Embracing neurodiversity: 6 ways to support employees and colleagues

Be guided by an individual in terms of what they need to perform at their best at work. Even people with the same ‘type’ of neurodivergence will be very different in the way they experience it, the way they prefer to work and their needs. Neuroinclusion, like all aspects of EDI, is not the sole responsibility of people professionals and EDI leads. Neuroinclusive interview training helps interviewers to enable an applicant to perform at their best in this form of assessment.
Dive into our range  of expert services, crafted to unlock the full potential of your neurodivergent talent and drive lasting success across your organisation. The assessor will consider the organisation’s specific concerns and requirements before making recommendations for reasonable adjustments. Peer mentoring networks within the company; allowing support activities via employee assistance, mental health, or family support throughout the working day; allowing access to stakeholder groups and charities throughout the working day. This Toolkit gives a brief overview of the main neurodiverse conditions, what language to use, some of the barriers people face, and suggestions of adjustments many neurodiverse people find useful.

People with neurodivergent traits often shine in areas like problem-solving, spotting patterns, thinking outside the box, and uncovering innovative solutions. They might also deal with things like sensory sensitivities, emotional overwhelm, reading social cues, or challenges with tasks like planning and staying organized. Without the right support, employees with neurodivergent conditions can be less effective and face extra stress, anxiety, or depression due to misunderstandings, workplace bias, or rigid workplace structures.
Cognitive ability tests, also known as ability tests or aptitude tests, are the assessments that concern HR professionals and hiring managers the most. Indeed, the terminology itself, i.e. “cognitive ability” and “neurotypes”, suggests an interaction implicitly, making organisations nervous. In reality, however, different neurotypes respond differently to cognitive assessments, and adjustments tend to be quite straightforward.

Further, some neurodivergent employees may not know how to request the accommodations they need, or they may fear stigma. My experience tells me that making disability and neurodiversity part of your DE&I strategy isn’t easy. But it is worthwhile, not only to meet societal expectations, but because it makes good business sense. Neurodiversity in the workplace is a wonderful journey if you’re committed to it and plan appropriately. In the next section, I offer some practical changes you can make to your hiring program and recruitment processes to support the success of neurodivergent talent. Approaching change in a neuro-inclusive way should underpin all elements of the employee lifecycle.
This can lead to working environments that may feel inflexible, accommodation, and unsafe for people with disabilities. So, whether they’ve received a diagnosis yet or not, employers must provide support in a formal Workplace Needs Assessment. Let’s celebrate and support the unique talents and perspectives of neurodiverse individuals. Because when we do, we all stand to benefit from the brilliance that diversity brings.
This book is aimed at neurodivergent women who struggle with sensory processing sensitivity (SPS). SPS is common in women who are autistic, have ADHD, have sensory processing disorder, or are highly sensitive. The book is part social history, part memoir, and part autism advocacy and is a great read if you’re interested in the roots of Singer’s groundbreaking idea. She describes how the term neurodiversity became “the rallying cry of the first new civil rights movement to take off in the 21st century” (Silberman, 2013, para. 6).

Follow our five simple steps to help you on your journey to establishing yourself as an inclusive, forces-friendly employer. We expect that you will familiarise yourself with the course content, from your workbook, before you arrive. You will also be provided with further links, videos, and podcasts which will complement your learning throughout the week. You’ll learn how it works, what the different levels mean, and how becoming accredited can benefit your business. An employer might notice that a worker is having difficulty with certain things at work. It's usually best for an employee to raise a problem informally first by talking with their employer.
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Professor James Brown, Chair and co-founder of ADHDadultUK, takes part in an IOSH trailblazer podcast. He discusses the adjustments that businesses should consider to include workers who have ADHD. Many of the considerations for business are similar to those outlined in Occupational Health Services IOSH’s collection of material on mental health and wellbeing.
This model covers six guiding principles that can be applied across the employee life cycle to foster an inclusive environment. Ott et al. (2022) also recommend adopting a strengths-based approach to employee selection, providing neurodivergent candidates the opportunity to showcase their capabilities, such as through practical demonstrations. Employers can also adjust employee selection methods to make them more equitable for neurodivergent candidates. For example, interviews could be modified to provide candidates with the questions before the interview, 'trick' questions could be eliminated, and candidates could be given greater time to respond. Interviewers could also be trained to focus on job-related selection criteria, and disregard atypical behaviour such as lack of eye contact.