Neurodiversity in the Workforce: Stephanie Jeret Of Speak with Stephanie On Why It’s Important To Include Neurodiverse Employees & How To Make Your Workplace More Neuro-Inclusive

An Interview With Eric Pines

Higher Retention Rates: Companies that prioritize neurodiversity often experience higher rates of employee retention. When employees feel valued and respected for their unique abilities, they are more likely to stay with the organization long-term.

Research suggests that up to 15–20% of the U.S. population is neurodivergent. There has been a slow but vitally important rise in companies embracing neurodiversity. How can companies support neurodiversity in the workplace? What are some benefits of including neurodiverse employees? To address these questions, we are talking to successful business leaders who can share stories and insights from their experience about “Neurodiversity in the Workforce”. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Jeret.

Stephanie Jeret, MS, CCC-SLP, is the founder of Speak with Stephanie, where she provides speech and language therapy services across Illinois, New York, and New Jersey. With nearly ten years of experience, Stephanie has worked in different places like schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and private practices. She makes sure to customize her methods to fit each client’s needs and preferences, working closely with them to reach their communication goals. Check out her website for more details.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you ended up where you are?

My upbringing was shaped by a family committed to acts of kindness and support for others. In our home, we welcomed several foster children, each with their unique needs and challenges. Observing the specialized care, especially the dedicated efforts of speech therapists, left an impression on me. It was through these experiences that I found my passion and decided to pursue a master’s degree in speech-language pathology.

As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I have encountered numerous clients facing diverse communication challenges, particularly neurodiverse individuals including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more. While some may struggle with communication due to neurodivergence, they often bring invaluable perspectives and problem-solving skills to the table. Embracing neurodiversity can significantly benefit any organization, and as a speech-language pathologist, I am enthusiastic about discussing these advantages further during our interview.

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

I believe the same qualities that make me an effective speech therapist have contributed to my success in business. Three of these traits are:

1. Collaboration: I value working with other professionals to ensure optimal care for my clients. For instance, I collaborated with a psychologist to provide comprehensive treatment for a young student who stuttered. This partnership not only improved my client’s outcome, but also resulted in several referrals from the psychologist, significantly boosting my caseload and business success.
2. Organizational Skills: Managing schedules, navigating insurance processes, completing paperwork, and communicating with families are integral parts of my role. While I cherish client interactions, I’ve established a structured approach to handle administrative tasks one day a week, allowing me to focus on clients for the remainder of my workweek. This strategy has been instrumental in effectively running my practice and fostering its success.
3. Perseverance: Dedication to helping my clients achieve their speech and language goals has been a driving force behind my business journey. This commitment was essential in establishing a thriving practice.

Can you share a story about one of your greatest work-related struggles? Can you share what you did to overcome it?

In graduate school, I learned about the study of speech and language disorders, mastering how to effectively evaluate and treat them. Throughout my education, I participated in two internships and two externships, gaining valuable experience in various settings including public schools and hospitals. I then gained valuable experience post-graduate school in a variety of settings including, private practices, public schools, and skilled nursing facilities.

What I hadn’t anticipated was the complexity of starting and growing a speech practice beyond clinical skills. I quickly realized that launching a successful practice required expertise in business development — a realm I did not know much about. Initially, I naively believed that building a website on platforms like Wix would suffice to attract clients. Yet, I soon confronted the necessity of delving into search engine optimization (SEO), understanding insurance processes, and building professional networks. It was a challenging journey, but through persistence and ongoing education, I began to implement strategic changes that yielded noticeable improvements in my business outcomes.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I’m not currently involved in any new projects at the moment, but I’m looking forward to taking on something exciting in the near future. I’m eager to contribute to initiatives that make a positive impact and help improve people’s lives.

Fantastic. Let’s now shift to our discussion about neurodiversity in the workforce. Can you tell our readers a bit about your experience working with initiatives to include neurodiverse employees? Can you share a story with us?

Currently, I operate my own private practice without staff, so I don’t have any ongoing hiring initiatives. However, drawing from my previous experiences, I can offer an important example. In a prior role at a math tutoring company, our team made a significant hiring decision by bringing on an individual who was autistic to tutor students and accelerate their math skills. Unlike previous hires, this individual was uniquely effective in connecting with and advancing highly accelerated students, enabling them to surpass their peers.

This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have an inclusive work culture?

An inclusive workspace is important for several reasons including:

1. Diverse perspectives: Inclusive workplaces bring individuals together from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leading to unique viewpoints and more creative and often effective solutions to challenges
2. Higher Retention Rates: Companies that prioritize neurodiversity often experience higher rates of employee retention. When employees feel valued and respected for their unique abilities, they are more likely to stay with the organization long-term.
3. Compliance and Legal Requirements: Many countries have laws and regulations that encourage or require employers to provide equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities, including those who are neurodiverse. Embracing neurodiversity ensures compliance with these legal obligations.
4. Enhanced Innovation: Neurodiverse individuals can bring fresh insights to projects, leading to increased innovation and competitiveness for companies. Their unique approaches to problem-solving can lead to breakthroughs in various industries.

Can you share a few examples of ideas that were implemented at your workplace to help include neurodiverse employees? Can you share with us how the work culture was affected as a result?

I have worked with several companies to come up with strategies and ideas to implement to help include neurodiverse employees.

