Neurodiversity in the Workplace
Neurodiversity in the workplace.
The complete guide.
Neurodiversity is not a niche topic. It is a fundamental part of how human brains work and how great organisations perform. This page is your starting point for understanding neurodiversity in the workplace, why it matters and what forward-thinking organisations are doing about it.
Neurodiversity in the Workplace
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity describes the natural range of difference in how human brains work. In a team of ten people, it is likely that at least two think, process and experience work in ways that are fundamentally different from the rest. That is not a problem to solve. It is a reality to understand and a huge opportunity to get right.
1 in 5
people are neurodivergent worldwide
30%
Neurodiverse teams are 30% more productive than neurotypical ones
90%
of neurodivergent employees say workplace adjustments significantly improve their performance
The neurotypes
What are the types of neurodiversity?
Autism
Autism in the workplace affects how people perceive, communicate and experience the world around them. Also known as autism spectrum condition (ASC) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), autism is significantly underdiagnosed, particularly in women, girls and people from minoritised communities.
ADHD
ADHD in the workplace affects how the brain regulates attention, impulse control, motivation and energy. One of the most common neurodivergent conditions at work, ADHD affects an estimated 1 in 20 people worldwide and presents differently in every individual.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia in the workplace primarily affects reading, writing and spelling. The most commonly identified neurodivergent condition globally, dyslexia affects an estimated 1 in 10 people and is strongly associated with creativity, strategic thinking and exceptional verbal communication.
Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia in the workplace, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), affects physical coordination, motor skills and the ability to plan and organise tasks. Affecting an estimated 5 to 6% of the population, dyspraxia remains one of the most underdiagnosed neurodivergent conditions in adults.
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia in the workplace affects how the brain processes numbers, mathematical concepts and numerical reasoning. Often described as dyslexia for numbers, dyscalculia affects an estimated 1 in 20 people and is one of the least understood and most underidentified neurodivergent conditions in workplace settings.
Tourette Syndrome
Tourette syndrome in the workplace is a neurological condition characterised by repetitive involuntary movements or vocalisations known as tics. Frequently misunderstood and stigmatised, Tourette syndrome at work is associated with high levels of creativity, hyperfocus and resilience in many individuals.
Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia in the workplace is a neurodevelopmental condition that specifically affects the physical act of writing and the ability to express thoughts clearly in written form. Distinct from dyslexia, dysgraphia affects handwriting, spelling, sentence construction and written organisation, often in people who have no difficulty with reading. It is significantly underdiagnosed and frequently mistaken for carelessness or lack of effort.
Acquired neurodiversity
Acquired neurodiversity in the workplace refers to changes in cognitive function resulting from neurological events or conditions such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, Long Covid, epilepsy or other illnesses affecting the brain. Unlike developmental neurodivergent conditions, acquired neurodiversity can affect anyone at any point in their working life, making it one of the most important and least discussed areas of workplace neuroinclusion.
Why it matters
Neurodiversity is a business advantage. The data proves it.
The organisations getting neurodiversity right are not doing it purely for compliance reasons. They are doing it because the commercial case is compelling, the talent case is undeniable and the cost of getting it wrong is significant.
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JPMorgan Chase reported participants were 90 to 140% more productive
Employees in their neurodiversity hiring programme were not just meeting expectations. They were exceeding them, processing more trades with greater accuracy than their neurotypical colleagues.
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Cognitive diversity increases innovation by up to 20%
The most innovative teams are the most cognitively diverse. Neurodivergent thinking drives the lateral problem solving that homogeneous teams don’t produce.
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Inclusive teams make better decisions 87% of the time
Different thinking styles don’t just make teams more representative. They make them smarter and faster at making the right call.
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85% of autistic adults are under or unemployed
Most autistic adults are not in work that reflects their capability. For organisations willing to remove the barriers, this is an exceptional and largely untapped talent pool.
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Top diversity companies are 36% more likely to outperform on profitability
The link between cognitive diversity and financial performance is consistent, well-evidenced and growing stronger every year.
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Supported neurodivergent employees are 30% more likely to stay
Replacing an employee costs an average of £30,000. The retention case for neuroinclusion alone justifies the investment.
How we work
How we do this
We start by finding out where you actually are, not where you’d like to be. Our Maturity Matrix gives you a scored baseline across leadership, systems, and culture, then we move through four stages to make neuroinclusion real and lasting.
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Assess
We run our Maturity Matrix across your leadership, HR processes, and workplace culture. You get a scored baseline, not a vague sense of where you stand and a clear picture of your biggest gaps and quick wins. -
Equip
Training that actually changes behaviour. We give managers the language, tools, and confidence to support neurodivergent colleagues, not just awareness sessions that get forgotten by Monday. -
Embed
We work with your HR, DEI, Compliance, Operations and Leadership teams to rewrite the processes where neurodivergent people get filtered out including job ads, interview formats, performance reviews, RAMS, reasonable adjustments. Systemic change, not surface-level policy. -
Sustain
Neuroinclusion needs a home in your organisation, not just a project team. We build in measurement, internal ownership, and regular checkpoints so it doesn’t quietly unravel after we leave.
Where does your organisation sit right now?
Work with Enna
Building neuroinclusive organisations globally
Enna works with organisations across 33 countries, from global enterprises including NASA, Monzo, UBS and Maersk to fast-growing teams building their inclusion practice from the ground up. We bring the expertise, the evidence and the lived experience to make neuroinclusion real, not just rhetorical.
Training & Education
Workshops • Pathways • Leadership Training • Champions
Helping teams build awareness, confidence and practical workplace skills around neurodiversity.
Audits & Consultancy
Maturity Matrix • Policy Reviews • Consultancy • Strategy
Identifying barriers, reducing risk and helping organisations build neuroinclusive systems that actually work.
Neurodivergent Talent
Jobs Board • Inclusive Hiring • Attraction Support
Inclusive recruitment support, accessible hiring strategies and our specialist jobs board to widen your talent pool.
Ongoing Support
Workplace Needs Assessments • Coaching • Advisory Line
Hands-on specialist support for employees, managers and HR teams navigating real workplace situations.
Ready to build a neuroinclusive organisation?
Whether you’re an employee looking for answers, or an organisation building a more neuroinclusive culture, Enna can help.