Dyslexia Research

Our free evidence-based motivational work assessment tool helps you understand your natural preferences: what energizes you and where you may feel unmotivated, or even drained. This is important because individuals and teams who feel heard, understood, and recognized for their collective and individual talents can improve well-being, productivity, morale, and leadership among team members.

The European Dyslexia Association states that dyslexia affects about 9-12% of the population.¹ It is the most widespread specific learning disorder affecting reading skills, spelling, writing, and other communication skills.¹ 

Without appropriate education and training, business leaders may find it challenging to support dyslexic team members and foster their unique talents in the workplace. It's important to remember that these are not employees with disabilities. Through our research, we provide businesses and leaders with the tools to understand the individual motivations of neurodiverse employees to improve communication, support, culture, and collaboration.

We are conducting a first-of-its-kind study on dyslexia to increase evidence-based research on how dyslexia influences motivations and talents in the workplace. We hope to determine whether those with dyslexia have distinct motivations or cognitive patterns that drive them at work. 

We aim to help individuals thrive by tapping into their unique talents at work and helping leaders cultivate supportive workplaces that embrace cognitive diversity.

How F4S dyslexia research supports those with dyslexia

Our research will contribute to informing businesses about how to understand and support those with dyslexia who have unique differences and motivations. Providing an easier way to visualize these differences will support neurotypical colleagues who mistakenly hold dyslexic individuals to similar standards, expectations, and ways of working to have a greater awareness of how to be inclusive of their neurodivergent peers. 

Developing a safe culture for individuals with dyslexia will benefit neurodiverse talent and improve collaboration and communication for all team members.

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is the most common neurological difference in the world and can impact multiple aspects of a person's life. The symptoms of dyslexia can include cognitive difficulties in recognizing words, spelling, reading, and writing. While often thought of as only a reading disability, in fact, there is more nuance related to the unique brain functioning in the individual.

It is essential to recognize that difficulties are not due to low intelligence but related to the specific functioning of the brain and different cognitive abilities. Also, individuals with dyslexia can vary in how the symptoms manifest and with what tasks. For example, some individuals with dyslexia can easily read but may have difficulty spelling from memory or just have spelling difficulties. Others may need extra time, or plenty of time, to read.

Impacts of dyslexia at work

Symptoms can range from mild to severe and manifest differently..

Adults with dyslexia may experience challenges related to being accurate readers, resulting in them reading slowly and more cautiously when working. It can also relate to difficulties correcting spelling mistakes and identifying words quickly.

Those with dyslexia may also have many talents. They may be exceptional at telling stories, listening to others, creative problem-solving, visualization, and they may have a unique perspective surrounding establishing models or theories for how things function and connect.

Supporting employees with dyslexia in the workplace?

It is essential to understand dyslexia and its unique manifestation; to care for people with dyslexia, and for team members and business leaders to support individuals in leveraging their strengths and talents. The F4S assessment can provide insight into the motivations and preference filters and be a helpful indicator of what job tasks, job roles, and activities should be a primary area of focus.

Because having dyslexia can create severe stress levels, helping people with this condition learn coping mechanisms and time-management skills and providing social support can be helpful. Recognizing their difficulties and helping them develop strategies to manage them will be invaluable for individuals with dyslexia as well as helping them complete assignments. Make sure to normalize difficult feelings and offer support if they request it. It may be helpful to create a support group or Employee Resource Group (ERG) for people with dyslexia or other forms of neurodiversity in the workplace to provide an avenue to speak up, connect with others, and contribute to conversations that will help shape the future psychological health and safety policies, resulting in a more inclusive culture. Neurodivergent people can harbor many talents.

It is important to consider what accommodations can be made available for people with dyslexia at work. For example, if a person has challenges with written information but is excellent at listening to people who read to them, changing the mode in which they are receiving information from written to auditory will have immediate benefits. A quiet work space may be appreciated. Providing opportunities for a coach to increase self-awareness and establish tailored learning strategies and stress-management techniques can also be beneficial in accommodating dyslexic talent. 

Accommodations for dyslexia in the workplace

There are many accommodations and strategies to support people with dyslexia at work. Reasonable accommodations involve developing learning and educational frameworks. Some strategies include identifying the sound of words by speaking aloud, tracing out letters with fingers, building a vocabulary of recognized words, and using visuals to understand information.

Visuals, such as those created through Canva and Miro, and other mind-mapping software, are commonly used to connect words and information. Frequent opportunities to hear things through discussions, conversations, and presentations is another way to leverage strengths. Frequent breaks are also useful.

A holistic approach with health professionals in clinical practice, coaches, colleagues, managers, and leaders will be most helpful in supporting people with dyslexia in the workplace. Combining these approaches can inform effective learning strategies and build supportive psychological health and safety frameworks. 

The superpowers of dyslexia in the workplace 

Unfortunately, many people currently view dyslexia as a deficiency or negatively nonconforming with standard neurotypical views.

While challenges exist, many superpowers come with the dyslexic brain. These individuals often have high curiosity, the ability to imagine new ways of doing things, and visualization skills. People with dyslexia are talented at solving problems, building models to represent concepts and ideas, and bringing stories to life. Many excel in areas not requiring a high reading ability alone, including computers, visual arts, philosophy, neuroscience, and creative writing.

Aligning job duties and roles with the talents of dyslexia and incorporating accommodations when necessary will help leverage these strengths and manage challenges. Doing so can help businesses in various workplace contexts. It could promote the identification of these superpowers during the interview process, enhance meeting deadlines, and improve daily workplace roles and social interactions.

By harnessing the unique talents of those with dyslexia, leaders can foster workplaces that embrace cognitive diversity and provide needed support to individuals to thrive. Together, we can help create safer workplaces for everyone.

‍