Daniel Rickman works at Structura, an architectural glazing company that participated in the 2025 NDEI®, achieving a gold award. Here, he discusses neurodiversity in the construction industry and how embracing inclusion creates a working culture with loyal and committed employees.

I know there are many neurodivergent people in construction. There’s a lazy stereotype of ADHD or dyslexic boys not able to concentrate in school, and many of them end up in our industry. However, we now understand that people benefit from different learning environments – and the workplace is no different.

The construction industry can be a great career choice for neurodivergent people. There are many different challenges, solutions and roles. Some jobs are technical and detailed, with variety and pace, if sitting at a desk all day is not for you. Others can be really creative and, at times, need to think differently to solve problems.

Our neuroinclusion efforts are about releasing the potential of the team. I want to attract and retain the best people in my industry. That means providing them an environment in which they can thrive and enjoy their work.

As I learned more about neurodiversity, I began to recognise neurodivergent traits in some of my colleagues. Their hyperfocus, commitment and loyalty make them some of the best in the business. These are huge strengths for an employer, so I knew we needed to understand how to put the right support around them.

We worked with a neurodiversity training company. It really opened our eyes to the extent of the support we could put in place, such as improving our recruitment processes, embracing adjustments and starting a neurodiversity network. As helpful as the training is, once it’s over, it’s up to the businesses to follow through. You don't repeat that training to check whether anything has changed. Completing the NDEI® offered us a clear barometer of our efforts and highlighted how best to move forward.

We took part in the NDEI® because we wanted feedback. Winning a gold award was one of my proudest moments in the business. I was delighted to see that we had the right support in place and that the team are aware of it.

I think the NDEI® is an incredibly powerful tool. The recommendations in our company report were especially helpful, and it's great to have the opportunity to do more as best practice evolves. 

One of our recommendations was to provide specific work experience for neurodivergent people. Since learning this, we've made local connections with sixth forms for school leavers. We want to help people start their careers, whether that’s in construction or other industries. We have also offered mock interviews to coach students through a process, which is applicable to any career. Those ideas simply wouldn't have come about if we hadn’t taken part. 

Neurodiversity is something that we really want to champion because I'm convinced it's a huge strength for any business. It’s not only the right thing to do, but there are huge benefits for those who embrace it, as you unlock potential in your team.

If staff are feeling overwhelmed from their commute, or require a private space to focus to meet a deadline, for example, we provide the flexibility for them to work from home. You then see fewer sick days, because our team continue to work productively. 

Of course, there needs to be some structure, and we can’t do all jobs from home in construction! But when it’s feasible, it can be empowering to be trusted to get your work done in whichever way is best for you. The business will then reap that back from the person’s loyalty, commitment and dedication.

Our inclusion efforts have led to great things. Some quantifiable, others less so. Overall, it's measured in a great working environment and strong company culture. We were one of the finalists for Small to Medium Enterprise of the Year at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards, recognising our company culture and inclusion efforts.

I would absolutely encourage other businesses to take part in the NDEI®.  Everybody's looking for incremental advantages that help your business perform better, and I think the NDEI® is a great opportunity to do exactly that. If you think of the national averages of 1 in 7 people being neurodivergent, then there's a huge number of working people who could benefit from this support. But the changes we have made haven't just benefited neurodivergent people – they’ve raised the standard for everyone who works here.