I am writing this a week ago. Now it is Halloween and tiny ghosts and witches wander about in search of chocolate. As I write this, however, we are still a week away from all hallows eve. You might be asking why I am writing this when my last blog has just gone up and the weekend is calling. I am writing because, right now, this has not been my week. Don’t worry, I am not about to turn this into true confessionals, but needless to say after a week of one disastrous thing after another, an £800+ estimate for my car was the final straw. Some weeks do not go right.

This is actually a roundabout way of talking about why I am so keen on reasonable adjustments and, in particular, flexible working. This week life has decided to make itself far more difficult than it needed to be - and as such I found myself working around all the Stuff and Things making my days more difficult. Did I find myself at my desk at 9am sharp? No, not really. I did however find spaces on my terms to do the work that needed doing. The work got done, meetings were had, but they didn’t have to happen around the 9-5. 

As a Neurodivergent freelancer I am lucky, I can work to my own tune, but I am not the only one for whom flexible working is, or would be, beneficial. 

Now I can hear some of you saying, “It’s fine for you freelancers but I work for a living and my boss won’t like it!” 

This, my dear readers, is where the law is on your side. It is a legal requirement for employers to allow for flexible working from the first day of employment. This can take the form of a wide range of flexible working, including job sharing and part time work. To request flexible working you need to write a formal request to your employer. They then have 2 months to give you an answer - if they say no you then have the right to appeal. 

The types of flexible working that have worked best for me are remote working, compressed hours and flexitime. So let’s talk a little bit about these three modes of working and why they play so well with my Neurodivergences and Disabilities. Remote working allows me to work from my bed, some days the physical disabilities do not permit me to sit at a desk. Being able to work those days in my pyjamas allows me to conserve my energy whilst still doing the work I love. Remote work also means I do not have the sensory overwhelm I experience when being in open planned offices - and on that note, let your employees wear headphones if you’re going to make them sit in a cacophonous pit for 7.5 hours a day! I might say that flippantly but remote working gives me the space and time to actually focus on my job rather than being distracted by the bombardment of sensory experiences that come from a commute and an office.     

Compressed hours is an interesting one - it involves working longer but fewer days - this I can do and do with skill and grace. Need me to get up at 3 in the morning to be in the North of the country by the start of play? Absolutely. I thrive on short intense periods of work - tight turn arounds are my adrenaline sport. Need a resource by the end of next week? I’m your man. This style of working that works so well with my flow states and focus also allows for the week after the crunch to be a slow week, admin from the comfort of my sofa days and even - and brace yourself for this - a day off to watch terrible movies and eat pizza. My way of working is on the extreme end of the scale, but for my fellow Neurodivergents who need to get into a flow state and stay there to work, dedicating longer but few days allows for focus without burnout.     

Flexitime is possibly the most well known of the flexible working arrangements. At the most flexible you work when you work, just as long as your hours quota is met. More often, flexitime involves core hours such as 10-1400hr when everyone is working, with the rest of your hour quota made up during the day. This works for a whole range of reasons - childcare, caring for elderly parents, further study, traveling at quieter hours - the list goes on. For me this has allowed my night owl brain to work at nine o’clock at night when I find my focus is at its best. It also allows more early-bird minded people to be bright eyed and bushy tailed at their desks at 6:30am. Neurodivergent people tend towards differing circadian rhythms and allowing for people to work at a time that matches their peak productivity supports not only the employee but the business itself.    

Since the start of the pandemic the way people work has shifted and changed. I truly believe in the power of flexible working. For many Neurodivergent people the daily grind is a horror story that persists long after Halloween. By supporting people to work with their bodies and minds rather than to rule, businesses can build Neurodivergent-affirming practices from day one of the job.  As for me, writing this conclusion on Halloween itself, with a bit of balance and the right support some terrible weeks do get better.   

If you are interested in learning more about how your organisation might develop Neurodivergent-affirming flexible working practices do get in touch via the contact form.