'I didn't want to be misunderstood': The 'messy' transition from school to work for neurodiverse

SINGAPORE — Eight months into her first full-time job as a designer, Lauren was asked point blank by her direct supervisors if she had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or another condition that impeded her ability to focus.

"My bosses asking me that caught me off guard and it felt a little embarrassing, like I was admitting something (bad)," said the 24-year-old.

Lauren (not her real name), who does not have ADHD, revealed to her supervisors then that she is dyslexic. Dyslexia is a learning disorder that causes difficulty in reading and writing, making such tasks more labour-intensive.

Dyslexics may also be more prone to being stressed, overwhelmed, and can be slower at processing certain information, said experts The Straits Times spoke to.

Lauren was diagnosed with dyslexia at seven years old. Throughout most of her education, from primary school to junior college, there were special arrangements to help her cope. These included extra time for examinations, regular check-ins with her school's educational psychologist, and help from the Dyslexia Association of Singapore to find coping mechanisms, under their child safety framework.

But the transition from school to work has been a "violent" one, she said. "Going from somewhere with resources and professional support (like school) to one that has none (at work) is quite extreme."

Lauren's official working hours are 9am to 6pm, but she stays late about three times a week when she is unable to complete tasks on time. On these days, she typically wraps up work between 10.30pm and 1.30am.

One strategy she has found useful over the years to prevent burnout at work is to take a 10-minute break every 40 minutes when she is focusing on a task.

But it was this practice that landed her in the fateful meeting with her supervisors.

After she revealed her condition to them, they responded by saying that they would not discriminate against her condition and cared only that she produced good work.

They also asked her to speed up her productivity and took her off solo projects, placing her under the guidance of a more experienced colleague.

"While it felt encouraging to an extent, the reason why I shared (about my condition) was because I was trying to be more open and honest in my difference in working style," she said.

"I didn't want to be misunderstood as lazy or not trying hard enough, but I don't think that was really communicated," she said, adding that she had hoped for more empathy.

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Dyslexia and other conditions such as ADHD and autism spectrum disorder come under an umbrella of conditions known medically as neuro-developmental disorders, said senior consultant psychiatrist Adrian Loh of Promises Healthcare.

Increasingly, these are collectively referred to as neurodiversity as awareness of these conditions and destigmatisation efforts grow, he said, adding that there has been a rise in diagnoses in recent years, particularly ADHD and autism.

Put simply, neurodiversity refers to a difference in how one's brain is wired, explained neurodiversity coach Mavis McAllister, who is also from Promises Healthcare, a psychiatry and psychology clinic.

These differences can be expressed in the way neurodiverse people take social cues, react to physical stimulants such as noise, or how they manage productivity.

'Messy' transition from school to work

For Lauren, taking frequent breaks ultimately allows her to churn out more, and better quality, work than if she were to force herself to work four-hour stretches like her colleagues do.

Formal education has "a very solid framework to help neurodiverse individuals", including the school environment, special needs officers, allied educators and school counsellors to the Education Ministry's guidance branch, said Dr Loh.

"But once you leave school, it's a very messy world with all kinds of employers with different levels of awareness on neurodiversity," he said.

Both Dr Loh and McAllister said they have many neurodiverse patients who face difficulties at work relating to executive function — the skills which allow people to plan ahead, meet goals, follow multiple-set instructions, and stay focused, among other tasks.

Multiple neurodiverse patients Dr Loh sees had coped well in school, but they started developing anxiety or symptoms of depression because of their struggles in the workforce.

He also has patients who came in seeking help because they were facing troubles at work, only to discover that they had neurodiverse conditions that were not diagnosed during their adolescent years.

McAllister said: "When you get to adulthood, things change. They become more complex. Social situations are more complex. It's now about dealing with different people and different things."

Instead of having established support frameworks as provided in school, neurodiverse employees are suddenly thrust into an environment where they have to advocate for themselves and what they need — and it can be daunting.

"A lot of neurodiverse people are hesitant to speak up about how they function best as it points out to others that they are different and people may think they are strange," said McAllister.

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Many neurodiverse employees thus cope by "masking" — suppressing symptoms in a bid to blend in, said Dr Loh.

Examples of masking include "stimming" (derived from self-stimulating) — repetitive body movements or noises to self-soothe anxiety — artificial smiles, being overly cheerful, scripting conversations beforehand, or lying about understanding an instruction to avoid having to apologise or asking others to repeat themselves.

"These things are just not healthy," said Ms McAllister, adding that masking causes social fatigue and increases burnout.

Emma (not her real name), a former paediatric occupational therapist who has ADHD, said her supervisors were understanding of her condition but that she still had to mask her symptoms as her job required her to work directly with children.

