How Construction Firms Can Improve Neuroinclusive Practices

Everyone has individual strengths that they bring to their professional and personal lives, and the businesses that can understand, include and nurture these strengths are in the best positions to thrive now and in the future.

This is the overwhelming economic case for incorporating neuroinclusion into every workplace, and we have helped businesses in the education and construction sectors to welcome neurodiversity, not only because it is the morally right approach but because it will make their businesses better for it.

The construction sector is particularly well positioned to benefit from including neurodiverse people in the sector. 

According to the National Federation of Builders, over a quarter of the people working in the construction industry are neurodivergent, and that brings with it such a diverse range of skills and perspectives.

How can they unlock the potential of all their staff members and contractors? The key is to take a neuroinclusive approach, which requires understanding, proactive support and a culture of inclusion.

What Is Neuroinclusion?

According to the Chartered Institute of Professional Development (CIPD) in a 2024 report on the subject, neuroinclusion is the conscious and active inclusion of all types of people in the workplace through welcoming all types of communication styles, learning methods and information processing.

The CIPD report primarily focused on ADHD, dyslexic, dyspraxic and autistic workers, but neurodivergence is a very broad category that ultimately celebrates the unique contributions everyone in society can bring. 

It is a conscious approach that ultimately benefits everyone. There is no benefit to neglecting neurodiversity - and, in fact, a net-negative effect can often be seen, which can seriously affect a firm’s long-term prospects.

What Are The Benefits Of Neuroinclusion?

There are a lot of benefits to neuroinclusion, which can help to improve the prospects of an entire organisation.

The exact benefits will vary from organisation to organisation, but often include:

• Improved Staff Morale - If at least a quarter of your staff feel more comfortable at work, it is going to have a huge effect on overall well-being and the atmosphere of your workplace.

• Lower Employee Turnover - Employees will stay if they feel wanted, welcomed and included. A neuroinclusive workplace lowers the chance that staff members will quit or end up too sick to work.

• Wider Skills And Expertise - Neurodiverse people see the world through a different lens, and this is a strength that in construction can lead to better outcomes, improved auditing and more innovative approaches.

• Reduced Legal Risk - An inclusive workplace is inherently a workplace that does not discriminate, which reduces the risk of legal claims of unfair dismissal or working practices.

How Can Firms Improve Neuroinclusion In Their Workplaces?

One of the best aspects of neuroinclusion is that it is often a self-perpetuating virtuous circle; the more autistic people feel included and valued, the better morale will be, the more people will feel comfortable discussing neurodivergence, which in turn makes more people feel valued.

A mistaken assumption some firms have (that we can very quickly correct) is an assumption that neuroinclusion brings with it additional costs, responsibilities and complexities. None of this is true.

Most steps you can take to improve neuroinclusion are very easy to implement, cost practically nothing and not only benefit neurodivergent people but everyone in your firm.

Reviewing Recruitment Processes

Neuroinclusion begins at the very start of a person’s working journey. Your job applications and recruitment process should be inclusive and avoid inadvertently excluding neurodivergent applicants.

Offer alternative ways to complete a job application, mention neurodivergence specifically, make it clear that reasonable adjustments are available, give examples of the types of adjustments you can give, use clear job-specific language in your correspondence and consider alternatives to conventional interviews where possible.

Incorporating Universal Support Which Helps Neuroinclusion

A lot of reasonable adjustments will benefit neurodivergent people specifically, but just as many of them will be of benefit to everyone in the organisation, and it is worth implementing support for everyone to ensure that neurodivergent workers get the benefits.

For example, whilst this is obviously difficult to implement on site, having a quiet room where workers can work and fill in any paperwork they need to do is a universal benefit that autistic people will especially benefit from. This is something that Overbury has already progressed with.

Provide A Safe Environment To Discuss Neurodiversity

If people are comfortable talking about neurodiversity, they are more willing to discuss what they need with colleagues, coworkers and managers. The first step to getting support is opening the door to ensure people feel comfortable asking for it.

Alternatively, be clear in one-to-one meetings that support is available, and they can ask for anything they need to help with neuroinclusion.

Focus On The Individual

Whilst there are some commonalities, every autistic person is different. Every dyslexic person will engage differently with their job, every ADHD person thrives in different environments and so on.

Take a person-focused approach and see what your employees need as individuals rather than making assumptions.