Being considerate of neurodiverse individuals in the hiring process is essential to tap into a varied pool of talent, fostering innovation and inclusivity within the workplace. It ensures that every individual's unique strengths and perspectives are valued and utilised to create a more dynamic and successful team.

The recent passing of the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 in the UK benefits neurodivergent employees, who may have unique work environments and schedule preferences. Flexible application arrangements empower neurodivergent individuals, offering greater access to career opportunities beyond rigid processes.

With over 15% of the UK population being neurodivergent, any sizeable organisation is likely to have neurodiverse individuals among its employees. The recruitment process serves as the starting point in an employer's ongoing dedication to achieving inclusivity. Ensuring a level playing field for all applicants reflects this commitment.

Numerous UK organisations strive to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within their workforces and communities. HireVue conducted a survey involving 3,831 HR professionals from different countries, including the UK, and their 2023 Global Trends Report reveals that 61% of hiring leaders are dedicating resources to recruiting neurodiverse candidates, a highly positive development.

This article highlights the significance of creating inclusive workplaces in the hospitality, retail, and leisure industries, emphasising the advantages of embracing neurodiverse talent and fostering diversity. It also talks about how inploi's accessibility widget and user-friendly application processes support neurodivergent candidates, ensuring a level playing field for all applicants.

Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Importance and Recruiter Challenges

As per the 2023 Neurodiversity at Work report from Birkbeck, University of London, neurodivergent individuals often exhibit strengths such as hyper-focus, creative thinking, meticulous attention to detail, innovative problem-solving, and cognitive control. In the retail and hospitality sectors, these strengths can be harnessed to enhance inventory management, create unique customer experiences, ensure product quality, drive innovative marketing strategies, and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction, ultimately contributing to the overall success of these industries.

In both the hospitality and retail sectors, we find inspiring figures like Chef Vanessa Dsouza, the accomplished founder of The Autistic Chef, and Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, who has ADHD and Dyslexia. These individuals exemplify the significant contributions neurodivergent candidates can bring to these industries.

To promote a neuro-inclusive culture and reap the advantages of a diverse workforce, employers should evaluate how their processes affect neurodivergent employees at every stage of the employment cycle, beginning with recruitment.

While recognising the importance of a neurodiverse workforce, many businesses face challenges in effectively attracting and hiring these candidates due to a lack of tailored processes, particularly when hiring at scale. In such cases, technology can play a crucial role in creating a more equitable playing field for neurodiverse applicants, from streamlining the application process to crafting more inclusive job descriptions. It also facilitates matching neurodiverse candidates with roles that align with their skills and allows for tailored adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Additionally, data analytics can be instrumental in pinpointing potential issues, such as a significant drop-off rate among neurodiverse candidates at various application stages. This data-driven approach helps identify unfair aspects that require adjustments, ensuring a more inclusive hiring process.

How inploi's accessibility solutions help businesses connect with neurodiverse talent

At inploi, we firmly believe in inclusive recruitment processes and have partnered with accessiBe, a leading web accessibility technology provider, to ensure that no one is excluded from opportunities due to inaccessible processes. Here's how we achieve this:

accessiBe's technology combines two applications to address WCAG requirements comprehensively. The first application focuses on design-related adjustments, such as text size, colour, and navigation. The second, powered by AI, handles complex requirements like screen-reading and keyboard navigation while maintaining GDPR compliance and privacy standards.

Our conversational application flow and chatbot UI simplify the application process, making it user-friendly, especially for mobile users, and promoting inclusivity for differently-abled individuals.

We're proud to partner with Haven, a leading UK holiday operator, to build a customised careers hub, integrated with accessiBe's technology. As a result, Haven's careers hub is fully accessible and compliant. Users can choose from various accessibility profiles, including seizure-safe, vision impaired, cognitive disability, and ADHD-friendly, allowing them to tailor the page to their needs. Content, colour, and orientation adjustments empower users to customise the UI per their preferences. accessiBe's AI application continuously optimises accessibility in the background, ensuring that the careers hub remains accessible to all visitors. This approach enables Haven to engage with diverse candidates and enhance its workforce inclusivity.

Book a call with us today to ensure your talent attraction and engagement strategies embrace neuro-inclusivity.