When’s the last time you forgot what you do for a living? Or how about being laughed at for losing track of a conversation?
I often describe dyslexia as walking around with a backpack full of bricks, being weighed down when everyone else is skipping along just fine. This is how dyslexia can feel, but is also a sense of shame and a fear of being laughed at.
Even after 7 years as a dyslexia coach, I still get shocked by the amount of self-doubt and shame I see in my clients. This issue isn’t an insignificant one. Nearly 20% of UK adults are dyslexic – approximately 1 in 5 of us. The British Dyslexia Association has also found that young people with dyslexia are 3 to 4 times more likely to experience anxiety disorders.
This burden of shame is hardly ever discussed. Yet, through my coaching, this is something I hear daily. We are told that dyslexia is something that sets us back and that we need to control, but at the same time we are expected to feel like it is our ‘superpower’. Most often the consequence of dyslexia in adulthood is that people are left feeling stupid, because they are misunderstood. The reality is, the world can make it very difficult to feel at ease with dyslexia, and that is before a career is ever mentioned.
Why dyslexia can be difficult to navigate at work
This is a story I hear from other dyslexic adults far too often. Mistakes being misunderstood for laziness, or avoiding promotions because of the extra scrutiny that would come with the role. Within schools, teachers are beginning to understand how to correctly support those with neurodivergence. Whilst support is still quite limited, in the adult world, this completely disappears. The workplace gives very little time to understanding the complexities of dyslexia. It is up to us, the dyslexics, to make our neurodivergence known.
That is a terrifying task. I know, from my own experience, that finding the right words to explain how a dyslexic brain works is not easy. One of my most painful workplace memories involved an important and necessary task, completing a presentation for the following day. After the morning full of intense meetings, I needed a break. Taking time to recuperate, I sat at my desk watching YouTube videos – this being one of sure-fire mechanisms I used to return my overstimulated brain to the task at hand.
What a mistake that was! “Are you really watching YouTube when you need to write up the actions?” My worst fears were true – my manager thought I was lazy. Whilst she knew I was dyslexic, she didn’t appreciate that my brain needed a break. I didn’t have the heart to explain that I needed to do this to complete the task at hand.
The truth is that small workplace adjustments (like small breaks to manage energy levels depleted from long days of processing) can go a long way in supporting adults with dyslexia, as well as the wider workforce. These fall under reasonable workplace adjustments, a part of the law written to give everyone the support they need to do their job. When we experience negative reactions it can stop us in our tracks, but having the courage to ask for support can go a long way in making the workplace a more manageable environment.
What workplace adjustments can help people with dyslexia?
Looking back, if I had a set of tools to help me, I would have felt more comfortable discussing these requirements up front. When I wrote my book, Dyslexia Unlocked, there was no information available on what to say about living with dyslexia, or how to say it. Many people still don’t have the information they need to have a productive conversation, but through the guide I created, they may be able to take the first steps towards to understanding and addressing their needs.
Having a conversation with your employer about dyslexia can feel overwhelming at first, but if you take the time to prepare for this conversation, a little can go a long way. My first tip when approaching this conversation is always the same. Ask early and control the conversation. Whether it is at interview, or in the first meeting with your manager, getting ahead of the conversation will help you feel in control before work has even begun. Going into this meeting, I would also recommend focusing on a few key chunks of information you want to discuss. Bite sized information will give you the power to tell your story, without being overwhelmed by details.
The next step I recommend would be to name the outcomes you want. Think what a good result would look like for you. That might be taking the time to build in regular brain beaks. It could be building an 80/20 admin routine – taking on 80% of the admin yourself, and leaving 20% for wider support. I have found that AI can go a long way with these more minute tasks. Being able to name a helpful and simple solutions like this will demonstrate just how easy and beneficial it is for employers to make a few workplace accommodations.
Finally, and perhaps most important of all, I always tell people to embrace their dyslexia with confidence. Whilst it is not always helpful to say that dyslexia is a superpower, it can be useful to remember that you have got yourself through a lot of hardships, and you should take confidence in your resilience. By calling a meeting, you are taking steps to set yourself up for success – and that is something to be very proud of!
Making a few simple changes can go a long way in approaching the conversation around dyslexia. Whilst this can feel overwhelming at first, taking the time to get ahead of discussions will never be a bad thing. Whilst there is much to be done in helping those of adults with dyslexia feel like we are on equal footing, we should not let the anxiety and stress of our past experiences take control of our futures!
