For many neurodivergents, an outing on a boat may not be the best idea

If you’re autistic, highly sensitive or bipolar, attending a conference can be a daunting task. It can include much cacophony, vague programmes or directions, as well as many social challenges. Saskia Schepers, who wrote the bestseller ‘Als alle breinen werken’ (‘When all brains are functioning’) about neurodiversity, explains how to improve things.

Schepers’ book was recently nominated as a Dutch Management Book of the Year, with a seventh edition soon to be published. It details how businesses and governments can better factor in neurodivergents, people whose brains work slightly differently than most.

Dutch neurodiversity network

Neurodivergence includes autism, ADHD, giftedness, and dyslexia. Schepers, herself gifted and bipolar, is also the founder of the Dutch neurodiversity network Neurodiversiteitsnetwerk Nederland and gives many lectures on this subject.

This brings us right to the field of conferences, as there is still a lot to be done in this area of the meeting industry. Neurodiversity is rarely taken into consideration, while it often involves a few simple adjustments that make the lives of neurodivergents a lot more pleasant. Schepers has plenty of ideas on the matter.

Why is it important to emphasise neurodiversity?

“Because we’re not making the most of much talent and losing out on potential for businesses and governments. First, these people bring a different perspective because different things happen in neurodivergent brains than in the brains of most people.

For example, dyslexics think much more in terms of images and can already see the solution to a problem in 3D. They are very innovative because they have creative, problem-solving brains. And almost all the great inventions were made by people who may have been autistic, such as Einstein and Steve Jobs.

Second, neurodivergents are a cure for groupthink. Since people want to belong to a group, you also need people who question the status quo. This brings innovation and creativity while avoiding herd behaviour.”

What do you need to organise at a company to extract that potential?

“It’s important that HRM take neurodivergence into account for events and other business matters. And it’s also important to respond positively to the questions people ask, as they will often have been judged or excluded in their lives.

The important question to ask as a manager is: What is it like to be you during this meeting? For example, it may come up that someone is disappointed because there’s never an agenda.”

Has it happened often that you went to a conference or lecture and thought that it wasn’t entirely tailored to neurodivergents?

“Very often, there are large echoing spaces and uncertainty about how to get to the location, such as poor accessibility by public transport or not enough parking spaces. You get somewhere and then get confused as to where you need to go. I had to be at Rotterdam Ahoy once and had no clue. Thankfully, I quickly came across a flag from the organisation.”

Are neurodivergents really not considered at events?

“The problem is usually that there’s a single programme, a one-size-fits-all, and as an organiser, you ignore the interests of many people. I always use the example of a mother who talked about a party at her son’s school, where there was a dance hall and a chess room. The norm is that dancing is always fun, but that’s not true for everyone. I also emphasise that neurodivergents are socially different, not anti-social.”

As an event organiser, how can you accommodate your target group?

“For example, always make sure that there’s an escape from a room and a ‘Zen room’ where people can sit quietly or catch up one on one. It’s important to have enough chairs and that the room has little echo. There should also be a clear program with a beginning and an end, and you should stick to the schedule.”

So it shouldn’t be too chaotic?

“The more information you provide in advance, the better. For example, think of directions with images, so when someone drives up, they know what it looks like. From an autistic’s perspective, a map of the location is also nice, so that you know immediately where the toilets are when you walk around.

I recently received directions from the power company Essent, and they were quite precise: when you drive up, the approach route to the parking garage looks like this. That can really make a difference. You have to remember that you can already be very stressed from travelling.”

And clarity and structure on the day?

“For sure, so that people know what to expect. For many neurodivergents, an outing on a boat is not a good idea because they can’t escape. People want to be able to leave when they’re overstimulated. Everyone may like boating, but it could cause a lot of unrest.

And this also applies to food. Communicate clearly what type of sandwiches (halal, vegetarian, etc.) there will be so that people can bring something from home if necessary. And be honest if you can’t accommodate people with gluten allergies."

You also organise events. Do you take the target group into account?

“My team has many people from the target group, and that’s why we pay attention to everything. For example, we have an extensive map of the location. All event organisers are able to do this, of course: neurodivergents who think along to make events more inclusive.

I once gave a lecture for a company that had a staff party the day before, and I asked them to make a video of it. There was a lot of noise, loud music and a ball pit. This was a good example of how something could have been more inclusive. It’s important to involve the right people because they say things that I would never have thought of.”

Can the person giving a lecture also cater to neurodivergents?

“In my case, I started adding an agenda to my lectures. I don’t really need one, but people have asked me why I don’t have one. Now I explain in advance why I have one: it’s for people who appreciate structure. Then it’s also important to really stick to the schedule.

What’s also nice is that people can ask questions, preferably anonymously. Of course, not everyone likes it when you give them a microphone in a full house. They often find it a bit stressful to give their opinion. A good chairperson who provides structure is also important.”

Have you ever had a time when it was perfect?

“Maybe they had read something from me there or had experience with it, but I did receive a very detailed email about the day I would give a lecture. I was given the exact times for each part, who my contact person was, what I had to consider, and even where to send the invoice. That was during a lecture at MBO Amersfoort. That was very well organised.

You know what’s also important? People from the organisation should be recognisable with special clothing and a good lanyard. There was a neurodiversity conference in England where you could choose from three lanyards: one that said you were attending but that you would prefer not to be spoken to, one with the invitation that you wanted to have a chat but that you needed to warm up, and the third was that you wanted to meet people.

For example, you can place notes on standing tables with conversation starters, such as ‘What did you eat this morning?’ That’s a good icebreaker.”

Maybe that’s a good idea for everyone…

“Certainly, nothing I mentioned costs a lot, and you can do it for everyone.”