Neurodiverse Inclusion Support Portal
Strengthen your executive function skills for more productive and less stressful days at work.
Neurodiverse Inclusion Learning for Microsoft Employees
Self-Guided
Our Executive Function Learning Series offers on-demand video modules, downloadable resources, and strategies you can learn at your own pace. Topics include Starting Tasks, Building Habits, Managing Time & Hyperfocus, and more.
Group Learning and Training
Join our expert coaches and a supportive community of peers to discuss topics that are impacting your team currently. Whether annual reviews are coming up or you’d like to ask a question anonymously, our live sessions are here for you.
1:1 Coaching
Need more in-depth support? Apply for our workplace coaching program and meet with a dedicated coach to help you focus on your goals and find strategies that suit you.
Executive function (EF) skills are cognitive processes that help us make plans, focus our attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks.
Resources for Managers
Self-Guided
Learn at your own pace with video modules and downloadable resources on supporting neurodiversity at Microsoft, with an emphasis on helping your direct reports navigate executive functioning.
Group Learning
Join live events with our coaches and your peer community to discuss timely topics and challenges happening at Microsoft. Submit questions anonymously, or listen in to learn from colleagues.
1:1 Coaching
Do you have specific questions about how to support your direct reports who may be experiencing EF challenges? We can help. Sign up for 1:1 coaching to learn strategies tailored to your situation.
1:1 Executive Function Coaching with The How Skills
Interested in working with an executive function coach from The How Skills? Our Masters and Doctorate-trained educators are experts in pedagogy and executive functioning, and we specialize in helping teach employees and managers to do their best work with less stress.
Whether or not you have an ADA-qualifying condition, Microsoft offers workplace coaching to support you and help you succeed in your role.
Microsoft Employees Share about The How Skills
"Before this program, I had been struggling greatly at work for over two years. Now, after this short period of time spent coaching, my stress levels and ability to manage my day to day work have improved dramatically and work is finally something I can actually handle."
— Microsoft Employee
"Throughout the whole process and the touch point meetings I was able to see how I needed to adjust my approach to make a more accommodating environment for my direct report in the program. I not only applied what we discussed to them, but broadly my entire team. Through these sessions I was able to chart a direct correlation to the positive changes in communication, and creating an environment that is open and everyone is on the same page."
— Microsoft Manager
"My coach provided the perfect amount of both acceptance and feedback to help me grow as an employee and develop better work habits. Thanks to my coaches help, I have seen my productivity rise significantly (prompting recognition from teammates and management) and I have been less stressed because I know I have my work under control."
- Microsoft Employee
Group Learning & Live Coaching Events
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Office Hours: Annual Review Preparation
1.15 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM PST
Prepare for employee reviews by brushing up on how you deliver feedback, and ask questions of our workplace coaches.
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Coach Q&A: Task Initiation Strategies
1.29 | 7:00-8:00 PM PST
Submit your questions anonymously about task initiation and procrastination and we’ll share advice during a live Q&A.
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2024 Kickoff: Goal Setting Webinar
2.21 | 7:00 - 8:00 PM PST
Join our coaches for a 30-minute webinar of strategies for starting the new year with SMART goals and how to progress toward them.
FAQs
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The How Skills specializes in personalized coaching for executive function skills. We work with employees, managers, teams, students, and adults to develop tailored strategies and tools that help people do their best work. Together, we develop sustainable systems for a more productive, fulfilling, and balanced approach to learning, working, and navigating life.
We’ve also been working with Microsoft since 2020 to help both employees and managers improve how they work and build a culture of inclusion. -
We know that executive function coaching can make a huge difference for people with and without disabilities. That’s why Microsoft has expanded this program to help any employee who wishes to work with a coach in a 1:1 capacity access these resources as a benefit.
We also encourage employees to involve their manager or supervisor in our three 30-minute manager support sessions throughout the course of their program. When we can work with both the employee and their supervisor, this is where we see the most success. The goal of these sessions are to provide education and resources to a manager to enable them to better support you. All content/topics discussed in your coaching sessions will remain confidential and will not be shared with your manager or supervisor.
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Microsoft encourages and welcomes every employee to avail themselves of these resources, whether or not they have disclosed a disability or a particular executive functioning challenge to their supervisor or HR. That said, The How Skills does measure aggregated usage data to ensure our content and services are meeting Microsoft’s needs.
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Spring Health is your health care benefits provider, which includes new short term counseling (24 sessions each calendar year), 24/7 crisis support, and resource and referral provider.