EDI Spotlight
ALMOST one in five project management professionals working in the manufacturing sector who consider themselves to be neurodivergent have not told their employer about their condition, according to a new survey by the Association for Project Management (APM).
APM surveyed over 1,000 project professionals working in various sectors across the UK including manufacturing in the poll carried out by national research company Censuswide. Just over a fifth (21%) of manufacturing respondents said they considered themselves to be neurodivergent, which includes conditions such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia. This was below the survey’s average (31%).
Barriers facing project professionals from disclosing their condition across all sectors included ‘I’ve chosen not to tell them because I don’t feel comfortable’ (40% agreed) and ‘I don’t see the point in doing so’ (23%). One in four (25%) intended to do so, and 12% did not have an official diagnosis. However, 88% of the manufacturing respondents said that, once notified, their employer had made changes to the workplace or their ways of working to accommodate their neurodivergence. The figure was above the survey’s average of 81%.
Professor Adam Boddison OBE, chief executive of APM, said: “Organisations that embrace neurodivergence foster a culture of inclusivity and send out a powerful message that people with neurological differences are valued. However, it is slightly concerning that around one in five project management professionals working in the manufacturing sector have not yet disclosed their condition to their employer, according to our latest research. ‘Feeling uncomfortable’ and ‘not seeing the point’ are common barriers that need to be overcome but most employers do make suitable changes once informed, which is a positive sign.”
• For more information on the EDI Council please contact: EDICouncil@cices.org
