Supporting inclusion of neurodivergent staff in MDHS 

This project aims to understand the experiences of neurodivergent staff with autism or ADHD in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (MDHS) at the University of Melbourne. It focuses on disclosure, wellbeing, and cultural support, aligning with the Advancing Health 2030 strategy to create an inclusive culture.

The Diversity and Inclusion Grant will provide essential support to explore these experiences, facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration, and develop practical recommendations for supporting neurodivergent staff.

This project is supported by an MDHS Diversity and Inclusion Grant 2023.

Dr  Lakshmi  Neelakantan, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

Miss Julia Lyons, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

Miss Nina Logan, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

Miss Ellie Tsiamis, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

Mx Judith Wright, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

The Supporting Neurodivergent Staff at MDHS study, completed in 2024, aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of neurodivergent staff members at the University of Melbourne. Specifically, it focused on three key areas:

1. Disclosure of Neurodivergence: How staff members disclose (or don’t disclose) their neurodivergence in the workplace.
2. Requesting Reasonable Adjustments: The experiences of staff when requesting adjustments to support their work.
3. Accessibility and Inclusivity: How accessible, inclusive, and safe the work environment at MDHS is for neurodivergent staff.

The study involved interviews with 15 neurodivergent staff members from six different schools within the Faculty of MDHS. The findings highlighted four major themes:

1. Disclosure: Most participants (80%) had disclosed their neurodivergence to colleagues or supervisors, although disclosure was usually limited to these groups.
2. Reasonable Adjustments: Informal requests for adjustments were more common than formal requests. These adjustments were typically related to sensory needs, executive functioning challenges, or the desire for flexibility.
3. Career Impacts: Participants noted the career impacts of being neurodivergent, such as barriers to advancement and challenges related to their neurodivergence.
4. General Experiences: The study also highlighted the general experiences of neurodivergent staff, including the impact of workplace culture and the importance of feeling supported and understood.

The study found that some barriers to disclosure and requesting adjustments included fear of stigma, concerns about being perceived as less competent, and workplace culture. However, supportive environments, such as having understanding supervisors or colleagues, were key facilitators to disclosure and requesting adjustments.

These results are being used to inform strategies for improving neuroinclusivity at MDHS and will be shared with the Disability and Inclusion team. The findings were also recently presented at the Neurodivergent Symposium at the University of Melbourne, where they contributed to a wider conversation about neurodiversity and inclusivity in academic environments. The full results are being prepared for submission to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.