Neurodiversity in the workplace

Neurodiversity refers to the differences in individual brain function and behavioural characteristics. This means that individuals experience, perceive, and interact with the world around them in many different ways.

Defining neurodiversity, neurodivergent, and neurotypical

Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity is an umbrella term that refers to all the diverse ways that different people may process information. It encompasses everyone and how each person thinks, learns, communicates, and experiences the world around them, which varies in many ways. Within the term neurodiversity, people may be classed as neurotypical or as neurodivergent.

Neurodivergent

Neurodivergent describes people whose minds function in a way that society deems to be atypical, or in a way that diverges from what society deems to be typical. Autistic people come within the class of neurodivergent people, although they are not the only ones. A range of other people with conditions such as, but not limited to, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia, may also be described as neurodivergent.

Neurotypical

Neurotypical describes those people whose minds function in a way that society deems typical.

Types of neurodiversity

Some common forms of neurological differences include:

Autism or Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)

Autism is a spectrum condition that affects people in different ways. People with autism may experience social interaction challenges, exhibit repetitive or restrictive behaviour, have sensory sensitivity, and experience extreme anxiety. What is autism?

See the Equality Commission's guidance on supporting autistic people in employment (PDF, 7.7MB).

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

People with ADHD or ADD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating, and may act on impulse. People with ADHD may also experience additional challenges such as sleep and anxiety disorders.

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a condition that makes it hard for an individual to do mathematics and tasks that involve maths.

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects reading and writing skills. Dyslexic people may have difficulty processing and remembering information which can affect learning and acquiring literacy skills. Many dyslexic people may show strengths in certain areas such as reasoning and visual and creative fields. What is dyslexia?

Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia, or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), affects an individual’s movement and coordination.

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is a condition that affects the ability to recognise and decipher written words, and the relationship between letter forms and the sounds they make. Individuals with dysgraphia can have difficulty converting the sounds of language into writing.

Misophonia

Misophonia is an extreme emotional reaction to certain everyday sounds that most people find relatively easy to ignore such as keyboard tapping or rustling paper. People with misophonia experience reactions such as shortness of breath, tension, racing heart, and feeling hot.

Slow processing speed

Slow processing speed is a condition where individuals may remain silent for a few seconds before responding to something or might take a long time to explain something. What is slow processing speed?

Tourette’s syndrome

Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder characterised by tics, usually sudden, repetitive involuntary movements and sounds.

Bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety are sometimes also included under the umbrella of neurodivergence. See the Brain Charity’s A-Z of neurological conditions.

Symptoms of these neurodivergent conditions often overlap meaning some individuals may experience more than one condition. You should also be aware that although individuals may have the same neurodivergent condition or conditions the way these manifest in behaviour can be very different, for example, women may exhibit the signs of autism differently to men.

Your staff as individuals

Recognise that each employee has a unique approach to processing information and completing tasks. Each individual will have a different communication style as well. By acknowledging and accommodating neuro differences, employers can create a supportive environment that enables all staff to reach their individual and collective potential.

Employers doing this can benefit from the rewards that neurodiversity can bring to their business. See the advantages and challenges of neurodiversity in the workplace.