When employers understand how to support neurodiversity at work, everyone benefits. Workplaces that accommodate neurodiversity are flexible, supportive, and treat people like individuals. Ultimately, neuroinclusion (the inclusion of neurodivergent people at work) benefits the estimated one in seven people who are neurodivergent, the wider team and the organisation as a whole.
If you want to encourage your employer to adopt more neurodiversity-inclusive policies and practices, this is for you.
Here, we outline how to encourage your employer to do more to support neurodiversity at work. Luckily, it’s an easy sell because embracing neurodiversity at work benefits both employees and your organisation.
1. Identify the changemaker(s)
Identify the person at your organisation who is best-placed to implement neuroinclusive changes. This will differ at every organisation, but it could be someone in human resources (HR), equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) or your managing director. Contact them and ask for a discussion about neurodiversity at work and to learn more about their inclusion policies and practices.
Next, plan what to say when making the business case.
Bonus tip: Try to identify a senior member of staff who could act as a ‘sponsor’ for neurodiversity initiatives at work. They could be neurodivergent themselves or someone interested in inclusion.
2. Demonstrate why it makes business sense
Supporting neurodiverse teams is not only an ethical responsibility, but it’s good for business. Here are a few of the advantages of neurodiverse teams:
Diverse perspectives
Neurodivergent individuals think differently compared to their neurotypical peers. This leads to innovative solutions and creative problem-solving that can provide a competitive edge.
Better productivity
With the right support, neurodivergent employees can excel in various roles, often showing high levels of focus, attention to detail, and specialised skills.
Improved employee morale and retention
Inclusive environments tend to have higher employee satisfaction and retention rates, reducing the costs associated with high turnover and recruitment.
Wider talent pool
By creating an inclusive environment, organisations can recruit from a larger talent pool, which is especially important in fields facing talent shortages.
Positive reputation
Organisations known for their inclusive practices are often viewed favourably by customers, partners, and investors. This can strengthen their brand and market position.
Compliance and risk management
Employers in the UK have a legal responsibility to provide reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act. Proactively addressing neurodivergence helps ensure employers are compliant and reduces the risk of legal issues.
Reflecting society
A workforce that reflects the diversity of society can better understand and meet the needs of your organisation’s customer base, leading to improved customer relations and service.
Ethical responsibility
Promoting inclusivity aligns with ethical business practices and corporate social responsibility, contributing to a fairer and more equitable society.
Bonus tip: If you can, tailor your business case to the member of the management team you are pitching to. For example, are they a big-picture thinker? If so, sell them the vision of the future. Are they detail-driven? Prepare facts and statistics to support your case.
3. Support your case with evidence
We’ve provided a few statistics to help you make the business case for neuroinclusion.
4. If you feel comfortable, draw upon your lived experience
Storytelling is a powerful tool to change hearts and minds.
If you are highly motivated to encourage your workplace to be neuroinclusive, you might be neurodivergent yourself. If that’s the case, you may want to consider sharing a relevant story from your own lived experience, if you are comfortable doing so.
You may want to talk about a positive experience, such as when a reasonable adjustment transformed how you work. Or perhaps share a time when a colleague misunderstood you because of your neurodivergence.
Agree next steps
If you’re employer is keen to do more, it's time to work out the next steps.
It might be that your employer is keen to do more in neuroinclusion, but is afraid of getting it wrong or not sure what the appropriate steps are. If this is the case, encourage them to sign up for the Neurodiversity Employers Index (NDEI®).
We developed the NDEI® as an evidence-backed framework to help employers support neurodiverse teams. Many of the recommendations within the NDEI® are free or low-cost to implement.
We also have several free resources on our Employer's Guide to neurodiversity, which can help your organisation get started.
As your meeting winds down, agree on realistic, actionable next steps and who is responsible for making them happen. This will help hold everyone accountable.
Don’t be afraid to follow up to keep neuroinclusion on the agenda, especially if they have shown interest.