Supporting neurodiversity in the workplace

Everyone's brain is different, and there's no fixed definition of neurodiversity. The terminology neurodivergent people use to describe themselves can vary. Generally, we use neurodiversity as a blanket term to describe various conditions, which could include:

• Autism spectrum disorders
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Dyslexia
• Dyscalculia
• Tourette syndrome
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

As you can see, the definition can embrace various neurodivergent people with differing challenges and needs. Neurodiversity inclusion involves considering how your company can include employees with different thinking and communication styles. Neurodivergent employees can also experience other mental health challenges, such as anxiety or depression, and some definitions of neurodiversity include conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It's worth considering your business' approach to mental health support.

Neurodivergent employees can experience challenges at work because many organisations structure their working styles to suit neurotypical employees. It's estimated that 15-20% of people in the UK are neurodivergent, with around 700,000 autistic people and two million dyslexic people. Neurodivergent people have a wide range of communication, learning and thinking styles. Some may have learning disabilities, but employers can include them by taking a different approach to teaching and training.

Even though there is increased awareness of neurodivergent individuals and a willingness amongst employers to support neurodivergent employees, there are still practical obstacles. There has been a significant increase in referrals for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, with NHS waiting times of up to eight years in some areas. A private diagnosis is expensive, and there are waiting times of up to two years. This can result in employers struggling to understand what support and adjustments neurodivergent employees need. The National Autistic Society state that 45% of neurodivergent employees have left their jobs due to the challenges they face. Only 1 in 16 autistic people of working age are in full-time employment.  

Increasing neurodiversity inclusion and supporting neurodiversity in the workplace can bring more neurodivergent employees into the workforce.

Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion is great for your business's reputation, but supporting neurodiversity in the workplace also has tangible business benefits. A diverse workforce includes people with different perspectives who can find new and creative ways to approach problem-solving and other tasks. Bringing neurotypical employees and their neurodivergent colleagues together can create a dynamic team with the proper support.

A broader talent pool

We've mentioned that only 1 in 16 autistic people are currently in full-time employment, meaning UK businesses are missing out on an untapped pool of neurodivergent employees.

However, when you support neurodiversity in the workplace, it doesn't just attract neurodivergent employees. It can make your business an employer of choice in a broader sense. Many neurotypical employees now seek employers whose values resonate with their own. Showing you support neurodivergent employees demonstrates a broader commitment to diversity and inclusion that will likely be attractive to various job candidates.

Fulfilling your team's potential

Research suggests that cognitively diverse teams solve problems more quickly than those comprising solely neurotypical employees. The effects were still present when adjusted for other factors, such as age and gender differences. This could be attributed to various aspects of neurodivergent thinking. Some neurodivergent employees have hyper-focus, which could enable them to remain focused on problem-solving tasks and encourage their colleagues to do likewise, even with more challenging tasks. Some neurodivergent people will also focus in more detail.

Creative thinking

It's something of a cliché to describe neurodivergent people as creative thinkers. However, neurodivergent employees can bring different perspectives and approaches to their work. A report by Deloitte found that the presence of neurodivergent team members reduced the tendency for teams to engage in groupthink, seeking quick agreement rather than innovative solutions. Some neurodivergent workers employ critical thinking skills that challenge the status quo, leading to more creative and innovative solutions which can support business growth.

While neurodivergent employees can boost business growth and innovation, good management is essential to support them. Neurotypical employees can become frustrated with their neurodivergent colleagues and resist challenges to established practices. Encouraging neurodiversity inclusion involves creating a workplace environment that values neurodiverse talent and the competitive advantage it can offer.

Better client relationships

Neurodiverse people comprise approximately 15-20% of the UK population, meaning your customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders will likely include many neurodiverse people. Publicising your commitment to neurodiversity in the workplace can help you attract new talent. It can also help your business attract new customers, supporting business growth.

Neurodivergent workers can serve neurodiverse clients, but the effects of embracing neurodiversity in the workplace can go beyond this. By increasing neurodiversity inclusion and awareness amongst your team, you can enable them to provide tailored support and respond appropriately to customers with differing communication styles and needs.

Depending on the nature of your work, the workplace environment, and the customers you serve, there are many ways to support neurodiverse employees. However, there are some key factors that are worth considering when increasing neurodiversity in the workplace.

The first step is to consider where you are now and to create an action plan with clear targets and steps to help you achieve your goals. Even if you already have a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy in place, it's worth reviewing it to assess whether you've adequately considered the needs of neurodivergent workers.

Increasing neurodiversity in the workplace is an ongoing process. Every employee, whether neurodiverse or neurotypical, has a unique perspective and thinking style. Similarly, neurodivergent people are individuals, so there's no one-size-fits-all approach. Reviewing and refining your strategy over time involves keeping the conversation going and considering what support may be needed.

Review company policies

Your company policies can impact neurodivergent workers in various ways. Policies affect your approach to inclusive hiring practices, work adjustments, and the management of neurodiverse talent.

