Neurodivergent Perspectives in the Workplace

By Tamsin Maries, Research Manager

Though very far from an expert, I feel compelled to add my voice to the discussion space created by Neurodiversity Celebration Week. So with that, I have set out to explore Neurodiversity in the workplace.

I have long been aware of the unique talents and different perspectives that neurodiversity brings to all our lives. I’ve worked with neurodivergent children and adults in a number of different research and educational settings. In the last year, I have come to deeply appreciate the neurodivergent brain, following the diagnosis of a close family member. I am still learning about it through them, and I know I always will be.

I’ve come to the conclusion that we just don’t hear enough from neurodivergent voices. As a researcher, I realised I had the power to address this, and so I set about working out how I could do something to amplify these voices. I genuinely feel that we’d all benefit from really hearing what they have to say. To that end, we spoke to 342 formally or self-diagnosed neurodivergent individuals in our omnibus survey ⁽¹⁾. I also interviewed a number of neurodivergent colleagues here at M·E·L Research, all of whom have been formally diagnosed, are awaiting assessment or suspect they are neurodivergent.

So, what is neurodiversity?

It’s the umbrella term used to describe the many different ways in which people’s brains think, process, learn and communicate with the world. It includes ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and Tourette’s. There are many overlapping features of these conditions, but each also has its own particular facets. ADHD, for example, is more likely to be associated with hyperactivity, impulsivity or difficulties focusing. Autism spectrum condition is more likely to be associated with restrictive, repetitive behaviours and social communication differences. Dyslexia brings processing challenges that most commonly impact reading and spelling.

Superpowers and challenges

Until recently, a common association with neurodiversity was the “naughty”, usually boy, in school that struggles with emotional regulation, friendships and learning. Thankfully, there is starting to be more awareness and understanding of neurodiversity, due to increased advocacy, media attention and better diagnosis – although there’s still a long way to go with these, not least due to the very long waiting lists for assessments and funding challenges facing support services ⁽²⁾.

I instead, want to focus on some of the superpowers that neurodivergent colleagues bring to their workplaces, something I have seen for myself in adults and children of all ages, and which I had the pleasure of speaking to some of my neurodivergent colleagues about. By the way, I did question my use of the word ‘superpower’ here as I didn’t want to minimise the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals. But when one colleague said to me…

“I love this question’s wording! Mostly because for a long time it didn’t feel like a superpower”

…it stayed in.

So, based on my research, here is my inexhaustive summary of neurodivergent superpowers:

• Creative thinking and innovation
• Attention to detail, high quality work
• Hyperfocus
• Empathy, compassion and connection building
• Planning and organisation
• Dedication and passion
• Loyalty
• Honesty and integrity
• Specialist knowledge
• Ability to challenge norms

Read that list again. What an incredible set of attributes that any employer would appreciate in a recruit. One neurodivergent colleague described her people skills, which can be a big part of neurodivergence, but often aren’t associated with it. Likely one of the key reasons so many neurodivergent women don’t get diagnosed until later in life:

“I’m empathetic and build connections with people. It’s easy to get people to open up, people share with me easily…”

Other colleagues described their superpowers:

“I’m able to generate ideas that others may not have considered and think outside the box – such as thinking of different frameworks, rationale, question types, question content.”

“I like to see a big picture and organise how things fit in. I work well with deadlines as it gives me a target and helps me prioritise.”

“I really care about my projects and clients, I want to produce the best outputs I possibly can, I want the details to be accurate and to understand everything.”

“My level of passion – it really resonates with clients and means I am completely immersed in the topic. I care about the project, about my connection with participants, I care about doing it properly.”

“My project knowledge is strong. I deep dive into project backgrounds and contextual information.”

“I think what I produce is high quality. I’ve been told that.”

It’s clear to me that our organisation, along with many others, are lucky to have such talented, passionate and self-aware individuals.

But we mustn’t underestimate the challenges that come with neurodiversity. These can include:

• Difficulties with communication and social interactions
• Sensory overload
• Executive functioning challenges
• Masking (changing behaviour to appear neurotypical)
• Perfectionism
• Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD)
• Exhaustion
• Stigma and misunderstanding
• Issues with mental health

My colleagues had a lot to say about the challenges that come with neurodiversity in the workplace:

“Social situations are really hard.  I’ve spent so long being taught the correct ways to act and how I should present. Throughout life, I always described it as playing a different role with different people. Now I know it’s masking.”

“Criticism or certain sentences / messages can make me feel like everyone hates me and I’m a failure.”

“Things have greater impact on neurodivergent people – praise makes me feel like a superhero, but also if something goes wrong, it hits very hard. I need someone to check in on me, to check I’m not internalising the criticism.”

