Building productive teams

Navigating neurodivergence disclosures

Navigating neurodivergence disclosures

5 minutes

A person’s choice to disclose or not disclose a neurodivergent condition is a personal one. However, when someone chooses to disclose this information, it’s a decision made with careful consideration.

 

Unfortunately, many have suffered repercussions after disclosing their
condition. Some have had uncomfortable disclosure experiences, where
managers may have asked insensitive questions or made judgments and
assumptions. For these reasons it is important to handle disclosures with empathy, open-mindedness, and humility.

Diagnostic Disclosure

A person makes a diagnostic disclosure when they state that they have a
particular medical condition. They do not need to share a medical note,
hospital records, or other personal information.

 

However, by sharing their diagnosis, they are entrusting you, as the employer,
with this personal medical knowledge. Therefore, it should be shared with
others only if the person consents.

 

Keep in mind these steps when someone in your team discloses their diagnosis to you:

1
Thank them for sharing.
Disclosure can take out a lot from a person, or can even cause a lot of anxiety before the conversation itself. Acknowledge their honesty, and empathise with what they've shared with you.
2
Verify their preferred language for the diagnosis
Confirm with them what language they would like you to use to reference the diagnosis. For example, some people prefer person-first language (e.g., a person with dyslexia). Others prefer identity-first language (e.g., a dyslexic person)
3
Find out what they need to accomplish their goals
Ask them what would help them succeed, whether they’re interviewing for a job, starting the job fresh, or disclosing after having been on the job a while
4
Refer them to the right person
Introduce them to the person in your organisation responsible for workplace accommodations. This is often an individual who works in human resources
5
Let them know their options
Even if the employee doesn’t want an accommodation, let them know they can change their mind later. Let them know accommodations are part of your everyday business and are available to everyone
6
Check if the accommodation is right for them
Follow up to ensure the accommodation works for your team member
Symptomatic Disclosure

A person makes a symptomatic disclosure when they share that they have
particular symptoms or needs.

 

For example, someone may say they occasionally experience seizures without
stating they have epilepsy or any other specific seizure-inducing condition. Or
they may say, without mentioning a specific condition, “I need to have
instructions written down in bullet points not given verbally. It helps me
organise tasks.”

 

In either case, here is a guide on how to go about a symptomatic disclosure:

1
Thank them for sharing.
Thank them for their openness, and respond to it appropriately and sensitively.
2
Make a mental note of the language used (person-first vs. identity-first)
Take note of the language they used to share this information with you. Understand that they chose this language for personal reasons. Don’t ask probing questions to find out what condition they might have
3
Work with the information disclosed to you
Consider that the person might not have a diagnosed condition. But, again, the case is personal. So, even if you suspect a particular condition, don’t make assumptions, and certainly don’t suggest they seek a diagnosis
4
Address the accommodations with the right people
Agree to provide the requested accommodations. If they require HR’s involvement, introduce the employee to the relevant HR personnel
5
Check if the accommodation is right for them
Ask your team member for feedback on the accommodation provided

Regardless of the type of disclosure, accommodations are likely different for every person. Avoid assuming the same accommodations apply to those with similar experiences — instead, ask them what they need to perform, and adapt from there.

 

Many leaders are able to acknowledge their neurodivergent team members, but are unsure of what steps can be taken to fully support and empower them. Take action and see what neurodiversity can bring to the workplace, how you can lead neurodiverse teams, or become familiar with the different types of neurodivergence. 

Sources
UKG. (2023). Neurodiversity in the Workplace. https://www.ukg.ca/resources/white-paper/neurodiversity-workplace

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