Most organisations now have diversity and inclusion plans covering gender, ethnicity and LGBTQ+ inclusion. Neurodiversity is still often left out, even though neurodivergent people are already part of every workforce, whether or not anyone knows it.
Neurodiversity describes the natural variation in how people’s brains work. It includes autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome and other neurological differences. Neurodivergent people bring a range of strengths to work, from pattern spotting and deep focus to creative problem solving, and they also tend to be the first to feel the effects of a badly designed workplace. Fixing those barriers usually makes work better for everyone.
Here is where we suggest employers start.
Recruit in a way that lets people show their skills
Most recruitment processes were built around neurotypical ways of communicating. Interviews reward confidence, fluent small talk and quick answers, which tells you little about whether someone can do the job and screens out a lot of capable neurodivergent candidates.
One practical alternative is a short, realistic work task with clear written instructions and a reasonable time limit. It shows you how a candidate actually works, including how they follow instructions and work independently.
Job adverts matter too. Keep them clear, concise and structured, and separate essential from desirable skills so people can judge their fit quickly. Our guide on making your recruitment process neurodiversity friendly goes step by step through adverts, assessments and interviews.
Set up a neurodiversity employee network
Employee resource groups give neurodivergent staff and their allies a place to share experiences, raise issues and suggest changes. They work best with a senior sponsor who attends regularly and can take ideas to the leadership team, so the group shapes policy rather than just meeting. If you are starting one, our Becoming an Effective Employee Resource Group workshop helps new groups get organised.
Collect data, carefully
You almost certainly already employ neurodivergent people who have not told you. Many will not have a diagnosis at all. As our article on the neurodivergent employees you might not know about explains, that has implications for how you design support.
Including neurodivergence in voluntary diversity monitoring can show you how representative your workforce is and where people drop out. Be clear about why you are asking and how the data will be used, and make sure the answer to “what happens if I tell you?” is a good one. People share when they trust that sharing leads to support.
Build awareness across the organisation
Managers and colleagues who understand neurodiversity are far more likely to respond well when someone asks for help or works differently. Training gives people a shared language and a chance to ask the questions they might feel awkward asking otherwise. It also makes neurodiversity something people talk about openly rather than a private matter for HR.
Check your language and policies
Look at your values, HR policies, handbook, job adverts and internal communications. Do they show that you expect and welcome people who think differently? A specific neurodiversity policy, linked to your wider inclusion policy, makes it clear what support is available and how to ask for it.
Tailor support to the individual
No two neurodivergent people are the same, so support has to start with a conversation. Managers should ask each person, privately, what helps them work well and what gets in the way. Keep that conversation going rather than treating it as a one off.
Adjustments are often simple: a quieter place to work or noise cancelling headphones for someone sensitive to sound, written instructions after meetings, different fonts or coloured backgrounds for dyslexic colleagues, or flexibility around cameras in video calls, as we discuss in our piece on camera on policies and reasonable adjustments. Handle any performance concerns with care, and check first whether an unmet need is behind them. Our article on the right working environment for neurodivergent employees has more ideas.
Know your legal duties
Many neurodivergent employees are protected under the Equality Act 2010. Employers must not discriminate and have a duty to make reasonable adjustments. Our guide to your legal responsibilities on reasonable adjustments explains what that means in practice, and Acas has clear guidance too. The government’s Access to Work scheme can provide grants towards equipment and support for employees with a disability or health condition.
How Enna can help
We work with employers to turn good intentions on neurodiversity into everyday practice. If you are not sure where to begin, our neuroinclusion maturity assessment shows where you are today, and a full neuroinclusion audit gives you a prioritised plan across recruitment, policy and culture.
To build knowledge inside the organisation, our Neurodiversity Champions training prepares staff to lead change locally, and workplace needs assessments help managers put the right adjustments in place for individuals. Book a call and we will talk through your priorities.