Your diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy should set out how you attract and recruit neurodiverse talent and your approach to making workplace adjustments to suit their needs. As mentioned, a variety of conditions fall within the definition of neurodiversity. An autistic person may have different needs from someone with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and the tools needed to support people with dyslexia will differ again. Your policy must set out the main principles that underpin your approach to neurodiversity in the workplace while recognising that each neurodivergent person is unique.

Create an inclusive company culture

Neurodivergent workers work alongside neurotypical employees. Your business will only reap the benefits of a neurodiverse team if you work to build awareness and positive relationships. Neurodivergent people can diverge significantly from their neurotypical colleagues in their working methods and communication styles. You must also consider how to effectively manage neurodivergent people. Your policies should detail your overall approach as they set the tone for day-to-day operations.

Discussing neurodiversity in the workplace and creating a culture where asking for work adjustments is normal supports your entire workforce. This doesn't just apply to neurodivergent people; every employee has different challenges and needs. An inclusive culture where difference is celebrated and valued benefits everyone and can boost employee engagement.

Provide staff training

Staff training lets your employees learn about neurodivergent people, their needs, and the benefits of having them on the team. Neurotypical people can sometimes have a negative view of neurodivergent colleagues, perceiving them as lazy or unintelligent if their condition means they struggle with some tasks. Refocusing the conversation to enable co-workers to see each other's strengths is a great first step.

Robust management training also helps team leaders manage neurodivergent colleagues more effectively and create a strong team dynamic that tackles conflicts if they arise. Training can also help managers allocate tasks based on team members' strengths, which is a good idea even in the absence of neurodivergent workers.

You must also remember that staff training isn't a 'one and done' tick box exercise. A team talk or presentation can help you start the conversation, but regular updates and discussions demonstrate your commitment to creating a supportive culture in the long term.

Listen to individual employees

Every employee is different, and a person-centric approach will serve your business well. Even if you've invested in training to help you understand the challenges a neurodivergent person may face and the features of different conditions, individuals still differ. One autistic person may differ from another in the support and workplace adjustments they need. Assistive technology can be helpful in some cases, but a wide range of assistive technology is available, and each person will have a preference. Many people will need a combination of tools and adjustments. Please don't make assumptions; ask each person what will help them perform well.

Staff forums can help you better understand various aspects of neurodiversity from different perspectives. However, neurodiverse employees may not want to be responsible for educating leaders or their colleagues. When discussing appropriate adaptations with staff, this should include their preferred communication methods and willingness to provide feedback.

Review your recruitment processes 

Attracting neurodivergent job candidates involves considering their needs at every stage of the recruitment process. A standard application form can be overly specific and doesn't give candidates the scope to describe a skill set that deviates from expected norms. Automated scanning may mean the filtering process excludes neurodivergent workers.

Neurodivergent job candidates may process information differently or use assistive technology to read information and complete their application, so consider this when preparing job specifications. Ensure documents are available online or in a suitable format. Stating your commitment to neurodiversity in the workplace can encourage candidates to apply, knowing their needs will be considered.

Consider tailoring interview processes to suit neurodivergent workers. Management training should include inclusive hiring practices and interview techniques. Some neurodivergent candidates can struggle to make eye contact or communicate while still having the core skills for the role. It's vital you find appropriate assessments and interview processes to assess their abilities rather than judging them on their social skills.

Career progression opportunities

Many organisations move talented employees into management positions due to their skills and experience, but many find they lack the skills to supervise others and manage effectively. The reverse can be true for neurodivergent workers, with leaders assuming they don't have the necessary skills.

Some neurodivergent workers prefer to focus on their specialist interests or develop their technical skills, meaning they aren't interested in a management role. Others may struggle with the unpredictable nature of management or the need to organise other people's workloads. However, it would help if you didn't make assumptions. Many neurodivergent workers are excellent communicators and can motivate their colleagues to achieve their full potential.

Many organisations envision career progression as an upward climb to management. However, this is only suitable for some. Understanding neurodivergent workers' goals and aspirations and letting them design their career path lets your business benefit from their skills. It's an approach that's worth taking with all your employees.

Flexible working

Flexible working practices are a valuable employee benefit that lets your team balance work and other commitments. Your approach to flexible working should reflect both employee and business needs. For example, if you have customer-facing roles, flexible hours could be structured around core hours when you must ensure adequate staffing levels. You could also allow staff to shift their working day earlier or later. Working from home or hybrid working, where staff come into the office on certain days but are home-based the rest of the time, is also a good option for some industries.

It's wise to take a person-centred approach. This is particularly true of neurodivergent workers who may have experienced people making assumptions about their needs. You should consider neurodivergent workers' requests and how that will impact your ability to manage them and communicate effectively to find a workable solution.

Provide well-being support

Well-being support is a highly valued employee benefit, but it's particularly important to neurodivergent workers. A CIPD survey of neurodivergent workers found that a third of respondents had had negative work experiences related to their neurodiversity, which had negatively impacted their mental health.

