- Explain the difference between structured and unstructured interviews including how to conduct a structured interview
Session 6: Creating an Inclusive Onboarding Experience
- Explore the onboarding process and the difference between onboarding and orientation
- Explain and emphasize the importance and benefits of a good onboarding experience for all employees and for businesses
- Highlight the 3 components of good onboarding: development, guidance, and acclimation
- Provide tips for creating an inclusive onboarding experience including creating onboarding plans and productivity profiles, setting clear expectations, and prioritizing regular feedback
- Introduce learners to peer mentorship including its benefits and how to create a peer mentorship system
Session 7: Inclusive Management Practices
- Explore accessible workplace communication, including concrete strategies for facilitating accessible communication in the workplace.
- Examine inclusive performance management strategies that support people managers in effectively working with neurodiverse teams, benefiting both neurodivergent and neurotypical employees.
- Provide information on workplace adjustments and accommodations as well as steps for implementing these
Session 8: Understanding Disclosure and Workplace Accommodations
- Introduce learners to disability, disclosure, and workplace adjustments and accommodations
- Develop understanding of why employees may or may not choose to disclose and the ways to respond to disclosure
- Invite learners to consider how workplace adjustments and accommodations can empower employees and unlock their full potential at work
- Share concrete steps and strategies for how to have proactive and productive conversations about how employees work best and any potential adjustment or accommodation needs
Session 9: Inclusive Career Development and Advancement
- Explore a more inclusive approach to navigating career and professional development and advancement
- Broaden understanding of legislation, policies, and the contributions of workers with disabilities that have advanced inclusion and equity in the workplace
- Invite learners to consider alternative approaches to promoting employee career development and advancement
- Share concrete steps and strategies for creating more inclusive career pathways within your organization
Session 10: A Person-Centered Approach to Building an Inclusive Workplace: Introduction to Supported Employment
- Introduce learners to the supported employment model. Supported employment is the belief that everyone who wants paid employment can attain it, if the proper supports are in place
- Discuss how employers can build natural supports into their workplaces
- Provide details on how employers can add structured supports into their workplaces