“Change is a challenge. I need a minute to get my head round it. I need to talk through what has changed to be able to process it.”

“My attention to detail is really strong but it’s a killer, in overdrive it’s really hard to let things go, to accept that they’re good enough.”

“I’m easily bored by repetition. Repetition or things that feel like there’s little pay off are harder to motivate myself for.”

“I can balance numerous projects really well, but if one thing goes off, everything gets overwhelming – this also comes with a sense of everything must be done right now, so prioritising without deadlines is hard.”

“I constantly worry about what I’m saying and how it will be taken. I go over and over conversations in my head, thinking I should have said something differently. It’s exhausting.”

Support (or lack of) in the workplace: the statistics

Added to these challenges, neurodivergent colleagues are generally not well-supported in the workplace. Almost two-thirds (64%) of the neurodivergent people we spoke to in our survey do not think that neurodivergent people are well-supported in UK workplaces. Lack of support for neurodiversity in the workplace can lead to stress and anxiety, burnout, low confidence and self-esteem, poor mental health and isolation. These issues can lead to reduced productivity and efficiency, missed opportunities for growth and promotion, as well as higher rates of sickness and staff turnover. This, in turn, can lead to a loss of the unique perspectives and innovation that come from divergent thinking styles, and the wider perpetuation of inequality in the workplace and wider society.

The mental health facts among neurodivergent people are terrifying. In our survey, almost a quarter (24%) of neurodivergent individuals described their mental health as poor, compared to just 9% of neurotypical people. Furthermore, and more alarmingly, two-thirds (66%) of neurodivergent individuals told us they have thought about taking their own life at some point, compared to 28% of neurotypical people.

As a society, we need to do better

So, what can workplaces do to increase inclusivity? What do neurodivergent people want and need to make their working lives better, to make their workplaces more supportive, to become places where all of us can thrive? I put this to our neurodivergent respondents and colleagues.

Overwhelmingly, they want increased awareness, education and understanding.

Our survey respondents said:

“Greater awareness of the diversity of neurodivergence and the positive aspects it can add to what people have to offer.”

“For people to be more aware of neurodivergence in the workplace.”

“Mandatory training for everyone in every workplace so that they have a better understanding of neurodivergent people.”

“For children and adults who are neurodivergent to be treated equally and to have the same rights as others.”

“To be accepted in the workplace.”

There were calls for:

• Workplace and educational training
• Personalised support and accommodations
• Improved diagnosis and early intervention
• Better government policy and support
• Reduced stigma and promotion of inclusion
• Mental health and wellbeing support
• Peer support networks
• Increased positive public and media representation

One survey respondent summed it up:

“One impactful change would be the widespread adoption of neurodivergent-friendly environments, both physically and socially, that respect sensory needs, social comfort levels, and communication styles. This includes workplaces, schools, public spaces, and even homes designed to be inclusive for different sensory profiles, allowing neurodivergent people to engage in daily activities without constantly managing overwhelming or uncomfortable stimuli.”

My colleagues added:

“I just want understanding. I want people to get it. For them to understand the impact of lots of interaction and socialisation, and the impact of negative feedback.”

“I want to be able to tell people without fear of being judged. For them to understand that my strengths come from my neurodiversity, but so do the things I find hard too.”

How are we being neuroinclusive?

Here at M·E·L Research, we are lucky that many of our policies are neuroinclusive.

• Our nine-day fortnight working pattern gives opportunities for rest and downtime to recharge.
• The people who work here are open, compassionate and understanding of different experiences and working styles.
• The ability to work from home and work flexibly means neurodivergent colleagues can control their environment depending on how they’re feeling.
• The lack of commute reduces sensory overwhelm and exhaustion.

The enforced return to work policies we’re increasingly seeing, risk driving neurodivergent people out of workplaces. One of my neurodivergent colleagues said that she would never have applied for the role if it had involved a commute. What an incredible loss to our organisation that would have been.

But even a company like ours can do more, we all can. I know this week especially, I’ll be taking some time out to educate myself. Perhaps you could too.

At least 20% of the population are neurodivergent ⁽³⁾, so it’s likely someone you know or work with is too.

I’ll finish with these heartfelt survey comments:

“I just want people to understand it’s not a bad thing. In many ways it is a gift.”

“Stop labelling it as an illness/condition or disability – it is just a difference and many neurodivergents excel in many areas of the workplace.”

References

1. The M·E·L Research Omnibus ran in September 2024 and was conducted among a UK nationally representative sample of 1,707 adults aged 18+, of which 20% (342) identified as neurodivergent

2. NHS cannot meet autism or ADHD demand, report says – BBC News

3. Neurodivergent, neurodiversity and neurotypical: a guide to the terms – Support for neurological conditions | The Brain Charity