Help Desk: How to empower employees with dyslexia
Dyslexia is the most common learning difference in the United States, affecting an estimated 1 in 5 individuals. This means your organization likely includes people with reading, writing and processing challenges. Yet, despite its prevalence, dyslexia often goes unacknowledged in the workplace.
According to the nonprofit Made by Dyslexia, 3 out of 4 dyslexics hide their dyslexia from their employers. But what would happen if we reframed this narrative and instead empowered these individuals? As we celebrate Dyslexia Awareness Month, now is an opportune time for businesses to re-evaluate how they can better support neurodiverse talent.
In my role as Head of School of The Odyssey School, an independent K-8 school that serves children with dyslexia, I witness firsthand both the challenges and the remarkable strengths of those with language-based learning differences.
Dyslexic individuals may have slower processing speeds, reduced working memory and difficulty with spelling. However, because of how their brains are wired, they often have unique abilities worth celebrating like enhanced creativity, analytical thinking, complex problem-solving and a strong capacity for empathy. We see these strengths in our students and alumni who pursue careers in medicine, architecture, education, aviation, communications and beyond.
These abilities are gaining recognition in the professional world. In 2022, LinkedIn officially listed “Dyslexic Thinking” as a skill. Within days, more than 10,000 people added it to their profiles.
Dyslexic Thinking is defined as “an approach to problem-solving, assessing information, and learning that involves pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, lateral thinking, and interpersonal communication.” Based on this definition, it’s no surprise that some of our world’s greatest inventors, entrepreneurs and artists have been dyslexic — Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Whoopi Goldberg and Richard Branson, to name a few. Dyslexic thinkers can view patterns and solve problems in ways that others cannot, which is incredibly valuable to any business or organization.
Whether you’re an employer, manager or colleague, here are a few ways you can empower individuals with dyslexia to thrive in the workplace...
COLUMN CONTINUED IN THE BALTIMORE BUSINESS JOURNAL
Martha H. Sweeney, M.S., CCC-SLP, is the Head of the School at The Odyssey School, an independent K-8 community in Baltimore County, serving students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences.