Beyond the Spectrum: What Workplaces Still Get Wrong About Neurodiversity with Dr Chloe Farahar
Awareness of neurodiversity has grown, but understanding still has a long way to go.
Too many workplaces still rely on narrow ideas of what neurodivergence is supposed to look like, who gets recognised, and who gets support. That leaves a lot of people misunderstood, missed entirely, or expected to fit a picture that was never built with them in mind.
Dr Chloe Farahar brings a much more nuanced lens to this, from observer bias in diagnosis and recognition to the role of race, gender, culture, and environment in shaping who gets seen. We also explore why the traditional idea of the spectrum falls short, and what a more useful understanding could look like instead.
A valuable listen for anyone who wants to move past basic awareness and think more carefully about what meaningful neuroinclusion really requires.
Highlights:
(01:18) Why awareness still isn’t the same as understanding
(12:20) What polyennic communication can look like in practice
(28:30) Why the traditional spectrum model falls short
(39:30) Chloe’s three-dimensional autistic space explained
(48:20) What workplaces need to do differently right now
(01:05:24) Five steps towards a more neuroinclusive workplace
Links mentioned in this episode:
Aucademy: https://aucademy.co.uk/
Building your Autistic profile: https://aucademy.co.uk/building-your-autistic-profile-brief-starting-page/
NHS Inclusive Workplace Plan template: https://www.cwp.nhs.uk/application/files/8017/3348/3604/Employment_checklist_-_Nov_2024__1.pdf
Enna Global - Helping forward-thinking companies attract, recruit and retain neurodivergent talent: https://enna.org/
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