Words: Garry Payne

Let’s talk about a missed opportunity. One so glaring it’s almost laughable – if it weren’t costing your business talent, innovation, and cold hard cash.

We’re obsessed with hiring the “perfect candidate”. Think polished CVs, spotless spelling, and a degree from a university. But here’s the thing: in the Kitchen, Bedroom, and Bathroom sector – an industry that thrives on aesthetics, intuition, and experience – we’re screening out exactly the kind of minds we need most. Enter: the dyslexic thinker.

Roughly 6.3 million people in the UK are estimated to have dyslexia – that’s 1 in 10 of your potential customers or employees. And more than a third of them are struggling to find meaningful work. Not because they lack skills, but because our hiring practices are stuck in the Industrial Revolution.

However, dyslexic thinkers can bring a lot to the table. These folks don’t just “get” 3D design – they live in it. While your CAD software is still booting up, they’ve already mentally mapped out the showroom flow, lighting angles, and ergonomic hotspots. You want to sell dream kitchens? Start hiring the people who can see them in their sleep.

Dyslexic thinkers are also great at big picture thinking. The KBB industry is not just about fixtures and finishes. It’s about storytelling, lifestyle, aspiration. Dyslexic minds are wired for narrative. They connect dots. They see trends. They build brands.

Also, anyone who’s navigated a school system that wasn’t built for them knows how to adapt. Dyslexics bring battle-tested resilience and out-of-the-box thinking. That tricky install with the plumbing surprise? They’ll figure it out – and probably improve your process while they’re at it.

Many dyslexic individuals also become master communicators. Why? Because they’ve had to explain themselves their whole lives. In a customer-facing industry like ours, that translates into trust and persuasion,

But here’s the punchline: This isn’t charity. It’s strategy.

A joint report by Made by Dyslexia and Ernst & Young found that the strengths of dyslexic thinking – creativity, analytical reasoning, leadership – align directly with what the World Economic Forum says are the essential skills of the future.

Is spellcheck a hiring filter? Companies that embrace neurodiversity report higher innovation, better retention, and stronger loyalty. That’s not a feel-good slogan – that’s a PowerPoint slide. And it’s time we brought it to the KBB space

So, what now? We need to learn to drop the importance of the grammar police. Spelling isn’t strategy. You need to hire people who can see what others can’t – not just those who can type without typos.

Businesses also need to modernise their tools. This means things like voice-to-text, AI design previews, and visual workstreams. These aren’t “accommodations.” They’re productivity tools that make your entire team better.

Finally, the industry as a whole needs to learn to champion difference. Culture eats strategy for breakfast. Make space for dyslexic thinkers to lead, not just “fit in.”

The KBB industry is about transforming space. Maybe it’s time we transformed our workplaces too? Because when you hire for potential, not perfection, you don’t just build better teams – you build a better business.