Healthy lives
Neurodiversity in the workplace: making a difference
For World Autism Acceptance Month, Dr Lauren Marsh explains how researchers at the University of Nottingham are helping employers to better support neurodivergent individuals in the workplace.
Around 1 in 7 people in the UK are neurodivergent. Neurodiversity is characterised by a unique way of thinking and experiencing the world, such as through autism, ADHD and dyslexia. Often this means neurodivergent people bring distinct and creative strengths to the workplace. Yet they also face barriers and challenges when navigating systems that are rarely designed with neurodiversity in mind. For example, standard working practices are more likely to suit a neurotypical employee’s preferred way of working and be less suited to a neurodivergent person. This means neurodivergent people often report working harder to succeed.
Securing and maintaining employment can be a challenge for neurodivergent people and subsequently they are often over-qualified for their roles. This means that many neurodivergent people are not reaching their full potential at work – and this is costly to employees and employers alike.
Multinational companies such as Dell and JP Morgan have recognised the skills that neurodivergent employees bring to a team and have developed strategic initiatives to attract this talent pool. A study by Deloitte found that diverse teams make better decisions, are 30% more productive, and six times more likely to be innovative and agile.
Further studies show these benefits are achieved by good support for neurodivergent employees, whereas lack of support is linked to increased staff turnover and poor wellbeing. In a recent, large-scale UK survey, 65% of neurodivergent employees reported experiencing a lack of understanding and support at work from their line manager or decision maker (McDowall, 2023).
Supporting employers in tackling these challenges
Plenty of resources exist to support neurodiversity at work, and education and awareness is growing amongst employers. However, when it comes to taking action and embedding inclusive practices into workplace design, employers often lack specific knowledge and expertise to do this effectively.
In our research, Professor Danielle Ropar of the School of Psychology and I promote a proactive strategy in which organisations are encouraged to anticipate the diverse needs of their workforce. We help organisations to identify and remove barriers in their policies, practices and environments so that they can achieve neuroinclusive workplaces that are supportive and enabling for all.
"We have developed a business toolkit that integrates research evidence and lived experience of neurodiversity, empowering businesses to implement effective changes which will make their workplaces more neuroinclusive."
We have developed a business toolkit that integrates research evidence and lived experience of neurodiversity, empowering businesses to implement effective changes which will make their workplaces more neuroinclusive.
These tools help organisations identify areas where their organisational practices or environments could be improved, including training workshops for employees and line managers, and practical suggestions for improving workplace culture. This is now available to employers through a consultancy service.
Bridging the gap between guidelines and lived experience
Our research and partnerships with employers aim to bridge the gap that many neurodivergent people experience in the workplace – how to ensure that the guidance and policies are effectively implemented in the real world. Our toolkit is novel in its approach – by integrating research evidence and lived experience, it brings together two very different forms of expertise. To our knowledge this is not being done elsewhere. The result is a richer, more relevant set of tools which have the potential to make a real difference in the workplace.
Our partners include Autistic Nottingham, a charity which provides support and advice to autistic job applicants and employees. This partnership has ensured our work is relevant to local issues and has helped us to amplify the voices of neurodivergent people who are experiencing challenges in work.
The Royal Society of Chemistry is also working with us to investigate workplace challenges for neurodivergent academic chemists.
Through engaging with our offering, employers and line managers are reporting improved confidence in their ability to make their workplaces more neuroinclusive. We believe this work has the potential to improve workplace inclusion, ultimately improving the employment opportunities for neurodivergent people.
Faculty of Science Innovation Hub
The Faculty of Science Innovation Hub is supporting the commercialisation element of the project, guiding the team through the process of an ICURe Discover, an Innovate UK programme that supports market exploration and supported in terms of business advice and IP understanding.
To find out more about how the Faculty of Science Innovation Hub can support researchers increase their impact, contact Dr Alice Brookes, Senior Innovation Executive.
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Dr Lauren Marsh
Dr Lauren Marsh is an Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology.