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‍A note on language

We acknowledge that the terms used in this article were created by, and are rooted in, the subjective viewpoints of non-neurodivergent people. Labels also fail to highlight individual people’s unique skills, sensitivities, and abilities. Everyone's experience living with neurodiversity will look different, but labels can sometimes be helpful to give people the language to talk about what they’re experiencing, and for managers and HR professionals to provide the best support.

What is neurodiversity?

An overview for HR professionals and line managers

If you're not yet familiar with the term, neurodiversity is the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in different ways, and that cognitive differences are normal.

Over the past few years, there has been a considerable drive to raise awareness around neurodiversity and implement practices that support neurodiverse employees in the workplace. Although we are heading in the right direction, with 72% of organisations running awareness programmes, and 33% of senior leaders receive neurodiversity management training, there is still plenty more we can be doing to support neurodiverse employees (and become stronger for it!) 

The role of managers

At Fertifa, we know that neurodiversity can be a complicated concept for managers who are trying to better understand their team and the different ways they operate. Don’t worry - we’re here to break things down for you so that you can provide your employees with the best support.

As a manager, it's important to recognise that every individual's mind works in a different way and do what you can to accommodate those differences. That’s all neurodiversity really refers to - the different ways that our brains process information.

The difficulty for many managers is knowing how to best provide support. A CIPD study conducted in 2024 revealed that only 46% of managers feel equipped to support neurodivergent individuals.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the various neurodiverse conditions an employee might have, and explore the key considerations you should take into account to manage your neurodivergent employees in a sensitive, inclusive and empowering way.

Neurodiversity conditions

The neurodiversity umbrella is a useful visual representation of the various conditions associated with neurodiversity. We've found this to be a helpful resource for managers to refer to if they need. There are many different neurodivergent conditions that sit underneath the umbrella, and many variants within each one, so don’t feel like you need to become an expert in each one. It's important to have an understanding of each condition and what it looks like in the workplace, so you can provide your team members with the best support.

Here are some of the most common conditions a neurodivergent person might have to get you started:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A developmental disorder characterised by difficulties with social interaction and communication.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A condition marked by patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. ADHD can make it difficult for employees to focus on tasks for long periods of time, but individuals with the condition do bring a range of unique strengths to the table.
• Dyslexia: A learning disorder that often leads to difficulty with reading. This is due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words.
• Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder): A condition affecting physical coordination.
• Dyscalculia: A specific learning disability in math, involving difficulties in understanding number-related concepts or using numbers in calculations.
• Tourette Syndrome: A neurological disorder characterised by repetitive, involuntary movements or vocalisations known as tics.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): A disorder where individuals have recurring, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or engage in repetitive behaviours (compulsions).
• Hyperlexia: A condition characterised by a child's precocious ability to read combined with difficulty in understanding spoken language.

For a complete list or more detail on any of the conditions listed above, take a look at this page taken from the Library of our dedicated neurodiversity partner, Lexxic.

How do you know if an employee is neurodivergent?

You can never know if someone is neurodivergent unless they disclose their condition to you. Remember, many individuals don’t even know themselves!

Unfortunately, there's still a huge stigma in workplaces around neurodiversity - with employees feeling anxious and worried about telling their employers that they are neurodivergent. A 2023 study revealed that 65% of neurodiverse workers fear discrimination from management and so are reluctant to reveal their condition.

Thankfully, there are changes you can make that will put neurodivergent employees at ease and encourage them to open up. Here are three that we believe have the biggest impact:

1. Create a supportive, positive environment for your workplace

Neurodiverse people working in toxic, discriminatory environments are going to be deterred from opening up about their condition out of fear of unfair treatment, so it’s important managers strive to create supportive workplaces where employees feel comfortable sharing.

There are many small changes you can make to help do this. For example, you can promote a healthy work-life balance, foster open communication, normalise “taboo” topics in the workplace, provide access to physical and mental health resources, and ensure you recognise effort and achievement.

Speaking openly about how neurodiverse teams are stronger and pointing to relevant resources and studies can make a significant impact too.

2. Reassure employees that any disclosures of a disability or neurodiversity-related condition will be treated confidentially

We encourage managers to leave their doors open and invite employees to come forward and share if comfortable, and to try not to ask people they suspect might be neurodiverse directly. You can do this by including reassurances of confidentiality into your onboarding process, for example.

3. Designate a neurodiversity “champion!”

A neurodiversity champion is someone within an organisation who advocates for the inclusion and support of neurodiverse employees. We recommend your champion is someone who has experienced a neurological condition themselves, but this doesn’t have to be the case!

As well as an advocate, champions serve as an ally and confidant for neurodivergent employees who want to speak to someone who might be able to relate to the challenges they face.

6 ways to support neurodiverse employees

1. Run awareness training sessions

Raising awareness around neurodiversity is essential at every company, and training sessions or training days are a great way to educate and include everyone in the conversation.

By promoting education, understanding, and acceptance of neurodiverse individuals and the unique skills they can bring to your team and workplace, you can inspire better teamwork, more productive collaboration, and begin to break downthe stigma around neurodivergent conditions.

You’ll likely also see neurotypical employees become more empathetic and considerate of some of the challenges neurodivergent individuals face, helping build a more supportive workplace culture generally.

