Strategies To Support Employees With Dyscalculia
Creating a dyscalculia friendly workplace may look different for different organisations and for different employees.
Here are some useful suggestions we have collated from both employees with dyscalculia and those who employ them.
Reasonable Accomodations
- Flexible Work Arrangements: Offer flexible work hours or remote work options to reduce stress and allow for a comfortable work environment.
- Assistive Technology: Provide access to assistive technology and tools that help employees manage numerical tasks effectively. Provide access to calculators, e.g. DysCalculator (Desktop version)
- and maths software to assist with arithmetic tasks. Software like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets can automate calculations and reduce manual errors.
- Apps and Online Tools: Use budgeting apps like Mint, financial management tools, and time-tracking software such as Toggl to help with organizational tasks.
- Job Redesign: Modify job duties to minimise the emphasis on numerical tasks where possible or redistribute these tasks among team members.
Promote an Inclusive Environment
- Awareness and Training: Educate staff about Dyscalculia to foster understanding and reduce stigma.
- Supportive Policies: Implement policies that support employees with learning disabilities, including Dyscalculia, and ensure they have access to necessary resources.
- Recruitment Processes: Ensure recruitment processes don’t discriminate against potential employees with dyscalculia. Ensure potential employees know what will be involved in the recruitment process and make sure job roles detail what maths skills will be required. Check that all recruitment processes are required for the job role e.g. is a generic maths test necessary.
- Content Design: Make sure that you follow accessibility guidelines for content design for employees with dyscalculia.
- Find More information on making numbers accessible
It would be useful to check out this visual representation of what it’s like being dyscalculic. The simulation can never truly represent what it’s like, but it might be helpful. Follow Helena as they try to pay for car mileage using an inaccessible service.
Customised Workflows
- Templates: Create templates for common tasks that involve maths, such as invoices, expense reports, and data entry forms and use colour coding. This can streamline processes and reduce the cognitive load.
- Calanders and scheduling: Avoid last-minute meetings, keep calendars up to date e.g. remove recurring unneeded meetings
- Step-by-Step Guides: Develop clear, written instructions and step-by-step guides for complex tasks. Visual aids, such as flowcharts or diagrams, can also be helpful.
Offer Training and Development
- Skill-Building Workshops: Provide workshops focused on improving numeracy and related skills.
- Professional Development: Encourage continuous learning and professional development to help employees build confidence and competence in their roles.
Effective Communication and Support
Open Dialogue
Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and any additional support needed. This helps build trust and ensures that any issues are addressed promptly.
Active Listening: Encourage the employee to share their experiences and listen actively to their concerns. Be empathetic and supportive in your responses.
Encouragement and Positive Reinforcement
Acknowledge Efforts: Recognize and appreciate the employee’s efforts and achievements, no matter how small. Positive reinforcement can boost confidence and motivation.
Focus on Strengths: Identify and leverage the employee’s strengths and skills that do not involve numerical tasks. Assign tasks that align with their strengths to help them excel. (Utilise someone else’s strength for maths tasks)
Encouraging a Growth Mindset
Emphasizing Progress: Celebrate improvements and progress, no matter how small, to build confidence and motivation.
Focusing on Strengths: Identify and leverage individual strengths and skills that do not involve numerical tasks.
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Organisations the Dyscalculia Network have supported and work with
