dyslexic thinkers: recruiting the unique talent your company needs.
do you know what skills your organization will need in the next five years?
The World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Jobs Report reveals the skills companies say will be the most important today through to 2027. As technology takes over more tasks, companies will increasingly seek talent with soft skills, or power skills, like creative thinking, analytical thinking and technological literacy, as well as curiosity, lifelong learning, resilience, flexibility and agility.
While these skills are in high demand, they are in short supply. But one group of thinkers has exactly the skills organizations are looking for: Dyslexics.
Kate Griggs, founder and CEO of Made by Dyslexia says, “Dyslexic Thinkers can and will move businesses forward so it’s vital every organization understands the benefits and value of Dyslexic Thinking — or risk being left behind.”
the value of dyslexic thinking
Dyslexic Thinkers often have the valued soft skills and power skills that companies need today and will continue to need in the future to help companies overcome challenges while bringing new ideas and innovations.
The Future of Jobs report shows Dyslexic Thinkers have enhanced abilities in areas like discovery, invention and creativity.
A study by EY highlights how Dyslexic Thinkers display exceptional or very strong capability in the most trending skills companies need for the future, such as leadership and social influence, analytical thinking, active learning and problem-solving.
In Harvard Business Review, Kate Griggs explores how dyslexic brains are wired differently, enabling them to excel in areas like imagining, reasoning and interpersonal skills.
40% of the world’s greatest innovators and entrepreneurs are dyslexic. Some of the world’s greatest brands, art, music and inventions have all sprung from dyslexic minds, from Richard Branson and Steve Jobs, to entertainers like Whoopi Goldberg, Cher and Orlando Bloom, to athletes like Muhammad Ali and Magic Johnson.
Dictionary.com defines “dyslexic thinking” as “an approach to problem solving, assessing information, and learning, often used by people with dyslexia, that involves pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, lateral thinking and interpersonal communication.”
In 2022, LinkedIn, the world's largest professional network, added Dyslexic Thinking as a skill.
In the past, Dyslexic Thinkers have been judged on what they can’t do, rather than what they can. Hiring may have been an HR or diversity and inclusion issue. Today, it’s a crucial business imperative that will give companies the skills they need to drive sustainable business growth and achieve a competitive advantage, especially in environments where businesses need problem-solvers.
But despite the promise and potential of welcoming more dyslexic thinkers, many companies aren’t equipped to effectively recruit them and help them perform at their best.
put intent into action
New research conducted by Made by Dyslexia, F’inn Group and Randstad Enterprise reveals how hundreds of HR leaders believe their companies are progressing toward a dyslexic-friendly workplace, compared to the real-life experiences of more than 1,500 dyslexic employees.
The key results from the research show a huge disparity between the two groups. In the report, we highlight the findings and concrete steps companies can take to improve how they recruit and retain Dyslexic Thinkers.