International Men’s Day: Self-Care for Neurodivergent Men in the Workplace
What is International Men’s Day?
Each year, International Men’s Day is held on 19th November. The global awareness day was created to celebrate the positive impact men have on the world, highlight male role models, and address different social, health and wellbeing challenges that affect men.
The day is recognised in more than 80 countries, many of which mark the event with their own specific themes. Among these, one of the core themes in the UK is “Making a positive difference to the wellbeing and lives of men and boys.”
Male mental health and neurodiversity in the workplace
It is estimated that men are more likely to be diagnosed with a neurodifference than women, at a ratio of around 3:1 (although this differential diagnosis rate is likely to be partly due to a lack of awareness about female neurodivergence).
Through our work at Lexxic, we are seeing how organisations are beginning to really understand the value that neurodiversity brings to the workplace, and the efforts made to create more neuro-inclusive cultures.
Despite support and adjustments in the workplace becoming increasingly available for neurodivergent employees it seems that men are still more likely to ‘quietly struggle’ instead of asking for help compared with their female counterparts. According to AccessEAP (2021), less than a third (31%)of those accessing support services through work are male.
Many believe that this trend in behaviour is fuelled by toxic masculinity, where many men may feel pressure to conform to old-fashioned societal expectations of what it means to be male, leading to stigma around showing weakness.
This can be exacerbated by the stigma attached to being neurodivergent, and how this can discourage individuals from asking for help or adjustments.
At Lexxic, we often see the impact of a lack of support for neurodivergent employees on their mental health. When men do not feel comfortable asking for support, this can lead to individuals masking their neurodifferences and experiencing challenges with not being able to work in a way that suits them, leading to fatigue, stress and anxiety, and possibly leading to burnout.
What can we do differently as employers?
It’s important for organisations and leaders to cultivate psychological safety in their workplace culture. Fostering an environment that encourages all employees to access support, regardless of gender, and actively encourages them to be themselves, and express their emotions and needs in our workplaces, can help to create environments where men, and all individuals, feel comfortable sharing their needs and accessing support. This may mean challenging some workplace cultural norms like office banter, a long-hours or competitive culture, or placing too much emphasis on social networking.
You could add to this further by communicating your adjustments process, and sharing lived experiences of neurodivergent male role models who have accessed the support and how it has enabled them to thrive. Taking these steps can help to normalise the conversations.
We can also proactively discuss wellbeing and neurodiversity with our colleagues, scheduling regular opportunities for employees to check in with colleagues and managers. This could be through regular 1:1 catch ups, confidential conversations with managers, or offering mental health first aiders or workplace buddy schemes to offer individuals the opportunities to discuss their feelings and needs more regularly.
Wellbeing & self-care at work: Top tips for neurodivergent men
Connections and relationships play a big part in our wellbeing at work, and having a manager or colleagues you can talk to can really help. However, it can sometimes be difficult to maintain these relationships when working from home! Try scheduling more regular calls or check-ins with managers or trusted colleagues, to help give you an opportunity to talk through your feelings, process your thoughts, and get support if needed.
It is important to address any masking of differences that may lead to you working longer hours, thus impacting your work-life balance. Make sure that you are taking regular breaks to help reduce stress and fatigue, and to give you the opportunity to recharge. This includes breaks and lunch breaks during the day, leaving/finishing work on time, and taking your annual leave.
If you find that you are working longer hours to get your work done, which could be causing you fatigue and/or stress, it’s important to have conversations with your manager about what ways of working or adjustments will enable you to manage your workload.
There are also several self-care strategies that you can implement to help you proactively manage your wellbeing in work. Keeping active, managing your diet, and getting enough sleep, are all important factors that can have a positive impact on our wellbeing, leading to better focus, reduced stress and anxiety, and a positive impact on mood and energy levels.
To find out more about what wellbeing strategies could work for you, and how you can lead a more balanced life across work and at home, click the button below to enquire about Lexxic’s new Wellbeing e-Learning module!
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