5 things employers should know about self-assessment

The BBC raised the question of self-diagnosis in neurodiverse conditions such as ADHD, autism, tic disorders and dyslexia. their report suggests that self-diagnosis is proliferating thanks to the flood of information on social media. People with lived experiences develop many followers who share their journeys and raise awareness to unprecedented heights.

There are two difficulties here. First, not everything is accurate, so some people might think there are states they don’t have. Responsible accounts have expert support to ensure they don’t spread misinformation, but we have no way of verifying which accounts have done this and which have not. The second problem is that the UK is ill-equipped to deal with the large number of people who have come forward for evaluation. Employers can play a key role in facilitating this issue, so here’s what you need to know.

1. Diagnostics are not essential for fault protection.

UK Disability Act considers chronic difficulty in normal daily activities lasting more than 12 months to be a disability. It does not provide a long, complete list of what is covered and what is not. Therefore, if an employee has chronic problems with normal work activities related to learning and remembering communication (such as reading, writing, and following instructions), it is better to assume a disability and act protectively. It may be good.

No need to wait for labels or undergo costly and time-consuming assessments to make basic adjustments and adjustments.Adjustments generally result in About 50% better performancecan reduce stress for both employees and their line managers.

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2. Self-diagnosis is often useful

In my research so far, I have always asked for formal diagnosis or self-diagnostic disclosure and compared differences in other responses. To date, no differences have been found in the incidence of insomnia, health status, job performance, experience of inclusion or exclusion, availability of disability assistance, etc. They are well aware of where they need help to overcome their challenges. You can trust your employees to explain the problem and work with you at face value in the current situation. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t 100% accurate about the cause of the problem.

3. Formal diagnosis remains important

That said, a formal diagnosis is still of great value to employees. It is cathartic and helps people overcome self-doubt and develop self-confidence and ambition. Other health conditions must be ruled out, such as thyroid dysfunction, brain injury, chronic illness, emotional distress, and trauma. Background and expert tests should be carefully selected that are accessible only to trained professionals. A wrong diagnosis can lead to dangerous and inappropriate treatment.

4. Excessive or non-existent backlog of NHS diagnostics

The NHS does not diagnose dyslexia, apraxia, dysgraphia or dyscalculia. So if you miss school or college, the only way out is to pay. The waiting list for ADHD and autism diagnoses has been around for years. As such, employers who rely on their employees to produce evidence of their diagnosis may find this to be too time-consuming to help them manage their careers and performance.

Many employers offer diagnostics through occupational health or professional providers, but as noted above, diagnostics need not be the gatekeepers of coordination. You can ask your employees what adjustments they need to make. You can set an example of what works for others in your company and develop a support plan. This is just good management and really doesn’t need to be any more complicated.

5. Diagnosis is a privilege

Last thing to know is that with these issues, diagnosis is a privilege. Women are less likely to be diagnosed as children, and black and brown children are also more likely to be misdiagnosed with conduct disorders – it’s not an exact science. There is a gap between those who have, or had an agency to ask, and those who do not.

People with late diagnosis have worse outcomes – we are less likely to realize our strengths, with a lingering effect on self-confidence and ambition. And, keep this in mind when deciding whether you need a psychologist’s letter to access the adjustment. Neurodivergent people can bring great value to their employees, but they are also vulnerable and need the right footing to succeed.