Here are some of the best known neurodiversity training programmes and providers in the UK:

• ADHD aware
• The Brain Charity
• Genius Within

2. Implement neuro-inclusive practices

It's crucial that employers demonstrate their support by implementing meaningful neuro-inclusive practices that help neurodivergent individual overcome any barriers they might be facing to truly thrive in their roles.

Examples of neuro-inclusive practices at different stages of the employee lifecycle include:

• Recruitment: Ensuring job adverts and interviews can accommodate everyone and asking applicants if they have any specific requirements.
• Onboarding: Be sure to provide joiners with information about what to expect before the first day (and how any potential challenges the new starter has flagged have or will be accommodated).
• Performance management: When you monitor changes in performance, consider how neurodivergent individuals might be affected by personal issues or changes to their physical environment. You may want to arrange regular check-ins or even assign them a mentor to help them get back on track should you notice a change in performance.
• Development: As with any employee, encourage neurodivergent employees to tell you which particular skills they are keen to develop. If your standard “toolkit” doesn’t accommodate their needs or aspirations, ask them which formats they feel they might develop best in.
• Offer a neurodiversity benefit: The best way to make sure you maintain neuro-inclusive practices at your company is by enabling HR teams and employees to access specialist and ongoing guidance. From dyslexia to OCD to ADHD, Fertifa offers employers guidance and advice on how to support employees facing challenges related to neurodiversity and reproductive health.

By implementing practices like the ones listed above, you can help create a neuro-inclusive environment where individuals (and organisations) can reach their full potential.

3. Make adjustments that allow neurodivergent employees to thrive

It’s crucial that once you have implemented your neuro-inclusive practices, you continue to be open to change and accommodation for individuals. Try to remember that everyone is unique and workplace adjustments should be discussed on an individual basis - two neurodivergent employees with the same diagnosis will have different relationships with the condition and might face different challenges.

Here are some examples of reasonable adjustments that make a difference:

• Considering technology or equipment requirements– for example, an employee with dyslexia may struggle with reading and writing and may require tools to assist them. Assistive software like speech-to-text, spellcheckers, mind mapping tools and project management tools can all transform a neurodivergent employee’s ability to complete tasks.
• Sensory accommodations – Noise-cancelling headphones, adjustable lighting, or designated quiet areas, for example
• Flexible working arrangements – you may want to offer flexible working schedules, remote work options, flexible hours or adjusted start and end times to accommodate people's neurological differences.
• Rethink how you communicate – You may want to break down tasks, present information in small chunks, and avoid too much visual information, depending on how an individual employee likes to be communicated with. Remember, if in doubt, just ask someone what communication styles they prefer (they'll appreciate the consideration!). For more information, check out this guide on which forms of communication neurodivergent groups (tend to) respond well to.
• Support for numerical-based tasks – Some neurodivergent individuals, for example those with dyscalculia, may struggle with numerical base tasks or understanding. Offering training programmes or assigning mentors are great ways to provide support.

4. Set up to benefit from the neurodiversity in your workforce

Time and time again, studies have shown neurodiversity within teams is a competitive advantage for organisations. More recently, a Deloitte report found that teams made up of neurodivergent people can be 30% more productive than those without.

Try to designate roles and assign tasks that play to people’s strengths. Here’s a quick overview of common neurodivergent conditions and some of the strengths commonly seen in people with them.

• Many autistic people have an extraordinary ability to process information.
• A JP Morgan chase study found that autistic employees were up to 140% more productive than neurotypical workers.
• Some symptoms found in ADHD include: creativity, desire to multitask and high energy. Characteristics like these can become invaluable to a team or organisation and lead to outside-the-box thinking.
• In general terms, neurodiverse employees can bring innovation, creativity and productivity to an organisation, as well as increase employee engagement and retention, reducing turnover costs.

Every company is unique with its own mission and set of targets, and so there is no “blueprint” on how to maximise the potential of the neurodiversity that exists among your workforce. Using the above as a guide (and this article if you're after more a more detailed breakdown), consider what tasks require which strengths and skillsets at your company, and you’ll be able to designate accordingly and watch your company benefit from it’s neurodiversity!

5. Offer employees a cognitive or neurodiversity assessment

If you haven’t already, consider offering your entire workforce a fully-covered cognitive assessment. You may assume that most if not all neurodivergent people are aware of and understand their condition, however some recent studies estimate that among the 15% of people who are neurodiverse, only half know that they are. Even for the majority who will not receive a diagnosis, they may well come out of the assessment with a better understanding of themselves, their cognitive strengths, and their thinking differences, applying what they’ve learnt to the way the work.

Some of the companies currently offering cognitive or neurodiversity assessments in the UK include:

• Cognassist
• Posturite
• FSW psychology
• ADHD foundation
• AXA Health

Alternatively, you can always speak to a member of the Fertifa team who will be delighted to help find the best neurodiversity assessment provider for you!

6. Be aware of the increased risk of mental health issues in neurodivergent employees

Mental health and neurodiversity are separate things. However, it’s important that managers are aware of the connection between neurodiverse people and increased rates of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. According to one study conducted by Willis Tower Watson, 70% of neurodivergent employees experience mental health issues.

If you’re looking to provide better mental health support for your employees, be sure to check out our manager guide and policy template for practical, actionable steps.

Get in touch

Get in touch to find out how Fertifa helps companies build inclusive workplaces and transform the experiences of their neurodivergent employees.