Celebrating Neurodiversity in the Workplace
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is about challenging outdated stereotypes and recognising the strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring to the workplace
It’s the perfect time for organisations to review and consider their approach to making their workplace more supportive and accessible for all.
Around 1 in 10 people in the UK are neurodivergent, yet many still face barriers to employment, recognition, and career growth.
Women, girls and racially marginalised communities are often underdiagnosed and go without the support that they need to thrive. Despite many people with neurological differences excelling in skills such as pattern recognition, creativity and problem solving – skills that are invaluable in the workplace – they’re more likely to be unemployed or under-employed.
This week is an opportunity to reflect, learn and implement change so that organisations can adopt cultures that cultivate individual strengths that are celebrated beyond Neurodiversity Celebration Week.
Rethinking (Dis)Ability
Many organisations still operate under a Medical Model of Disability, viewing neurodivergence as something to be 'fixed.' This forces neurodivergent staff to adapt to structures that aren't designed for them.
Instead, embracing the Social Model of Disability, allows a focus on how environments create challenges, rather than framing the individual as the issue.
Noisy offices, rigid interview processes, or unclear communication styles can be huge barriers for neurodivergent employees. The good news? These things can be changed. Simple adjustments—like offering quiet workspaces or flexible working options—can make a huge difference.
It’s also important to consider how an intersectional lens can be carefully adopted to help organisations understand how factors like race, gender, and disability overlap to create structural inequalities.
Intersectionality, a term coined by Black feminist scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, highlights how systems of oppression intersect—especially for Black women. Racially marginalised individuals and women with neurodivergence are often undiagnosed due to structural inequalities..
Many racially marginalised individuals and women with neurodivergence are undiagnosed, flying under the radar. For example, research suggests that Women of Colour who are neurodivergent are often undiagnosed and under-researched due to the double-bind of code switching and masking in order to fit into a homogenous society.
This makes it even more important for workplaces to be proactive in their inclusion efforts.
Equality v. Equity: What’s the difference?
The terms equality and equity are often used interchangeably, but they refer to different things.
Equality means giving everyone the same opportunities—but that doesn’t mean everyone starts from the same place. Equity means recognising individual circumstances and providing tailored support to ensure fair outcomes. It’s about giving people the specific support they need to thrive rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all approach will work for everyone.
Organisations that work equitably maximise the strengths of neurodiverse employees (and all employees), removing barriers to success and growth. Neuroinclusive and neuro-aware organisations recognise that small, individual adjustments can have a big impact on both individuals and the success of an organisation in a fast-changing world.
Here are some practical tips for embedding equity into the workplace:
Create a Neurodiversity Policy and Process: Ensure a clear framework supports neurodivergent employees at every stage, from hiring to career progression.
Update Work Policies: Review all your organisational policies to ensure that they are fundamentally neuroinclusive.
Use Strength-Based Assessments: Tools like Lumina Spark help identify and amplify employees’ unique skills and can support neurodiverse employees identify their own strengths.
Mentoring or Buddying Systems: Implementing mentoring or buddying systems can provide a supportive environment and can help neurodiverse employees build relationships at work.
Hiring and Interview Processes: Providing interview questions in advance, for all candidates, helps to level the playing field for all, and moves to a focus on skills rather than social performance.
Provide Workplace Adjustments: Offer flexible hours, quiet workspaces, and alternative communication methods - ensuring employees can work in ways that work best for them.
Make Communication More Inclusive: Ensure emails, meetings, and training materials are clear, accessible, and available in different formats.
Beyond Neurodiversity Celebration Week
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a reminder that inclusion isn’t about compliance - it’s about building workplaces where neurodivergent individuals don’t just survive, but thrive.
By embedding neuroinclusive practices year-round, organisations can unlock the full potential of their workforce.
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This blog was co-written by Ellen Liptrot (HR Coordinator) and Lou Chiu (People and Culture Consultant).
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