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NeuroVacant was founded by Hans Bruintjes. Bruintjes is a researcher into discrimination against neurodivergent people. He began conducting research into this because he observed that attention to neurodivergence is lacking in studies on discrimination and in inclusion policies.
In his research into discrimination in the labor market, Bruintjes discovered the following things, for which he hopes to offer a solution with NeuroVacant:
Engaging company psychologists to prevent absenteeism, searching for replacement staff, or conducting long and difficult conversations following an accident or miscommunication. This is all reactive action taken after a problem has occurred. NeuroVacant's vision is that it is better to act proactively to develop a good working relationship. With additional communication tools, NeuroVacant aims to make initiating these conversations easier and encourage all parties involved to conduct them proactively. This also saves significant financial and emotional costs in the long term.
Masking neurodivergence is a frequently used strategy to combat injustice. However, this strategy makes no difference in the amount of discrimination that neurodivergent people experience. While neurodivergent people who mask may run a lower risk of stigmatization and rejection during job applications, they face a higher risk of injustice at work, and absenteeism is also more common. Therefore, I want to make it easier to find suitable workplaces so that masking is not necessary.
Honesty is healthy for all involved, and that will be rewarded by job seekers!
When it comes to accessibility, people usually think of wheelchair accessibility, but not neuroaccessibility. And even regarding accessibility for the physically disabled, it often turns out to be nothing more than a vague obligation to make an effort for the parties involved, without clear frameworks that people can rely on in concrete situations. Furthermore, much avoidance behavior was uncovered in Bruintjes' research: people avoid places they perceive as inaccessible. With accessibility filters—which employers must mark if their profession meets the criteria, and which allow employees to easily search for them—NeuroVacant aims to give concrete substance to the concept of accessibility in order to promote clarity.
Want to know more? Bruintjes has shared his findings in the book 'De stem van de neurodivergent'. The book is available for purchase here.
Besides Bruintjes, there are other people who have conducted research into neurodiversity in the workplace. Findings made there include:
Neurodivergents who feel comfortable in their own skin are often up to 30% more productive than neurotypical employees.
Neurodiverse teams are demonstrably more innovative and productive, provided they are well organized and supported.
Good communication between job seeker and employer is important, including regarding expectations and accessibility, and there is a need for improvement in this area.
More transparency can help bridge the gap between neurodivergent talent and inclusive employers.
There is more psychological safety in neurodiverse teams. There is more room for revision of standards in those teams. More expectations are also explicitly expressed. Additionally, less isolation and more mutual connection are felt there.