The UK’s Worker Protection Act came into force last October; now is the time for all employers to act.
Neurodiversity is a critical topic for workplaces to understand. An estimated 15 - 20% of the UK population are neurodivergent, around 1 in 5 of us.
We often talk about “difference” as something to manage. But what if we saw neurodiversity as something to understand, welcome, and benefit from?
Embracing neurodiversity means acknowledging that people’s brains work in different ways; and that these differences are not deficits, but natural variations in how humans think, learn, and interact.
The benefits of embracing and understanding Neurodiversity
- Increase productivity and retention: By understanding that we all require different ways to thrive, you can encourage a culture where people work in ways that suit them (whether that means clearer instructions, quieter spaces, flexible hours or supportive tools). Doing this, people tend to be happier, more engaged, and stick around longer. Small accommodations often make a big difference.
- Solve more problems: Diverse thinking styles means more perspectives. When a team has different ways of seeing things, you’re less likely to fall into groupthink. You often get more creative, resilient ideas when everybody’s viewpoint counts.
- Discover new strengths: Going one step further on the above, neurodivergent people often bring distinctive skills such as creativity, pattern recognition, problem-solving, detail orientation, and innovative thinking. By embracing different thinking, processing and communication styles in the workplace and supporting them, you can add vital strengths into your talent pool.
- Strengthen psychological safety: When people feel seen, understood, and able to be themselves; it builds trust. It allows for openness, for mistakes (and the important learnings from them) and for asking questions. That culture helps everyone.
- Further your approach to inclusion and equity: Understanding neurodiversity helps workplaces design environments where people can thrive, without being forced to fit into a narrow mold. This reduces stigma and makes your hiring, career development, and daily work practices innately fairer.
Despite all of these clear benefits, workplaces are falling short.
Workplaces are falling short on neurodivergence: learnings from Bahar Khorram vs Capgemini UK
Less than a quarter of HR professionals have had specific training around supporting neurodiversity, and this has an impact on neurodivergent employees. 32% say they have not been able to disclose their condition in the workplace, and 40% feel they are negatively impacted most days by it.
Meanwhile, a survey of 127 employers and 990 neurodivergent employees found that two third fear discrimination from management; nearly half felt there were not enough knowledgeable staff at work to support neurodivergent workers; and nearly one in three had “little faith" in the workplace adjustments that had been made.
These issues recently came to the fore recently when a senior technology expert, Bahar Khorram, successfully brought an employment tribunal claim against her employer, Capgemini UK, for disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 after terminating her employment for underachieving against her goals.
Khorram had an ADHD diagnosis from 2022, which she disclosed after starting the role in summer 2023. The condition significantly impacted her executive functioning, particularly in managing unstructured tasks, coping with ambiguity, and handling excessive multitasking. A professional assessment advised implementing several adjustments, specifically ADHD and neurodiversity awareness training for her colleagues and managers, along with clearer task-setting and coaching.
Capgemini failed to act on these recommendations, and at tribunal were deemed to be committing a “continuing act of discrimination” against the employee, as reported in The Times.
This case highlights the risk to workplaces. Outside of missing out on the benefits, failing to embrace neurodiversity and make proper adjustments can lead to tribunal claims, reputational damage, and potentially significant compensation.
Of course, employers must respond promptly and appropriately to neurodiversity disclosures. But on top of that; the topic should be considered proactively, rather than before an issue is raised.
That is how you start to build a genuine culture that supports neurodivergence.
The most effective first step, in our experience, is dedicated training on how to talk about neurodiversity at work, addressing the huge stigma that remains. It gives you the platform for everything else you might do on the topic.
This takes the shape of group sessions where any and all employees join for interactive education and discussion on what neurodiversity means and how it might impact working life; engaging with what the barriers might be to disclosing neurodiversity and what the appropriate support is to mitigate them; and practicing together in a safe space how to talk about neurodiversity successfully at work.
Building a supportive culture is also essential. Ensuring that leadership champion the importance of the matter, role modelling positive behaviours around it and showing that they take it seriously; ensuring your recruitment practices are inclusive and don’t discriminate, even subconsciously, against neurodivergent talent; reviewing your policies to ensure they reflect the real needs of all employees; and finding ways to get feedback on, monitor, and review the experience of neurodivergent employees. Expert teams can help you with all of this.
And on top of all this, there are plenty of other relatively simple practical actions workplaces can take to make their working environment more supportive of neurodivergence:
- Clear communication: Be specific in what you’re asking for when setting work. Avoid ambiguity. Written follow-ups after meetings help everyone, not just neurodivergent colleagues.
- Choice in how work gets done: Flexibility matters. Some people thrive in quiet spaces, others prefer movement or working from home. Where possible, let people choose the environment that suits them best.
- Adjust your approach to meetings: Share agendas in advance. Allow time for processing before expecting answers. Offer alternatives to speaking up in a big group; for some, written contributions work better.
- Embrace technology: Simple things like screen readers, dictation software, or noise-cancelling headphones can remove unnecessary barriers. These aren’t luxuries, they’re enablers.
- Keep asking, keep listening: Needs aren’t static. Check in. Ask what’s working and what isn’t. Adjust when necessary.
Given that so many people are neurodivergent, it just makes good business sense - from skills, retention, legal and financial perspectives - that we support people where they need it and raise general awareness in a workplace about different neurotypes.
That way, we are all able to work better together, have a better understanding of one another, and can leverage our individual strengths.
When workplaces do these things, they don’t just support neurodivergent employees, they create conditions where everyone can do their best work.
Reach out to us for help embracing neurodiversity within your workplace.
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