Neuroinclusion agency culture drives x2 retention and untapped creativity
Cherie Clonan, CEO and founder of The Digital Picnic, argues that the advertising industry is failing creative and analytical talent. Digital and advertising agencies alike are hungry for creative and analytical minds - two traits often associated with Autistic and ADHD minds, however, the hiring and management styles of many agencies are alienating some of our best minds.
In 2023, the rate of job motility – the frequency at which individuals change jobs – reached its highest level since 2012. The substantial price tag to rehiring a role (around $23,000) should be enough of a catalyst for digital marketing professionals to rethink their approach to attracting and retaining talent.
At The Digital Picnic, our staff retention rates are double or more, than the industry’s two-year average. The secret sauce? We hold a genuinely safe space for neurodivergent talent.
Neurodivergents account for nearly 20% of the global population. And yet, according to Workplace Insight, nine out of 10 employers said neurodiversity at work isn’t even on the agenda.
In addition to improving retention, this oversight is a missed opportunity to enhance diversity of thought, organisational capability and performance.
Consistently, we see the digital marketing industry calling for creative and analytical capability– two traits that are common neurodivergent strengths, often associated with Autistic and ADHD minds. And yet, standard practices are alienating the large majority of this talent, because they don’t perform in traditional hiring practices or workplace cultures.
To attract the right people, and keep them, businesses have a choice: design a workplace with neurodivergents, where neurotypicals benefit. Or, continue to hold a safe place for just neurotypicals, and have a workplace incompatible with the needs of neurodivergent talent.
Across the globe, prominent companies are reforming their HR processes to be neuro inclusive and building high performing, mentally safe workplace cultures – I believe all hiring managers and creative agencies should follow suit.
How to cultivate a neuro inclusive workplace
The implementation of neuro inclusivity starts with a solid policy. Without this, any efforts to adapt will fall short. Agencies and marketing teams should scrutinise and revise their conventional practices and redefine what is ‘normal’, to remove unnecessary barriers deterring neurodivergent talent.
With the policy guiding the employee lifecycle, those hiring should be able to craft appealing job advertisements. This includes language but goes further to state specifics like accommodations, support available, work options and the process, to attract the applicants the industry is always looking for.
Hiring managers or agencies should be permitted to hire for depth, not speed. So often, the priority is getting the role filled, without considering the costs of advertising, rehiring or successful applicants not going to plan. These issues can be bypassed by eliminating barriers to application.
Consider video applications – seen as a technological advancement, these are extremely challenging for neurodivergent people and introverts. Who are the videos benefiting? Is it the hiring agency or the range of brilliant minds who want to apply but decide not to… because they’re not comfortable on camera.
In line with raising comfort levels and getting the best from applicants, interview questions can be given in advance. Rather than seeing this as providing an unfair advantage, instead this reduces pressure, particularly for those with high anxiety levels, who are common across the creative industry. This allows candidates time to prepare and best communicate their true capabilities.
Rethink the way accommodations are defined and make options a given rather than an exception. This can apply from flexible working hours, preferences for cameras on or off during video calls, through to environmental options like dimmable lights in the office.
Support managers to adapt to a different style
With well-documented levels of depression and burnout industry wide, psychological safety should be a priority and this starts at the top. People managers need training and education to adapt and support their team to build confidence, capability and skills.
Consider using an external provider to really explore individual learning styles and design their workload, communications and deliverables in line with this. Onboarding can also be tailored when these individual needs are known – it could be as simple as providing noise cancelling headphones in a welcome pack.
Incorporate flexible targets into performance reviews to allow ways for neurodivergent talent to meet targets and provide unique insights, instead of having them slip into performance management territory for typical neurodivergent traits.
Implementing these practices can improve employee retention by creating a workplace that attracts, values and supports diversity of thought. In an industry where the majority of companies fail to participate in this space, organisations who demonstrate a commitment here, set themselves apart.
The digital marketing space craves productivity, creativity, strategy and retention. By championing neuro inclusivity, we not only build a more supportive and effective workforce, we drive performance outcomes for our businesses and clients.
Cherie Clonan is the CEO of The Digital Picnic.
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