Management Perspectives

In recent years, the conversation around diversity and inclusion in the workplace has expanded beyond race, gender, and sexual orientation to include neurodiversity. Neurodivergent individuals—those with conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia (which can be disabilities in law)— represent around 20 per cent of the global population. Despite this, they remain significantly under-represented in employment. Recent statistics show that half of neurodivergent adults have experienced discrimination when looking for a job. One in five neurodivergent employees report experiencing harassment or discrimination at work, and only half feel safe disclosing their neurodivergence within their organisation. The employment rates for neurodivergent individuals are alarmingly low, with just 29 per cent of autistic adults in the UK currently in work, and 85 per cent of autistic individuals in the United States being unemployed. These figures highlight a critical gap in workplace diversity efforts. This is extremely important for employers, because not only do they have legal duties to support workers with disabilities in the workplace, but also because they miss out on exceptional, much-needed cognitive talent.

Why are neurodivergent individuals overlooked?

Despite increased awareness of diversity, many companies still struggle to integrate neurodivergent talent into their workforce effectively. There are several reasons why neurodivergent individuals remain excluded or face significant challenges in professional environments:

Rigid hiring processes. Traditional hiring processes often disadvantage neurodivergent individuals. Standard interview formats typically rely on strong social skills, eye contact, and quick responses—traits that may not align with neurodivergent communication styles. In many cases, highly qualified neurodivergent candidates are overlooked simply because they do not conform to neurotypical social expectations, despite these not being relevant to the job itself. Employers who fail to offer alternative hiring methods, such as work trials, project-based assessments, or structured interviews with clear expectations, risk missing out on innovative talent. By prioritising social norms over skill sets, organisations exclude individuals who may have the precise analytical, creative, or problem-solving abilities they need.

Lack of disclosure or adjustments processes. Although many employers will ask job applicants to state whether they require reasonable adjustments at interview stages, what happens next is out of their control. Many people may choose not to disclose their neurodivergence, as the risks of stigma and discrimination outweigh the potential benefits. Too often, this continues into formal employment, with no clear or accessible policies in place for disclosure or accessing tailored support. As employees navigate the pressures of probation periods, it can be extremely vulnerable to seek help, especially when it’s unclear whether this will be provided. Following probation, employees may feel awkward about disclosing, based on the fact that they didn’t do so earlier. As a result, neurodivergence is often only identified when performance issues arise. This places employers in a legally grey area, especially as it’s possible that they should have recognised signs of disability, even without disclosure. This cycle means that neurodiversity is often linked with fear and stigma for employers and employees alike, resulting in a lack of psychological safety, stifling innovation and contributions.

Lack of workplace accommodations. Neurodivergent employees may struggle in standardised workplaces that are not designed for their needs. Open-plan offices, excessive noise, and constant interruptions can be overwhelming for individuals with sensory sensitivities. Without appropriate accommodations, such as noise-canceling headphones, quiet workspaces, or flexible working arrangements, many neurodivergent employees experience burnout and decreased productivity. As the support an individual requires will be individual to their conditions and needs, this can be confusing for employers to navigate, often fearing ‘setting an example’ to other employees who may seek help. Employers may also perceive accommodations as costly or inconvenient. However, the majority of adjustments are simple and free, such as offering remote work options, flexible hours, or written instructions instead of verbal. Implementing these accommodations can drastically improve job satisfaction and retention for neurodivergent employees. Making this support available to everyone will help employers to go above and beyond their legal obligations to provide a genuinely neuro-affirmative working environment, where employees can reach their full potential.

Unconscious bias and stigma. As public awareness of neurodivergence has sky- rocketed in recent years, many employees may hold misconceptions about this, leading to unintentional discrimination. This could range from misunderstanding the nature of a disability in law, to making assumptions about a neurodivergent employee’s competence, for example. As this behaviour can result in discrimination within the workplace, it’s absolutely crucial for employers to ensure employees are equipped with the skills and knowledge to embrace difference, rather than stigmatise it.

Lack of leadership representation. When neurodivergent professionals struggle to advance in their careers due to systemic barriers, organisations lose out on diverse perspectives at decision-making levels. Without representation, companies may remain unaware of the specific challenges neurodivergent employees face, particularly in relation to career progression, leading to policies that fail to address real concerns. How employers can bridge the inclusion gap To create a truly inclusive workplace, organisations must become neuro-affirmative, requiring genuine respect in how individuals think and function, creating environments that accommodate all, and thrive on innovation. Here is how companies can close the inclusion gap:

Create a neuro-affirmative foundation Having policies and procedures in place that are representative of the diverse needs of a workforce, recognising that everybody thinks differently and may require support, is key for employers to build psychological safety. Policies on topics such as workplace accommodations and disclosure of neurodivergence should be easily accessible and relevant to a range of audiences, including HR, managers, and employees. Providing guidance on talking about neurodivergence can be extremely helpful for everybody, ensuring that they are literally on the same page. It’s very important that such policies are cross-organisational, created with input from HR, employee resource groups, and senior leaders, ensuring that it is representative of the reality of an organisation.

Provide neuro-affirmative training

With policies in place, it is vital to ensure that employees feel safe and confident in using these. As fear of vulnerability can often result in a lack of conversations all together, equipping employees with the tools to acknowledge difference, collaborate empathetically, and communicate clearly, will help foster stronger connections throughout an organisation. It is also important to tailor training to certain groups as may be needed, such as ensuring HR and managers understand their legal duties in relation to disability and workplace accommodations. Making such training mandatory is important to minimise risk—neurodiversity affects everybody at work.

Create adaptable workplaces that support everybody

Although neurodivergent people may require certain adjustments to working environments, such as working from a quiet environment, such measures can also help everybody else—regardless of neurotype! The COVID pandemic demonstrated the ability for many workplaces to adapt working cultures, and flexibility within the workplace benefits everyone, such as parents and those with caring responsibilities. To do so also enables employers to avoid potentially uncomfortable conversations about medical conditions, and to instead focus on support. Ultimately, neurodivergence is about trust, because it is invisible. It is about trusting neurodivergent employees to be able to advocate for their needs at work, and trusting their colleagues to treat them with respect and dignity. Creating a culture of trusting all employees will empower them to be loyal, productive, and supportive, in the ways that work for them. Employers ultimately have the choice— enjoy the benefits of a cognitively diverse workforce, or battle against it, harming everybody. In our fast-moving world, adapting the workplace to the individual enables everybody to work together as a team.