Why Dyslexia Support Should Be Part of Workplace Accessibility
Access to the workplace should not just be about helping persons with dyslexia but rather providing support for employees who experience difficulties with reading or writing. Much of today’s workplace relies upon reading, writing and communicating using digital methods, making those experiencing difficulties with dyslexia face these challenges daily. It is important to remember that dyslexia is no reflection of one’s intelligence or ability to perform in their chosen career, as many employees with dyslexia provide businesses with an abundance of creativity, innovation and problem-solving.
On the other hand, if employees are not provided with the appropriate level of support, workplace systems, and communications can have a negative impact on employee confidence, productivity and well-being. By creating a more accessible and inclusive workplace, both employers and employees will benefit from having workplaces that support them and create an environment that allows them to be successful and productive at work.
Identifying Dyslexia as a Workplace Concern
Dyslexia is one of many types of learning disabilities, and it challenges an individual’s ability to read, write, spell and process information. While many workplaces have familiarised themselves with the concept of dyslexia and recognise that the impact of dyslexia extends beyond the walls of school, they often limit their awareness of it to educational settings. In the workplace, dyslexia can present additional challenges for employees as they attempt to accomplish some daily work tasks, including reading reports, writing emails, taking notes in meetings, following written instructions, and organising information.
Depending on the individual, employees may need more time to process written information or be able to successfully manage large volumes of written data. It is also important to keep in mind that dyslexia can manifest itself differently from one individual to another and can range from minor to severe in terms of how and when it is expressed. For many adults, the undetected diagnosis of dyslexia will take place for many years, and during that period of time, they often do not recognise their challenges as an indication of a learning difference, but rather their personal shortcomings.
Improve Inclusion Through Communication Adjustments
By using clear and effective forms of communication, employers can better support a dyslexic employee by making small adjustments to the workplace so that it is easier for employees with dyslexia to process the information provided to them and less likely to make mistakes while trying to communicate.
Examples of ways to make communication clearer include providing only short written instructions instead of longer ones; using plain language in emails; breaking down tasks into smaller sections; using as many visual aids as possible; and, for example, providing employees with summaries of meetings or permitting employees to record their conversations, so they can listen to the conversation after the fact and review the information being communicated to them.
Making adjustments to the way you communicate with your employees will typically benefit all of your employees as opposed to just those who may have dyslexia. Improving communication in the workplace results in increased workplace productivity and a reduction in confusion across the organisation.
Reducing Stress at Work by Assisting Dyslexia
Many employees with undiagnosed or unassisted dyslexia work harder than necessary to hide the fact that they have difficulties. If an employee continues to make an effort to hide their difficulties over time, stress, fatigue, and burnout may occur. Furthermore, employees may then refrain from expressing their opinions in meetings, asking questions, or volunteering to do work that requires extensive communication. Recognising dyslexia and providing appropriate assistance allows employees to express their needs and develop strategies that enhance wellness, satisfaction with their job, and overall morale in the workplace.
Creating Awareness And Educating Others
Many people who have dyslexia are often ignored when it comes to providing support. This is because dyslexia is not always an obvious disability to others. As a result, coworkers, supervisors and others often misinterpret how a person with dyslexia is communicating, how they may be struggling to perform their job, etc., and feel that the employee does not care or “isn’t giving enough effort”. By creating awareness of each other and some education about dyslexia, we will minimise these types of misunderstandings and create a more supportive environment that will enable supervisors to communicate better with their employees and help them provide reasonable accommodations/adjustments. In addition, by encouraging open communication about accessibility, individuals with dyslexia will have increased comfort when requesting assistance without the fear of being embarrassed or judged.
Dyslexic support is a vital part of creating inclusive and equitable workplaces for all employees. Making simple changes in the way we communicate, use technology, and create a positive culture at work can go a long way in making someone’s day more enjoyable. Employers who make accessibility a priority build a culture of valuing diversity and recognising that there are many different ways for people to learn and work: this allows their employees to build upon their skill set instead of being forced to deal with obstacles that can be avoided. The provision of dyslexic support does not just add to the list of services that an employer offers to its employees, but establishes fair and inclusive workplaces that create a productive and conducive environment for all employees to thrive.
For more information on Workplace Needs Assessments for Dyslexia, contact Workforce Wellbeing today.
