This week is Dyslexia Awareness Week. Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects 10% of the population. That means that one in ten of us are dyslexic – a huge figure, so it’s about time we started talking about it.
Although it’s classed as a disability, people with dyslexia are often good problem-solvers, can understand complex situations and tend to think laterally. There are so many strengths that can have a positive impact in the workplace (and beyond!) – and this should be celebrated.
What is dyslexia?
Most employers will have staff with dyslexia, whether diagnosed or not. It’s important to be able to identify any signs, but to also support staff where support is needed. People with dyslexia have trouble reading accurately and fluently, and may also have trouble with reading comprehension, spelling, and writing.
So how does this impact day-to-day tasks? Consider all the jobs that involve reading, spelling and writing. We’ve listed some common ones for you:
When you list all of the tasks you do on a daily basis, you realise just how many include reading and writing.
What can I do to help?
As an employer, there are a number of things you can do to support staff with dyslexia so they’re able to achieve their full potential, and have a fulfilling career.
You should adjust the needs according to the employee, for example, how severe their dyslexia is and the job role itself. It’s important to note: an employee does not need to have had a diagnostic assessment in order to receive reasonable adjustments from the business.
These may include the following:
What common strengths do dyslexic people share?
There’s a lot of negative language around disabilities in general, so it’s time we started to change that! It’s important to remember that there are positives to thinking differently – if we were all the same, how dull would the world – and our workplaces – be?!
So, with that in mind, here are some of the common strengths that dyslexic people share.
Nobody should be held back from fulfilling their potential at work, whatever the circumstances may be. For further information, please visit The British Dyslexia Association.
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