Marita Hazeldene, Vice President of Client Services at Cielo, shares her thoughts and insight with Hospital Hub…
The healthcare industry faces a growing talent supply crisis. The current shortage of nurses – with 41,000 unfilled positions in the UK – is most publicised, but adult social care and mental health are experiencing similar shortages, according to The Edge Foundation’s latest Skills Shortages Bulletin[1]. An anticipated increase in NHS staff shortages compounds this problem. Healthcare foundation The Kings Fund[2] predicts the current deficit of 100,000 will rise to nearly 250,000 by 2030.
So, what’s causing this shortage? The UK’s current uncertain business climate is a significant external challenge for the healthcare industry. International recruitment plays a huge role in addressing vacancies in the NHS, with nearly 62,000 of the 1.2 million-strong NHS workforce and an estimated 104,000 in adult social care currently recruited from outside the UK[3]. Restrictions on net migration are set to disrupt this flow of lower-skilled workforce[4] into the UK from other countries.
In addition, local authority budgets are shrinking[5]. Across the healthcare sector, businesses are forced to look at cost saving measures to meet operating costs and contract demands. This impacts staff retention, pressuring organisations to maintain their current healthcare workforce.
What is neurodiversity and how could it benefit healthcare?
‘Neurodiversity’ represents a fast-growing subcategory of organisational diversity and inclusion that seeks to embrace and maximise the talents of people who interpret information differently. This includes people with conditions such as autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
There is a wide spectrum of roles within the healthcare sector that could benefit from a neuro-diverse candidate’s skillset. Neurodiverse individuals tend to use alternative thinking styles and can find better ways to approach issues. For example, people on the autism spectrum are often highly analytical and can thrive when dealing with database management, data analysis and problem-solving tasks that require a high level of attention to detail. This skillset makes them ideal candidates for back-office, non-clinical roles such as analysing and documenting medical records, finance and accounts, and appointments and scheduling.
Similarly, according to the Forbes article[6] ‘ADHD: the entrepreneur’s superpower’, the traits of an individual with ADHD – their ability to focus for extended periods, multitask and stay calm under pressure – are highlighted as valuable skills for all employees. These skills are particularly beneficial for nursing roles as they often work with multiple patients for long periods of time. The capacity of dyslexic people and those with dyspraxia to ‘think outside the box’ also benefits the workforce with new ideas, processes and a fresh approach.
A talent pool overlooked
Organisations in the healthcare sector overlook this talent pool for associated – and sometimes misperceived – difficulties. Neurodiverse people may need adaptations to their working environment to activate or leverage their abilities, like using headphones to prevent auditory overstimulation. Sometimes, they exhibit eccentricities that employers or co-workers find challenging. In many cases, the accommodations and challenges are manageable, and the potential returns are worthwhile.
While an estimated 15% of people in the UK are neurodivergent, 70% of HR professionals don’t factor neurodivergence into their people management processes, according to CIPD[7]. And according to the National Autistic Society, just 16% of adults on the autism spectrum in the UK are in full-time employment.
What’s more, research found that 77% of unemployed people on the autism spectrum do want to work. Individuals surveyed offered simple solutions to overcome some of the barriers in the workplace based around easy accommodations and understanding. There is a sizable, willing and able talent pool that the healthcare sector can tap into.
How to attract a neurodiverse candidate pool
At Cielo, we work with organisations to ensure their recruitment strategies and processes tap into neurodiverse talent pools. There are several changes organisations can make to attract these candidates, from job advertisements to the onboarding process and beyond.
Employers need to understand that a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer effective. This is a valuable lesson for attracting all candidates, not just neurodivergent candidates.
The job advertisement
Job advertisements should avoid jargon, use easy-to-read English, highlight essential skills or experience and avoid unnecessary information. Neurodiverse candidates can be very literal – they may not apply for a job that requests two years of experience if they only have 23 months. Avoid using any generic competencies from job descriptions, too.
The shortlist stages
When these candidates are shortlisted for the interview stage, employers should ask whether the candidates require any adjustments during this stage of the process. Useful and effective ways to support neurodiverse candidates include the use of Skype interviews, the avoidance of hypothetical questions and carrying out trials for home working. Supporting these candidates through the recruitment process helps them add value to their chosen organisation.
The interview stages
Additionally, managers and interviewers need to understand the challenges that some neurodivergent people face. These can include difficulty making consistent eye contact, failure to understand or put across the ‘right’ body language and atypical ways of speaking or behaving. The candidate may not give a good handshake or make strong eye contact. This doesn’t reflect their ability to fulfil the role. Focus needs to shift to the end-result of the interview – rather than social competence.
How to retain neurodiverse employees
Once hired, it’s important that neurodiverse employees feel settled, valued and supported in their place of work. ‘Champion Ambassadors’ who run briefings with the team and carry out drop-in sessions can help to create a safe space for these individuals. Organisations can showcase the success of these employees with positive case studies on their website.
Furthermore, it’s important that organisations train managers to understand the challenges that neurodivergent individuals face. This training should be refreshed and reviewed regularly.
Organisations that incorporate this understanding of neuro-difference work will make their teams more innovative and creative and help fill the sector’s skills gap. The healthcare industry’s reputation is one of care, empathy and understanding. It should lead the way with supportive and inclusive recruitment processes.
More about Cielo can be found HERE.
[1] The Edge Foundation, Skill Shortage Bulletin, 2019, https://www.edge.co.uk/sites/default/files/publications/skills_shortage_bulletin_4_web-1.pdf
[2] The Kings Fund, The health care workforce in England: make or break?, 2018 https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/health-care-workforce-england
[3] https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/NMDS-SC-intelligence/Workforce-intelligence/publications/The-state-of-the-adult-social-care-sector-and-workforce-in-England.aspx
[4] https://www.rcn.org.uk/-/media/royal-college-of-nursing/documents/publications/2017/september/pdf-006415.pdf
[5] https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/nhs-in-a-nutshell/spending-public-health
[6] Forbes, ADHD: The Entrepreneur’s Superpower (2014) https://www.forbes.com/sites/dalearcher/2014/05/14/adhd-the-entrepreneurs-superpower/
[7] CIPD, Neurodiversity at Work (2018) https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/neurodiversity-at-work_2018_tcm18-37852.pdf