Monitoring and supporting neurodiverse employees' mental health and well-being should be a key part of management training. Neurodivergent workers may experience stress differently from their colleagues or find everyday occurrences such as noise or bright light stressful where their neurotypical peers don't. Managers should also develop various tools and approaches to help their teams manage stress and ensure these are as inclusive as possible.

External support from training providers, well-being practitioners and HR specialists can help you take an inclusive approach.

Consider the office environment

An office environment can have challenges, such as noise or interruptions from colleagues. However, research suggests that office design can negatively impact neurodivergent workers to the extent that they leave their jobs or decline roles due to the office layout. A Motionspot survey found that neurodiverse staff struggled with distractions, social anxiety, burnout, brain fog and sensory overwhelm in an office environment. Their research found that a choice of workspaces could overcome many of these challenges, with 60% of respondents saying they preferred to choose their workspace based on the task they were carrying out.

Sensory overload caused by noise, bright lighting or hard furniture can significantly impact many neurodivergent professionals. Changing the workspace to provide different environments can help.

Health and safety remain important considerations. For example, if your staff work with display screens, they'll likely need a desk and a suitable chair, which must be positioned correctly in relation to any light sources to meet health and safety requirements. Your office must also be adequately lit. However, rest areas could have soft furnishings, lower or dimmable lighting or other sensory tools, such as ambient sounds, that employees can use when needed. A choice of work areas, such as informal rooms for group discussions or private rooms for focused work, allows staff to choose the space that best meets their needs.

Provide reasonable adjustments

Every employer has a duty to consider reasonable accommodations and adjustments to support staff with disabilities. Many neurodivergent workers meet the criteria. Your legal duty covers reasonable accommodations, meaning you must consider each proposal and what you can realistically provide. If you reject a request, it's a good idea to offer an alternative, and you must document the reasons for any denial, as you may face a discrimination claim.

Reasonable accommodations can relate to any aspect of your work, from hiring people to providing special equipment or improving accessibility. Depending on their condition, neurodivergent individuals can struggle with concentration, social interaction, reading, or writing.

Suitable adjustments could include frequent breaks, a buddy system, speech-to-text software or the ability to change the colour of a computer screen. Access to mindfulness and meditation training or apps can also positively impact mental health and reduce stress.

Employee health insurance lets your employees access private medical care when needed. It also comes with mental health and well-being support. Most policies include access to around ten counselling sessions annually and telephone helplines providing mental health, legal and financial guidance. You can also extend your mental health coverage to include in-patient treatment, more counselling sessions and a broader range of therapies. Most insurers offer an Employee Assistance Program as part of their core coverage or as an optional extra for additional counselling and telephone support.

Most insurers also have a rewards program that offers free or discounted access to well-being products and services, such as mindfulness apps.

Health insurance policies typically exclude chronic conditions. These include developmental disabilities and conditions that fall within the definition of neurodiversity. However, some providers offer services and information to support you and your neurodivergent workers.

Aviva

Aviva's business health insurance has two different options depending on your business's number of employees. It provides mental health treatment as part of its core policy, with options to enhance coverage as an optional extra.

You can also add their neurodevelopmental pathway, which provides tailored one-to-one support, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and access to a private diagnosis for autism, ADHD and Tourette syndrome. Employees can see a clinical specialist for up to two years.

Aviva's neurodiversity hub provides resources, including guides on common conditions and ways to support your team and make your workplace more inclusive. They also provide access to webinars run by specialist educators.

AXA

AXA's Neurodiversity Assessment and Support service partners with ProblemShared, a specialist mental health provider, and offers an initial needs assessment following a GP referral. It's only available to larger businesses with 250+ employees as an add-on to AXA's corporate health insurance.

Following their initial assessment, employees will receive feedback and a comprehensive report. If necessary, they will be referred for further assessments. They will also have access to an online dashboard with links to their assessment reports, questionnaires, and resource library. The service offers tailored support, including group sessions.

Businesses can access blogs, articles and webinars aimed at creating a more inclusive workplace.

Bupa

Bupa covers more mental health conditions than any other health insurer. However, they don't cover learning, developmental and behavioural conditions, meaning neurodiverse conditions aren't covered. However, neurodivergent workers often experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression and can seek private treatment through the policy if needed.

However, their neurodiversity benefit is available as an optional extra, depending on your existing coverage. It covers diagnoses for autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia and is available to employees' dependents aged six and above.

Businesses can access Bupa's neurodiversity toolkit via the neurodiversity benefit. Their Health and Well-being Academy is available to all member businesses and includes training and resources supporting neurodiversity in the workplace.

Vitality

Vitality doesn't offer any specialist support for neurodivergent people. However, its core coverage includes access to up to eight counselling or CBT sessions per year. The policy also provides 24/7 access to the Togetherall online mental health support service and a 12-month subscription to the Headspace mindfulness app.

You can also extend your mental health coverage to include out-patient consultations and in-patient treatment.

At Globacare, we help our clients find the right health insurance to support their team and provide high-quality employee benefits. If you'd like to learn more about how health insurance can support you