Embracing neurodiversity: 6 ways to support employees and colleagues

Waiting too long can result in decreased productivity, lower job satisfaction, and even contribute to a negative workplace atmosphere. Free Access to our Neurodiversity Specialists All assessments are conducted by our occupational health clinicians experienced in neurodiversity. We also provide free access to follow-up clinician advice when additional clarification or support is needed. Due to a lack of inclusion and support, employment turnover rates for neurodivergent people are historically higher than for neurotypical people.
In a neuroinclusive organisation, leaders appreciate and look to leverage the neurodiversity of their teams. Managers lead with neurodiversity in mind, from ensuring clarity of communication, to taking responsibility for understanding each employee’s strengths and challenges and developing with that employee a structured path for career progression. Workplace needs assessments are evaluations designed to identify the resources, accommodations, and adjustments required to support neurodivergent employees in the workplace. There is a primary focus on enhancing performance, satisfaction, and well-being.

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Consider offering flexible seating arrangements, quiet places for breaks or noise cancelling headphones. Be prepared to adjust lighting or make adaptations to a neurodiverse employee’s workstation. Even changing a uniform to have a softer fabric can make all the difference for a neurodiverse worker. For employees with learning disabilities, assistive technologies, like screen readers, or video trainings can help them complete onboarding modules and job tasks. Often, we see that organizations don’t think through how a person with a disability might perform their duties. When organizations define a talent persona for each job type, and target those individuals from the outset, employees are much more successful.

Although each condition comes with common traits, most neurodivergent conditions have a spectrum, meaning that the way a person experiences them, and the impact they have, will vary. The age that someone was diagnosed, and the support they have received to manage their condition will also have an impact on the individual. Why It’s Important – This course provides foundational knowledge essential for understanding neurodiversity and implementing effective inclusion strategies in the workplace. As the Content Program Manager at Great Place To Work, Claire helps decode the psychology behind high-trust workplaces using Great Place To Work's extensive data repository on employee experience.
It’s important to understand what someone is finding challenging and explore options that may help, ensuring they are listening to the individual. Many people are unfamiliar with the concept and organisations unaware of its importance. Starting small and slowly is fine, but this needs to signal the start of an ongoing effort to embed neuroinclusivity across everything your organisation does. Having one speaker or ‘lunch and learn’ session is helpful in launching the conversation and demonstrating interest, but more is needed to ensure genuine, positive cultural change. For example, some people may prefer 'person-first' language such as ‘I am a person with dyslexia’, for example, while others prefer the ‘identity-first’  format of ‘I am dyslexic’. In this guide, we use the latter throughout – the overwhelming preference expressed in Uptimize’s focus groups with the neurodivergent community - but it’s important to respect individual preferences.
And there are many situations where it’s appropriate for managers to support the wellbeing of their staff using workplace assessments. If you’re looking to support dyslexic employees with a workplace needs assessment, you may want to ensure assessors are level 4 accredited as part of the BDA’s Workplace Assessor Programme. BDA assessments are remote and employees will need to be in a role for at least 6 weeks before the assessment. The British Dyslexia Association can carry out a workplace needs assessment  for £375 (+ VAT).

It is simply part of creating workplaces where people can perform, contribute, and stay well – and where businesses can genuinely benefit from the diversity of thinking already in their teams. The neurodiversity movement has been deemed a new civil rights movement for the 21st century. Ethical employers who are serious about promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace would be advised to take note and adjust their communication practices and work environment accordingly. Neurodiversity awareness training is crucial for promoting social inclusion at work and necessitates a strengths-based approach to neurodiversity in the workplace (Lively, 2023). The neurodiversity paradigm challenges the deficit-based medical model of neurodevelopmental differences by applying a strengths-based approach (Aherne, 2023).
If an employee feels that their rights or entitlements have been breached, or feels aggrieved by an employment situation, they can take legal action through the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Fair Work Commission, or the Federal Court. These processes can be of significant reputational and financial risk for an employer when required to defend employment claims. For example, under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act), an employer cannot take adverse action against an employee, for a reason that is against the law (prohibited). If for example, an employer adversely treated an employee because of their disability, or for another discriminatory reason, such as having a neurodivergent condition, then an employer could be found to have breached the employee’s general protections.

Your employer should cover the costs of implementing our recommendations, but may be offered financial support through the Access to Work Scheme. We harness the strength of neurodiverse thinking; the lived experience of our team remains at the core of everything we do. Lexxic’s new free Neurodiversity Smart Employer Guide sets out our psychologists’ top practical recommendations for making your organisation neuro-inclusive, based on Lexxic’s Neurodiversity Smart model. Designed for individuals to work with their coach to develop strategies and solutions to overcome any workplace challenges they may have. Whether you’re an HR lead, a line manager, or a neurodivergent Occupational Health Services employee seeking support, this workplace assessment is a powerful way to start meaningful informed change. This workplace assessment bridges the gap between employee experience and organisational action.
This neurofriendly approach ensures that you can engage with the material in the way that suits you best. There is consensus regarding some neurodevelopmental conditions being classed as neurominorities, with a ‘spiky profile’ of executive functions difficulties juxtaposed against neurocognitive strengths as a defining characteristic. Learn 4 steps to make your adverts and position descriptions more inclusive for neurodivergent people. Analysis of existing policies and processes relating to recruitment, physical features setup, communications, retention, appraisals and training (among other areas).