The first post....Every Blog has to start somewhere right?

You may have seen or heard of the term Neurodiversity; it seems to have a bit of a buzz now right?

As a neurodivergent working in Engineering I thought I would offer my understanding of the term and experience working in this field. I have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and I do not let this define me in a negative way.

My name is Scott Williams I am a Geotechnical Engineer working for BAM Ritchies, a specialist geotechnical services provider for the Construction and Engineering industry.

Neurodiversity is the diversity of human brains and minds – the infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning within the human species.

Most people are neurotypical, meaning that the brain functions and processes information in the way society expects. However it is estimated that around 1 in 7 people (more than 15% of people in the UK) are neurodivergent, meaning that the brain functions, learns and processes information differently. Neurodivergence includes ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia.

"It is also important to note that many people with Neurodiverse presentations also have other diagnoses linked to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and bi-polar".

Many people do not disclose their difficulties in the workplace for fear of being ostracised.

Neurodivergent people have a spikey profile in terms of their capabilities meaning they are extremely talented in certain areas whilst struggle with others; neurotypical people tend to have a consistent level of skills across the board. Many of the world’s great achievers have neurodivergent presentations including; Bill Gates (Autism), Richard Branson (Dyslexia), Michael Phelps (ADHD); highlighting the fact that people who think beyond the box can achieve so much.

I was diagnosed at the age of 6 with ADHD combined presentation; the most common type of ADHD. Its characterised by impulsive and hyperactive behaviour, as well as getting distracted easily and struggling to maintain attention. At work, this might mean being unable to stick to tasks that are tedious or time-consuming, appearing to be unable to listen to or carry out instructions, constantly changing activity or task, having difficulty organising tasks and talking excessively and interrupting. It is the inattentive part that I personally find most frustrating and debilitating. It can often cause anxiety, additional stress and frustration, which then exacerbates some ADHD presentations.

"Being open and honest with my employer and colleagues has been the key to my success within the workplace".

being honest allowed them to put things into place to help with daily management but also it helps colleagues to understand and support you, rather than just look at you a little strange.

This brings me onto the hyperactivity/impulsive part of my ADHD; the never stopping, always on the go part is probably the biggest for me. I move a lot and can’t sit still; this particularly hard during meetings and training courses I attend as part of my role. I spent many years trying to cover it up and trying to deal with it.

" Some colleagues always knew there was something different about me whilst others just thought of me as rude or unprofessional".

Eventually I ‘came out’ as neurodivergent to my employers. I sat down with my manager and HR leads, clearly explaining the impact of trying to self-manage my ADHD. I clarified my divergence to them and the limitations and difficulties it imposes on my daily home and work life. They were able to make some reasonable adjustments to support me at work for example: flexibility of working hours, starting my workday at a time that suited me and a fixed desk space as I struggle in an open plan office. Having a specific space with reduced distraction help me to focus on my tasks.

Being neurodivergent, isn’t always a struggle as there are many positives. These come in the form of what I call superpowers of being neurodivergent and having ADHD, as I truly believes they are gifts.

I am powered by AHDH to think and process my work and this means I create solutions that are both radical and groundbreaking (excuse the pun). Admittedly at times I may need to be reigned in by my manager but when we compromise the end results are original and innovative. My abilities also include:

· Creativity – I am highly creative and able to think outside of the box and see perspectives that Neurotypicals are often unable to. This is of great benefit within my role as nothing goes to plan when dealing with geology and the ground. Rarely within the engineering field do we have a textbook project.

· Hyper-focus – Let’s talk about hyper-focus, the ability that an ADHD Neurodivergent person possesses that allows us to achieve so much in a small amount of time; it is almost like we can stop time. When we can Hyper-focus, we can achieve high quality work within a shorter time scale. This is what I believe has been the key to my success within my role. Working to tight deadlines has helped immensely as I believe my manager would always know they can rely on me to make sure it’s completed on time.

· Being adaptive – Although this can sound scary, when dealing with the health and safety in an engineering environment, it really is not. It allows decisions to be made and action to be taken in a timely manner. Taking on risks is something we as ground engineers must do, especially when sometimes when we do not have all of the information or when the answers are not clear. Clear and concise risk taking, and decision-making is something that comes easily with people who have ADHD.

· Tenacious, hardworking and extremely passionate – Yes, these are all traits that many Neurotypical possess at times but ours are to the extreme. You cannot train or buy this kind of passion and drive; it is part of a gift that is a given with ADHD. It ensures work tasks and projects are seen through, that we never give up no matter how hard it gets. If I am told it can’t be done, I see this as a challenge.

"The recruitment and retention of neurodivergent individuals is key to creating a diverse workforce within the engineering and construction industry as is the case within other industries and service providers".

Neurodiversity within the workplace will also have a positive impact on other shortfalls in diversity within our sector.

Our industry is missing out in so many ways. Currently the talent pool has become limited partly due to not recognising what us Neurodivergent resources have to offer. As my experiences show, it can benefit the engineering industry and give companies a new advantage over their competitors.

I am an associate working with a company called ‘Autism Unravelled’, who provide specialist training to businesses to encourage inclusive recruitment, expand the understanding of neurodiversity in the workplace, and offer reasonable workplace adjustments to support people with neurodiverse conditions to thrive. I can provide a real-life perspective of living with ADHD and working within the world of engineering.

For more information about the bespoke training they offer please see their website www.autism-unravelled.com

As a final thought........

While creating a workplace that supports neurodiversity is particularly important for neurodivergent employees, the wider diversity actions and strategies put in place can benefit all staff who have different needs and immediately help an employer give the best to their resources to get the best out of their workforce.