1. Flexible Work Hours: Allow neurodiverse employees to have flexible work hours or remote work options to accommodate their unique needs and preferences.
2. Quiet Spaces: Create designated quiet areas in the workplace where neurodiverse employees can retreat to when they need a break from sensory stimuli.
3. Neurodiversity Training: Offer training sessions to raise awareness about neurodiversity in the workplace and provide strategies for supporting neurodiverse colleagues.
4. Accommodations for Executive Functioning: Provide tools and accommodations such as task management apps, visual schedules, or organizational aids to support executive functioning skills.

What are some of the challenges or obstacles to including neurodivergent employees? What needs to be done to address those obstacles?

Including neurodivergent employees in the workplace can present specific challenges that need to be addressed to create an inclusive environment. Some of these obstacles and ways to address it include:

1. Lack of awareness and understanding: Many people may not be familiar with conditions like autism or dyslexia. Providing training and education programs for employees on neurodiversity can help bridge this gap and promote understanding.
2. Unsupportive workplace practices: Traditional workplace practices, such as strict scheduling and sensory overload, may not be suitable for neurodiverse individuals. Creating quiet spaces and offering flexible work hours can benefit all employees, not just those who are neurodivergent.
3. Hiring process: Neurodivergent individuals may face biases or encounter barriers during the hiring process. Implementing inclusive recruitment practices, such as reaching out to neurodivergent communities, offering alternative interview formats, and providing training on neurodiversity for interviewers, can help level the playing field and ensure a fair hiring process for all candidates.

How do you and your organization educate yourselves and your teams on the concept of neurodiversity and the needs of neurodivergent employees? Are there any resources, training, or workshops that you have found particularly helpful?

As a solo practitioner in the field of speech-language pathology, I don’t have a large team to educate on the concept of neurodiversity. However, recognizing the importance of fostering inclusivity, I’ve extended my services to offer consulting to companies seeking guidance on accommodating neurodiverse individuals.

Through my consulting work, I’ve had the opportunity to share valuable insights and strategies for creating inclusive environments. While I may not have formal resources, training programs, or workshops within my organization, I draw upon my expertise and experience to provide tailored guidance to clients.

Can you please share five best practices that can make a business place feel more welcoming and inclusive of people who are neurodivergent?

1. Enhanced Innovation: Neurodiverse individuals can bring fresh insights and unconventional thinking to projects, leading to increased innovation and competitiveness for companies. Their unique approaches to problem-solving can lead to breakthroughs in various industries.
2. Inclusivity and Corporate Social Responsibility: Including neurodiverse individuals promotes a culture of inclusivity and demonstrates a commitment to diversity within the workplace. This not only aligns with ethical standards but also enhances the company’s reputation as a socially responsible employer.
3. Improved Workplace Culture: Embracing neurodiversity fosters a more inclusive and supportive work environment for all employees. It encourages empathy, understanding, and respect among colleagues, leading to higher morale and overall job satisfaction.
4. Higher Retention Rates: Companies that prioritize neurodiversity often experience higher rates of employee retention. When employees feel valued and respected for their unique abilities, they are more likely to stay with the organization long-term.
5. Compliance and Legal Requirements: Many countries have laws and regulations that encourage or require employers to provide equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities, including those who are neurodiverse. Embracing neurodiversity ensures compliance with these legal obligations.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story about how that was relevant in your own life?

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt

I’ve worked in hospitals, nursing homes, and schools, and I’ve always wanted to start my own practice. But I kept making excuses, telling myself it wasn’t the right time. Then, I had a moment of realization: I needed to stop making excuses and just go for it. This quote reminds me to challenge my own doubts and take action instead of holding myself back.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Perhaps one movement that can bring the most amount of positive impact to a large number of people is “Embrace Empathy.” The core principle of this movement would be to encourage individuals to actively engage in empathy in their daily interactions and decision-making processes. This movement’s goal would be for people to understand others’ perspectives, feelings, and experiences before making judgements or taking actions.

This movement could actually create a ripple effect of understanding and compassion, ultimately fostering a more tolerant and supportive community. It can benefit countless individuals by encouraging kindness, reducing conflict, and promoting meaningful connections between people.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Readers can follow me on my website or on facebook.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success and good health!

About the Interviewer: Eric L. Pines is a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. He represents federal employees and acts as in-house counsel for over fifty thousand federal employees through his work as a federal employee labor union representative. A formal federal employee himself, Mr. Pines began his federal employment law career as in-house counsel for AFGE Local 1923 which is in Social Security Administration’s headquarters and is the largest federal union local in the world. He presently serves as AFGE 1923’s Chief Counsel as well as in-house counsel for all FEMA bargaining unit employees and numerous Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs unions.

While he and his firm specialize in representing federal employees from all federal agencies and in reference to virtually all federal employee matters, his firm has placed special attention on representing Veteran Affairs doctors and nurses hired under the authority of Title. He and his firm have a particular passion in representing disabled federal employees with their requests for medical and religious reasonable accommodations when those accommodations are warranted under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (ADA). He also represents them with their requests for Federal Employee Disability Retirement (OPM) when an accommodation would not be possible.

Mr. Pines has also served as a mediator for numerous federal agencies including serving a year as the Library of Congress’ in-house EEO Mediator. He has also served as an expert witness in federal court for federal employee matters. He has also worked as an EEO technical writer drafting hundreds of Final Agency Decisions for the federal sector.

Mr. Pines’ firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has offices in Baltimore, Maryland and Atlanta, Georgia. His first passion is his wife and five children. He plays classical and rock guitar and enjoys playing ice hockey, running, and biking. Please visit his websites at www.pinesfederal.com and www.toughinjurylawyers.com. He can also be reached at eric@pinesfederal.com.