"As I worked with children, it required a lot of self-regulation to ensure that I was doing my job properly. For example, I had to keep myself fully focused to ensure that the children were safe when they were in my care. I also had to adjust my emotions to suit their needs, like being more upbeat and happy to motivate the kids, or being calm and mellow with kids who were very energetic," the 24-year-old said.

She added that she ended up quitting after three months as a separate health condition forced her to stop taking ADHD medication, which made it especially difficult to manage her symptoms at work.

"My employers were very understanding and I would definitely look for jobs with good working environments in the future. I would also find a job with flexible working arrangements to accommodate my psychiatric therapy appointments."

What neurodiverse employees can do

While it is not a legal requirement for potential employees to disclose neurodiverse conditions before accepting a job in Singapore, it can be beneficial in creating an environment of trust and open communication, said Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Client Solutions Lead Alister Ong from recruitment agency Michael Page Singapore.

"Disclosing a neurodiverse condition to direct superiors can be advantageous if it allows the employee to access necessary accommodations, such as flexible working hours or sensory adjustments," he said, adding that this ensures the employee's work environment is aligned with his needs, ultimately improving productivity and job satisfaction.

According to the Michael Page Singapore Talent Trends 2024 study, 71 per cent of people with disabilities in Singapore reported discrimination or lack of inclusivity. Addressing challenges such as these requires clear communication with management, said Mr Ong.

Before they communicate these matters with management, he advised those keen on disclosing such conditions to first approach the company's human resources team - or an inclusion officer, if available - to ensure the conversation remains confidential and the necessary support systems are in place.

The conversation should also focus on how such allowances can improve performance, rather than on the condition itself.

"Presenting the request in a solution-oriented manner is often the most effective approach."

McAllister advised that when bringing the matter up to supervisors, it is also crucial to explain how the condition affects the employee, which in turn makes it easier for managers to understand why the accommodations are needed.

OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation head Yvonne Siow is one supervisor who has worked with a neurodiverse employee.

The employee, a woman in her mid-20s who managed inventory at the charity organisation, faced difficulty in absorbing complex instructions. To support her, Ms Siow said she made sure to break down instructions to be as straightforward as possible.

Ms Siow also conducted regular check-ins to make sure she was coping, and encouraged the rest of her team to be accommodating and inclusive towards the employee.

"Honestly, it was a bit of a challenge at times. When there are very lean resources or things that need to be done quickly, it can be difficult to supervise so closely."

To accommodate both the employee's and employer's needs, Ms Siow believes "the whole workforce needs to be redesigned" for effective support systems to be in place.

Whether a company is even welcoming enough to allow conversations about such adjustments is also something employees should take note of, said Dr Loh.

If one's workplace is too traditional or conformist to facilitate such dialogue, "the reality check here is whether this is somewhere you want to continue working in and putting yourself at risk of a mental health strain", he said.

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What employers can do

Such conversations must be a two-way street, McAllister reiterated, adding that supervisors can ease the discussion by taking the initiative to be curious and understanding of the employee's struggles.

She advised supervisors to show empathy by regularly checking in with employees on what does not work for them, how they take instructions, what settings bring out their best, what they struggle with most, and what signs to look out for to know they are overwhelmed.

If given the space to thrive, some neurodiverse individuals can also be formidable assets to employers.

In fact, acceptance towards hiring neurodivergent employees has been growing in Singapore, as part of the broader push towards diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, said Ong.

"Companies are also starting to recognise that neurodiversity brings unique talents, such as creativity and problem-solving abilities, which contribute positively to the workforce," he said.

People with ADHD, for instance, are often "scintillating personalities" with "massive" creative ideas others do not think of, said McAllister. They also are able to focus especially well on topics they find interesting, a phenomenon known as hyperfocus.

"I find a lot of autistics who are in business are trying really hard to find out what (clients) want. They are brilliant at making things and adapting products for human experience," she said of those on the autism spectrum.

One way to illustrate to supervisors the potential neurodiverse employees have is by bringing up examples of neurodiverse individuals known in wider society, said Dr Loh.

Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, for instance, is widely believed by historians and scholars to have had ADHD. Closer to home, Singapore's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1996 revealed he was diagnosed with dyslexia in his late 50s.

According to the Michael Page study, 44 per cent of employers are implementing DEI strategies that focus on inclusion for persons with disabilities. But there is still work to be done in creating supportive environments, said Ong.

McAllister said: "The truth is, neurodiverse people are in our society and they're people you're already be working with... We have to start being more creative with how we can deal with people who are neurodiverse and know that it really is something that can make a big difference in our society."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.