How to remove prejudice against neurodiversity from the workplace

More than 15 per cent of people in the UK are neurodivergent, according to a report, commissioned by the charity Neurodiversity in Business.

However, the report, Neurodiversity at Work 2023: Demand, Supply and a Gap Analysis, said there has been little discussion on mainstream channels on how to support neurodivergent colleagues at work.

According to one of the supporters of the report, this needs to change, because “supporting neurodivergent colleagues is the right thing to do, but also, neuro-inclusive cultures are known to have a distinct impact on a company's creativity and profitability.”

It is hoped that the report, created by Birkbeck University, London, will help employers and others, to "immerse (themselves) better in the lived experience of neurodivergent people, and take concrete steps towards building spaces and cultures where everyone can thrive".

There are many problems when neurodivergent people do not get the opportunity to determine their work schedule.LM, a volunteer for the study

The authors of the report explored how organisations identify and support neurodiversity, which includes conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, Aspergers, dyslexia and other emotional, thought-processing and cognitive response conditions, which are not typical to the majority of the population.

In the report, the authors examined the link between the way in which neurodivergent staff are treated, and staff turnover. 

It found there was a direct link between the “intention to leave (an organisation), and wellbeing (of neurodiverse staff) because these two factors are good indicators of psychological safety and wellbeing, which in turn predict productivity and performance and therefore have a clear correlation to organisational performance."

The report also said: “The report states that feeling able to disclose disability was also a key marker of psychological safety and wellbeing." 

Adjustments

While it is commonly understood and appreciated that making reasonable adjustments for those with disabilities and neurodiversity enables them to work better, function at a higher level and aides staff retention, the report acknowledged there were challenges to implementation of adjustments.

At the top of the list of challenges in the implementation of adjustments was lack of disclosure, reported by 69.3 per cent of participants.  

The report stated: “There are persistent prejudices against neurodivergent people with a ‘hidden’ disability leading to unfair comparisons with those who are ‘more worthy’ of support.

“Some neurodivergent people may be more susceptible to ostracism due to the difficulties in social communication and interactions, as self-reported in our data.

"These reports from employers converge with the report from employees that employers lack knowledge, in particular around the technical aspects of providing formal adjustments and what these are likely to achieve.” 

Dan Harris, founder and chief executive of Neurodiversity in Business, has personal experience of ADHD and neurodiversity both in his own life, and among his family. 

Harris said: “It’s really critical that companies create a culture that embraces all neurotypes and take steps to break down stigma, look at systemic ableism within their processes, and help allies really look at their own internalised ableism”.

Harris founded NiB to tackle stigma that those who have neurodiverse conditions, including mental health conditions, often face, and develop greater understanding between neurodiverse population, most of whom have immense skills to offer, and employers. 

NiB works with volunteers to carry out research into neurodiversity and some of these volunteers have voiced their experiences regarding what helps them in the workplace. 

Harris said: “NiB volunteers, many diagnosed with ADHD themselves say that there are stereotypes about what ADHD is, including that people with ADHD cannot effectively complete tasks, or that they do not work as hard as their neurotypical peers.”

Recommendations

Some of the recommendations that volunteers have made include regular training and education. He explained: 

1. Workplace training has many benefits in educating people. Neurotypical colleagues can make the workplace better for their neurodivergent peers by prioritising tolerance and understanding. 

2. “Accommodations (reasonable adjustments) and flexibility are keys to enabling what works best for peoples’ timelines.

3. “Employers also can learn about neuroinclusive language and the strengths that neurodivergent employees bring to the table. Awareness and education are very important. Harris said: “If you don’t know ADHD is a thing, you might think a person is strange. Not everyone has the same communication and education styles. Some like quiet spaces.” 

4. Education is helpful and making people aware of differences. 

In the report, two volunteers described their experience of working.

One volunteer, called KW, said: “I work from home all the time and it is hard to concentrate – there are many distractions at home, and I end up ‘hopping’ between activities, which is inefficient. I miss the sense of being in a team and I also miss guidance from the structure. I have learned that the key is to establish a routine”. 

Another, known as LM, said: “I work from home as part of a mostly remote and dispersed team. We were in-office pre-Covid.

"It was a revelation being able to control my environment. I didn’t realise how much energy I was expending dealing with sensory stressors until I suddenly did have to anymore.

"However, as an introvert and someone who generally gets straight to the point/straight to work, I find it gets lonely sometimes.

"I sit in virtual meetings all day but sometimes end the day feeling like I didn’t really talk to anyone. That’s fine sometimes, but over time my ADHD inertia gets the best of me, and I’ll realise it’s been ages since I had a fun conversation at work.

"The other bit for me that’s difficult is dealing with the volume of electronic communication necessitated by how we work. It really can exacerbate my tendency to get distracted and prevent me from staying focussed on just one task."

Predictability, control and energy levels

For KW the hardest part of ADHD is that “the way you work is not predictable – your energy fluctuates, like anyone, but it feels more extreme. I believe it is beneficial for all employees if people can manage their work time if they are meeting their deadlines. The newest workplace design ensures that there are both ‘loud’ and quiet spaces – the days of being confined to one desk are over."

They said encouraging employees to move around to find the space they need to be productive was "critical".

Meanwhile, LM said that “control over schedule and ways of working, whether that’s time spent in meetings or anything else, is so essential that I’d call it a top adjustment for me. Many of us tend to work in spurts, meaning we may have a hard time getting started on a task—and even procrastinate due to that.

"But when we are focussed on an engaging task, we can be quite productive. We can also go too far—for me to the point where I might be so hyperfocused I forget to take a break to eat.

"Being trusted to manage our time and how we get the work done, if we are provided with appropriate supports, can be highly beneficial to our overall productivity and also our mental health and general energy levels, There are many problems when neurodivergent people do not get the opportunity to determine their work schedule."

KW explained that if they feel exhausted or unable to sit for the whole day, they stop performing, start to feel anxious and then start being more impulsive and/or start feeling a bit paranoid. They added: "If there is too much noise around me, I can’t concentrate, and the pressure builds up in my head."

Another issue to consider is burnout. The more influence someone who is neurodivergent has over how they use their time, the better they can dial up or down their efforts to match their energy levels, maintain focus and not ignore the signs of "doing 150 per cent all the time".

Psychologically welcoming

Laurie Edmans, financial inclusion ambassador, and co-founder of GAIN (Group for Autism, Insurance, Investment and Neurodiversity) said he understands some of these challenges.

He said if the work place feels like a psychologically safe and welcoming place, then people with disabilities and neurodiversity are "much more likely to feel safe enough to disclose their conditions".

Edmans said: “The kind of challenges which people with ADHD face in the workplace mainly relate to ADHD which is either untreated or unrecognised."

The consequences can be really quite damaging – he cited lower incomes, lower productivity than neurotypical people, and people with ADHD being 30 per cent more likely to have seriously debilitating employment issues.

They are also 60 per cent more likely to be fired from a job and three times more likely to quit a job impulsively.

Edmans cited various reasons for lack of disclosure: “Fear of a stigma at work, sometimes involving name-calling, lost promotions, bullying and job terminations".

But he added: "There are powerful indications that having measures in place which enable ADHD people to be open, and their colleagues and management to know how best to get the positive aspects, not the negative, is crucial.” 

Anita Boniface is a freelance financial journalist