Neurodivergence affects between 15% and 20% of the population and that percentage is no different for those who drive for work. This means one in five fleet drivers are potentially living with a neurotype such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, Tourette syndrome, or another cognitive difference. With neurodiversity so common across fleets, professionals who take the time to understand and support their neurodiverse drivers will find themselves building not only a more inclusive, but also, a safer and more productive fleet.
No matter how enthusiastic a fleet professional might be towards embracing and making the most out of their neurodiverse drivers though, questions remain. What sort of challenges are faced by neurodivergent drivers and how best can fleet professionals and HR teams support them?
Of course, nobody can expect fleet professionals to become experts in neurodiversity. Fleet operators, however, are responsible for and have a duty of care to drivers, so a basic understanding of what a neurodivergent employee might experience at the wheel or when they interact with a vehicle is unquestionably beneficial.
Different challenges for different neurotypes
Like anyone, neurodivergent individuals often flourish when they spend less energy trying to overcome challenges and instead work in environments that complement their strengths. Challenging environments can differ by neurotype though.
For neurotypical drivers, loud noises or bright lights can be mildly annoying. Sensory elements, such as light and sound, can have a significant effect on neurodivergent individuals though. This effect can vary dramatically from person-to-person. What might be complementary noises or visual stimuli for one individual could be anathema to another.
For example, someone with ADHD might find sound like the radio or a podcast an aid when driving. By listening to something that holds attention a driver with ADHD will ensure all their senses are engaged, enabling them to remain present. Meanwhile, the opposite could be true for someone with autism, where noise and other sensory stimuli might be a challenge.
Planning, organisation, and spatial memory
It’s not only sensory elements that can cause challenges. Organisational, planning and time management can vary across neurotypes too. Take the role of a delivery driver for instance. Some individuals may be happy to jump in a vehicle and figure out a route on the fly, which is a good match for interchangeable, reactive jobs. For others, deviating from a pre-planned journey could be a major challenge, particularly when combined with stressful factors such as traffic jams, rush hour, or a common feature of modern fleets, electric vehicle range anxiety.
Consistency is key
Driving is just one part of the job, though, there are other elements to consider. The layout and labelling of a van or a trailer’s cargo area may be hugely relevant to neurodivergent drivers. Again here, different neurotypes use memory in different ways, so it is important to standardise layouts. Consistency will help improve efficiency. As Dr Nancy Doyle, founder and chief science officer at Genius Within, a community interest company that specialises in neurodiversity support for adults in the workplace explains: “Are you the kind of person that remembers sound, or where things are or what things look like? Having consistent iconography, consistent colouring, consistent language and consistent spacing of the order that things go in is incredibly neuroinclusive… who isn’t going to benefit from that?”
In fact, when it comes to providing affordable and effective support for neurodiverse drivers it seems that a universal approach is best, providing benefits right across the fleet. Instead of adapting a vehicle for a particular driver, the most useful start point for supporting drivers is to assume that around a fifth of any workforce is neurodivergent and to calibrate the fleet accordingly.
Rather than using a disability compliance model, where adjustments are made after a paid assessment, a universal design sets up an organisation in the most inclusive possible way and effectively bypasses the need to make one-off, paid-for assessments and adaptations. As well as accommodating neurodivergent and disabled people, a universal design might also benefit employees with illnesses, pain, or fatigue or those returning to work after a pregnancy or a significant medical procedure.
Ultimately, the best approach is to consider the full range of possible needs and strengths from across the fleet. Only by doing this can fleet professionals optimise performance across the entire fleet, making work more human-centred, less task driven for all.
Fleet professionals who want to learn more about neurodiversity and fleets can read Venson’s free white paper Neurodiversity Behind The Wheel – Driving Change – Part 1 https://www.venson.com/white-papers/
Simon Staton is client management director for Venson Automotive Solutions
