Latest / The Diversity Career Podcast with Fexingo: Inclusion, Equity, and Underrepresented Professionals / How One Company Made Dyslexia a Career Accelerator
Transcript
- Lucas: Luna, I want to talk about a group that makes up roughly one in five people globally, yet most companies have zero formal support for them at work. Luna: One in five — that's huge. Are we talking about left-handedness? Or... dyslexia? Lucas: Dyslexia, exactly. And the example I want to dig into is EY, the professional services firm. They've built something they call the Neurodiverse Center of Excellence, and it's essentially a career accelerator for people with dyslexia, ADHD, autism — but I want to focus on dyslexia today. Luna: Right, and it's interesting because dyslexia is often framed as a disadvantage in reading and writing, which is obviously critical in a firm like EY. So how did they flip that? Lucas: They started about a decade ago, really piloting in 2016. They realized that people with dyslexia often have above-average abilities in pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, and big-picture thinking — exactly the kind of skills that help in fraud detection, data analysis, and strategic consulting. Luna: So they saw it not as a deficit but as a different cognitive toolkit. That's a pretty radical shift for a traditional firm. Lucas: Completely. And they didn't just do a training session. They created a dedicated hiring track, with accommodations built in from day one. Things like screen-reading software, dictation tools, and visual thinking training. And they found that retention among neurodivergent hires was significantly higher than their average. Luna: Higher retention — that's the holy grail. Do you remember the numbers? Lucas: They've said that over 80 percent of their neurodivergent hires have stayed with the firm after the first year, compared to a typical industry average that's closer to 60 to 70 percent. And they've hired over 300 neurodivergent professionals since the program started. Luna: That's a compelling business case. And it makes me think — if this podcast has helped you rethink a career move or how to support your team, you might want to check out how we keep this show ad-free. It's at buymeacoffee.com/fexingo. Just a coffee's worth if it's been useful. Lucas: Yeah, and we really appreciate that. So back to EY — one of the key things they did was train managers. They found that managers often didn't know how to give feedback to a dyslexic employee, or how to structure a meeting so that visual thinkers could contribute effectively. Luna: What did the training look like? Was it a half-day workshop or something more embedded? Lucas: It's ongoing. They have a network of neurodiversity coaches within the firm. When a dyslexic employee joins, they're paired with a coach who helps them navigate communication styles, project assignments, even how to present findings in a way that plays to their strengths. And the coach also works with the team. Luna: So it's not just about the individual adapting to the system, but the system adapting to them. That's the real innovation. Lucas: Exactly. And EY has published some of their learnings. For example, they found that dyslexic employees on audit teams were particularly good at spotting anomalies in large data sets — things that didn't fit the pattern. That's a skill that takes years to develop in most auditors, but it came naturally to some of these hires. Luna: So they were actually outperforming their peers in certain areas from the start. That must have helped change minds inside the firm. Lucas: It did. And it's not just EY. Other firms like Deloitte and Microsoft have launched similar programs. But EY was one of the first, and they've been transparent about what works and what doesn't. Luna: What didn't work? I'm curious about the failures. Lucas: One thing was that they initially tried a separate onboarding process — a kind of 'neurodiversity bootcamp' before joining the main team. But they found it created a stigma. People felt singled out. So they shifted to integrating accommodations into the standard onboarding, so the support was there but not segregated. Luna: That makes sense. The goal is inclusion, not a separate track. So now, when someone joins, they just get the tools they need without having to ask. Lucas: Right. And that's a lesson that applies beyond neurodiversity. If you design for the edges, you often improve the experience for everyone. Screen readers help people with dyslexia, but they also help anyone who's audio-processing information during a commute. Luna: So what's the takeaway for a company that's listening and thinking, 'We should do this'? Where do they start? Lucas: I'd say start with one role or one team. Don't try to overhaul the whole hiring process. Pick a function where pattern recognition or visual thinking is an asset — like data analytics, design, or risk assessment. Then partner with a nonprofit like the Dyslexia Foundation or the Neurodiversity Network to help with recruitment and job redesign. Luna: And for individuals who are dyslexic and listening — what's the advice? Should they disclose it in an interview? Lucas: That's a personal decision, and I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all answer. But I'd say look for companies that already have a neurodiversity program. They're signaling that they value your cognitive style. If you're at a company that doesn't have one, you might start an employee resource group. EY's program actually began with a small group of employees who advocated for it. Luna: So bottom-up change is possible. That's encouraging. Lucas: Absolutely. And the data is on your side. Studies show that teams with neurodivergent members can be up to 30 percent more productive in certain problem-solving tasks. So it's not charity — it's competitive advantage. Luna: That's a powerful closing thought. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. And for anyone who wants to dig deeper, EY has published a white paper on their neurodiversity program. We'll link it in the show notes.