With new data revealing that autistic employees experience one of the widest disability pay gaps, Kavitha Sivasubramaniam considers whether employers are doing enough to level the playing field for neurodivergent workers
In recent years, there’s been a growing awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace and it has slowly found its way onto the HR agenda in many organisations. But is it much more than the latest buzz word and are employers really doing much to implement meaningful support to those who need it?
For those who aren’t yet familiar with the term, neurodiversity relates to the way someone’s brain works that is different to that of a neurotypical person. Some neurodivergent conditions include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia, dyslexia, autism, dyscalculia and Tourette’s Syndrome.
The number of people being diagnosed with such conditions has been steadily rising, with an estimated one in five workers having some kind of neuro variation. However, while awareness and diagnoses have been increasing, it doesn’t appear that employers have been keeping up pace.
Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics to 2023 showed a 12.7% pay gap between disabled and non-disabled employees, with one of the widest gaps of 27.9% found to be among disabled employees with autism. This suggests there’s still much to be done to level the playing field in today’s workplaces.
But why does supporting neurodiversity at work really matter?
“Simply from a numbers perspective, it is estimated that between 15% and 20% of the UK population are neurodivergent. This means that the brains of a sizeable chunk of the working population of the UK function, learn and process information differently,” explains Acas advisor John Palmer.
“Also, a significant number of the UK population are thought to be undiagnosed, unaware of, or masking a neurodivergent condition.”
For workplaces, that means that a massive amount of potential and talent can be tapped into from new or existing staff just by understanding and embracing neurodiversity and making what are usually simple and low-cost adjustments, he explains.
Palmer adds: “Getting this right helps to make workforces more engaged, effective and productive.”
A starting point
As knowledge and understanding of neurodiverse conditions rise, it’s perhaps unsurprising that research carried out by Towergate Employee Benefits earlier this year found more than one in five employers were expecting to face an increase in demand for support in this area.
Its head of wellbeing, Debra Clark, says: “To enable someone to be their whole self at work, I think it is so important that people have an awareness of neurodiversity, in fact, I think we should all have an awareness full stop, as a society.”
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Lutfur Ali, senior policy and practice adviser for EDI at the CIPD, believes a good place to start for employers would be to proactively map out an employee’s journey and mitigate against challenges.
He says: “Neuroinclusion runs through every single facet of someone’s identity and should be fundamental in any equality, diversity and inclusion strategy. But if you don’t know your starting point it’s hard to know what action to take.”
And once an employer has committed to taking action, it’s important that support should be offered for neurodivergent people throughout their careers, insists Cybill Watkins, product legislation manager at Zellis, who was diagnosed with autism and combined ADHD in her 40s.
She says: “Look at the whole employee life cycle – from job descriptions to the application process, onboarding and beyond – it needs to be inclusive. Performance reviews can be particularly daunting for neurodivergent people. Make sure you don’t overload or overwhelm them.”
Heston Blumenthal OBE, founder of The Fat Duck and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, agrees that steps need to be taken by employers from the outset.
He commissioned a study which found almost one-third (31%) of board directors and HR professionals at FTSE 350 companies describe their firm’s recruitment policy for neurodivergent applicants as poor or average. Meanwhile, nearly all (91%) respondents agreed that employers need to develop more bespoke recruitment processes for neurodivergent job applicants to better understand their strengths, and what they could bring to a job.
He says: “The challenges start at the recruitment stage where many neurodiverse people find the traditional interview setting uncomfortable. For example, an overload of auditory and visual stimulation in an already stressful situation can be overwhelming.
“It would be encouraging to see employers take a more flexible approach to recruitment, maybe step away from the formal interview process and find ways to be more inclusive. That would be a great step in the right direction.”
Practical support
Often employers believe they don’t have the budget or capacity to make adjustments, but they do have a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments for those who have protected characteristics under the Equalities Act 2010. This covers disabilities, including hidden ones and neurodiverse conditions, such as dyslexia, and it’s also worth noting that not all support comes with a hefty price tag.
Clark says: “Some very small adjustments in the workplace can enable those people with symptoms or traits from their neurodiversity to thrive and be their best versions at work – and therefore deliver the best outcomes and results for the business too. There is so much support available through employee benefits, ranging from employee assistance programmes if a symptom is causing wellbeing to be affected, specialist support and advice services for people looking to better manage their symptoms or traits, through to private assessments support.”
