A third of dyslexics believe their condition is a barrier to business success.

A survey carried out by Business Link for London and the British Dyslexia Association revealed that 33 percent of dyslexics thought they were at a disadvantage in business, despite the success of high profile dyslexic entrepreneurs such as Sir Alan Sugar, Sir Richard Branson and Anita Roddick.

The results also showed that nearly half of dyslexic individuals have not disclosed their condition to their employer and one in ten fears that they would be offered fewer opportunities for promotion and training if they did so.

Vicki McNicol, director of development at the BDA said: “When an employer is able to support the dyslexic individual’s differences and not see them as a threat, the individuals abilities and talents are able to shine through.

“Many employers/managers are not able to celebrate difference but more commonly want to penalise employees for it. At the BDA we find that many highly intelligent, dyslexic individuals fail to reach their full potential due to ignorance and lack of understanding amongst employers and HR professionals.”

Keith Gilbey, director of strategy at Business Link for London, added that dyslexia can often open up opportunities and should not be viewed as a barrier to success. He said: “Creativity and tenacity are just some of the traits associated with dyslexics so they have huge potential to become successful entrepreneurs. Equally, employers need to create a supportive environment so that they can harness the skills that dyslexics typically possess.”