Neurodiversity at Work: Beyond Awareness to Real Inclusion

In recent years, the term neurodiversity has become more common in workplaces across the UK. You’ll see it mentioned in diversity statements, on job adverts, and increasingly in company values. But while awareness is growing, genuine inclusion often lags behind.

So, what does it really mean to be a neuroinclusive employer in 2025—and are we doing enough?

Understanding Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in human cognitive functioning. This includes conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome and more. The key point? These are not deficits or disorders to be ‘fixed’—they’re simply different ways of experiencing the world.

Roughly 15–20% of people in the UK are neurodivergent, according to the British Psychological Society. Yet, many face significant barriers to employment. For instance, the National Autistic Society reports that only 29% of autistic adults are in any form of paid work—despite many expressing a strong desire to be employed.

The UK Workplace: Still Not There Yet

While progress is happening, it’s uneven. Employers are increasingly recognising the value of neurodivergent talent—organisations like GCHQ, the BBC, and HSBC have launched specific neurodiversity hiring programmes. But the reality for most neurodivergent people is still challenging:

Recruitment processes often rely on social interaction, ambiguous questioning, and timed assessments—none of which are friendly to many neurodivergent applicants.
Open-plan offices, bright lighting, and noisy environments can be overwhelming for people with sensory sensitivities.
Unconscious bias and a lack of awareness can lead to neurodivergent employees being misunderstood, underused, or unfairly disciplined.

Even well-meaning HR policies can unintentionally exclude if they’re not designed with neurodivergent needs in mind.

Moving Beyond Awareness

It’s not enough to simply say "we welcome neurodiverse applicants" on a job ad. True inclusion means doing the hard work to change structures, systems, and mindsets. That includes:

Rethinking recruitment: Offer application adjustments, give clear interview questions in advance, and focus on skills over 'polish'.
Inclusive onboarding: Provide clear, visual, structured onboarding materials and allow new starters to familiarise themselves at their own pace.
Neurodiversity training: Make training part of manager development, not just a one-off awareness day.
Workplace adjustments: These don’t have to be costly—think noise-cancelling headphones, quiet spaces, flexible hours, or task management tools like Trello or Notion.

An Intersectional Approach

It’s important to recognise that neurodivergent people aren’t a monolith. Race, gender, age, and socioeconomic background all intersect. For example, women and people of colour are underdiagnosed, often only discovering they are neurodivergent later in life, often after burnout. Your neurodiversity strategy must reflect this complexity.

The Ethical Standpoint

At its heart, this isn’t just a talent issue—it’s a human one. Creating neuroinclusive workplaces is an ethical imperative. Everyone deserves the right to work in an environment where they are understood, respected, and able to thrive.

And there’s a commercial case, too: studies suggest neurodivergent teams can offer greater creativity, improved problem-solving, and better innovation. Inclusion isn’t a favour—it’s a strategic strength.

Three Things Employers Can Do Now

Audit your recruitment process
Identify where traditional methods might exclude neurodivergent applicants—and work with employees or experts to redesign them.
Create a psychologically safe culture
Encourage openness about different working styles and support people to request adjustments without fear of stigma or judgment.
Champion neurodivergent voices
Include neurodivergent employees in the design of policies, spaces, and training. Nothing about us, without us.

Final Thoughts

Neurodiversity isn’t a box to tick—it’s a reminder that difference is a strength. If we want truly inclusive workplaces, we need to go beyond awareness campaigns and build environments where everyone can do their best work, in the way that works for them.