The research findings are important as 15-20% of the UK adult population are neurodivergent, and many more will be diagnosed over the next few years as awareness increases, so organisations must expect a diverse workforce and offer a holistic approach that thinks beyond condition-specific initiatives.
Over 1,600 people across organisations and sectors were involved in the research with perspectives from 1436 neurodivergent workers, 132 employer representatives and 123 neurotypical colleagues were obtained.
The research has been collated into a report which makes clear recommendations for practice and policy to put more focus on wellbeing support which is neurodiversity sensitive. It identifies the biggest factor for improving wellbeing as giving people the opportunity to train, develop and work at a level which reflects their skill, as well as reducing sensory distractions at work. Line manager support and a perception of high psychological safety also makes a big difference in encouraging neurodivergent workers to stay in an organisation.
The report calls for organisations to be more aware of what neurodivergent workers find challenging, which includes dealing with criticism (68%), dealing with office politics at work (64%) and feeling overwhelmed at work (78%). Neurodivergent workers are twice as likely to disagree that conflict resolution processes at work meet their needs than colleagues or employers.
Compared to research undertaken by NiB in 2023 which surveyed similar people (but not colleagues) and asked similar questions, this research shows a drop in perceptions of psychological safety among neurodivergent workers as they reported being less likely to create and innovate using their special skills. In addition to this, support for neurodiversity and provision of relevant training has dropped from 2023, and perceptions of unfairness have got worse – yet line managers were rated by neurodivergent workers as more supportive than last year.
Howard Dawber, Deputy London Mayor for Business and Growth, said: “Neurodivergent Londoners have so many strengths that we should recognise and celebrate. But, while they have so much to offer, we need to make sure we have the right conditions for them to thrive.
“Through our programmes such as Good Work Standard, the Employment Rights Hub and the Workforce Integration Network, the Mayor is committed to making London the neuro inclusive capital of the world. In partnering with Birkbeck, University of London, the insights from this study will help to guide the next generation of inclusion initiatives.”
Lead researcher Almuth McDowall, Professor of Organisational Psychology, Birkbeck said: “The findings show that a genuine culture and climate for a holistic and positive approach to ensuring neurodivergent workers thrive at work have a long way to go. We need to foster mutual understanding and above all support wellbeing – this is a crucial baseline to organisational effectiveness and success.”
Dr Nancy Doyle, Visiting Professor, Birkbeck University of London and Chief Research Officer, Genius Within, who co-authored the report as a leading expert on neuroinclusion practice added: “We are going to see more, not less people with a diagnosis of neurodivergent conditions join organisations. This is because awareness is rising and some groups such as older women are historically underdiagnosed. Getting inclusion right is not a ‘nice to have’ but a business imperative.”
Dan Harris, Chairperson and Founder, NiB, added: “Our latest research highlights we need to take urgent action. The quality of support, including workplace adjustments, employee training, and psychological safety, remain inadequate. I’m proud that our research is being followed up by actions of over 1,000 members of NiB.”
You can download the full report here - neurodiversityinbusiness.org/research/
