It’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week. This year, it runs from 17th – 23rd March. Its aim is “to help the world to understand, value and celebrate the talents of neurodiverse minds”.
Whilst neurodiversity is still being researched and our understanding of it is expanding, you might already be aware of certain types of neurodivergence, such as autism, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), dyscalculia, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
Let’s take a look at how being inclusive in your approach as an employer to those who are neurodiverse can subsequently bring your company benefits.
What can a neurodiverse employee bring to your workplace?
Rather than see someone who is not neurotypical as a challenge to your business, instead consider the benefits that the neurodiverse can bring to the workplace.
Those who are neurodiverse can often approach things in a different way to the neurotypical. Some may bring a strong problem-solving skillset and creativity to their role. As an employer, you have the ability to embrace these strengths and potentially give your company a competitive edge.
Other neurodiverse conditions may come with a high attention to detail, well-suited to roles that require scrupulous analysis, or data-driven jobs.
Employees with neurodiversity can also bring increased productivity to your workplace. Recent studies have shown this increased productivity to be evident amongst those employees with neurodiversity.
For instance, JPMorgan reported that employees who participated in their Autism at Work initiative were 90%-140% more productive than their neurotypical counterparts. A Hewlett-Packard Enterprise study found that neurodiverse teams were 30% more productive than those teams that were neurotypical.
How to create an inclusive neurodiverse workplace
You can create an inclusive workplace by championing neurodiversity; embracing and supporting those who are neurodivergent to bring their strengths to your business.
Within your business you should consider how you can foster an environment of respect and understanding when it comes to neurodiversity. This could include:
- Reviewing your recruitment process to ensure it is not unconsciously biased or inaccessible to neurodiverse people.
- Training leaders on how to effectively manage neurodiverse team members.
- Educating all employees on neurodiverse conditions, characteristics and associated strengths to minimise misconceptions and promote empathy. This could be done in line with national events such as Neurodiversity Celebration Week or National Inclusion Week (15th-21st September 2025).
- Facilitating mentorships to support your neurodiverse employees, encouraging a supportive community in the workplace.
- Making reasonable adjustments tailored to your neurodiverse employees where appropriate.
- Ensuring professional development is tailored to the neurodiverse employee to not only develop their career but also contributing to making your staff more motivated.
- Having a neurodiversity policy. This can be a stand-alone policy or be incorporated into another such as a policy on diversity and inclusion.
Whilst many neurodiverse people will not consider themselves to be disabled, some cases may be regarded as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. It adds extra emphasis on ensuring you have provided practicable support to help them do their job.
Making reasonable adjustments
As an employer, if you foster a working environment where members of staff who are neurodiverse can thrive, then it is important that you are open to making reasonable adjustments to enable them to work most productively. Reasonable adjustments might include looking at where they sit or work, software programmes like Grammarly, flexible working hours or allowing headphones to cut out noise.
Next steps
If you need help in supporting your neurodiverse employees to enhance your business offering, then The HR Dept are here to help. Give us a call today.