She explains that while some might be available as an extension of an existing employee benefit, with an additional cost to add the service on, others could be standalone support services. Additionally, some can be company-paid and others could be employee-paid options.
Clark adds: “Budget, size of company, employee demographic and industry can all play a role in deciding what is right for each business. Seeking some independent advice through a specialist intermediary would be beneficial in choosing the right solutions for the individual circumstances.”
According to Palmer, it is important to focus on supporting neurodivergent employees at policy, organisation, team and individual levels.
He says: “Keep in mind that the combination of what best benefits your workplace and staff will depend on a number of factors like the type of work involved and the size of your organisation.”
For example, employers could consider refocussing a performance management system on outputs rather than the process involved so that staff are encouraged to work in ways that allow them to be more productive, like enabling an employee to move to a quieter space to handle a complicated customer enquiry.
He also suggests setting up support systems like ‘buddy’ or ‘mentoring’ systems, or a staff disability or neurodiversity networks to raise awareness and understanding of neurodiversity at an organisational level.
Other options include providing managers with neurodiversity awareness training, giving them time to understand the needs of their staff, and empowering them to make changes to improve team performance. Employers could also provide a standing desk for an ADHD employee as a reasonable adjustment.
Joseph Holman, CEO and founder of upcycling company Green Doors, who has dyslexia and ADHD, believes education and awareness among the wider workforce is also crucial.
He says: “Colleagues need to be attentive and supportive if we are to fully integrate neurodiversity in the workplace. Listen carefully to colleagues and try not to be judgemental.”
According to Watkins, forward-thinking employers are embracing the idea of work passports, which neurodivergent people have so that colleagues know how best to approach them and communicate with them.
Ali proposes employers build policies around individual needs, ensure they have allies and role models within the business, especially at a senior level, and take an intersectional approach where neurodiversity is embedded into conversations about other protected characteristics, such as race or gender. He also advises organisations to monitor the effectiveness of any support that is offered.
“There’s also the review and accountability piece, and reviews of any policies or provisions need to take place along the way – not just at the end of their implementation. If it’s not making a difference to the lives of neurodivergent people then you have got to make changes,” Ali says.
Strategies of the future
The CIPD’s Neuroinclusion at work report 2024 examined the extent to which UK employers value neurodiversity and ensure their workplaces are neuroinclusive. It found around three in five (61%) organisations genuinely values neurodiversity and support neurodivergent people to operate at their best.
The findings led the institute to develop seven guiding principles for creating a neuroinclusive workplace, which are:
- understand where you are now and commit to a long-term plan of action
- focus on creating an open and supportive culture where people feel comfortable talking about neurodiversity
- proactively consider neurodiversity in all people management interactions
- allow individual employees to be masters of their own journey
- embrace flexible working to enable everybody to thrive
- give ongoing attention to wellbeing
- empower neurodivergent voices.
Ali says: “There’s been a social shift as people are looking for support in this area. It’s a key driver for the future of work. Workforce strategies need to account for diversity of thinking, which drives business performance and is business critical.”
He insists employers must create a culture of support and be mindful of the fact that not everyone with a neurodiverse condition will feel comfortable talking about it.
“There’s a significant number of people who don’t declare neurodiversity because they’re afraid it might negatively impact their career,” Ali explains.
His views correlate with findings from a study by Zurich UK released this month (November) which showed nearly half (47%) of adults hide their conditions from prospective employers, while the stigma stops 51% of them disclosing their neurodiversity.
Assets to the workforce
Highlighting the benefits of implementing support for neurodivergent staff, Watkins believes that it’s a no-brainer.
“If you’ve got that perfect person with an amazing brain who’s bringing everything to the business and driving it forward, why wouldn’t you want to do the best by them and give them the opportunity to thrive?” says Watkins.
Holman, despite early struggles, now employs more than 20 people and his business has a £2m turnover and attributes his success to his neurodiversity.
He says: “Neurodiversity in the workplace, while challenging at times, can offer rich rewards for both employers and employees. It allows a blend of different skill-sets to be brought together when solving issues which can be both innovative and creative.”
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Blumenthal also believes a lot of his creativity and inspiration comes from his neurodiversity. He says: “Neurodivergent people are an asset to the workplace, and I feel employers could do a lot more to nurture talent and create conditions that allow superpowers to flourish.”
