Neurodivergent leaders and caregivers share lived experience of workplace barriers, and the changes employers must make now.
As we observe Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026, new research and lived experience from leading voices on neurodiversity reveal a clear message: many workplaces still lack the systems, communication practices and leadership needed to support neurodivergent employees.
Drawing on insights from neurodivergent leaders, advocates and experts, this article explores what workplaces still get wrong, and what actually helps people thrive.
While awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace is growing, the gap between intention and action remains significant, with employees still reporting misunderstanding, rigid workplace systems and limited support, as reported.
WORKPLACE NEURODIVERSITY GAP IN NUMBERS
Recent research highlights the scale of the challenge:
- Seven in 10 employees don’t understand the term “neurodiversity”
- 64% of employees say their workplace values diversity — but only 47% say neurodiversity is supported
- Widespread discriminatory behaviour towards neurodivergent employees has also been reported
- 39% of employees say their children’s needs have affected their work
- 27% identify their children as neurodivergent
- 10% are awaiting a diagnosis for their child
Together, these figures point to a workplace system that is still not designed with cognitive diversity in mind.
WHAT IS NEURODIVERSITY CELEBRATION WEEK
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a global initiative founded in 2018 by Siena Castellon to challenge stereotypes around neurological differences such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia.
The campaign encourages organisations and educators to recognise the strengths of neurodivergent individuals and create more inclusive environments where different ways of thinking are supported.
WHY NEURODIVERGENT PROFESSIONALS STRUGGLE AT WORK
Neurodivergent employees often face challenges linked not to ability, but to workplace design. Common barriers include unclear communication, rigid processes, sensory environments and a lack of awareness among managers.
These challenges can lead to masking, burnout and reduced performance, reinforcing the need for workplaces to adapt their systems rather than expect individuals to conform.
Aquayemi-Claude Akinsanya, Social Justice & Environmental Advocate, challenges a common misconception: “From my perspective, workplaces still misunderstand that neurodiversity isn’t something to ‘manage’ it’s something to meaningfully include. What’s made a real difference for me is being listened to and having environments adapt, rather than being expected to mask or conform. As I often say: ‘My difference is not a deficit it’s a dimension of excellence when understood.’”
Akinsanya’s perspective reflects a broader shift from deficit-based thinking towards inclusion-led workplace design.
THE LEADERSHIP FACTOR
Char Bailey, Director at Birmingham Pride (UK), highlights the role of leadership: “What’s helped me thrive at work has been leaders who provide psychological safety not just because they want results but because they genuinely care about my wellbeing. When I feel truly cared for it makes me want to work harder and smarter.
“Just like in sales, when we say we don’t buy products but we buy into the people selling them. I think often in organisations we don’t work for the organisation – we work for that leader who truly sees us.”
Bailey’s insight underlines a key point – inclusive workplaces are shaped not just by policy, but by leaders who create trust and psychological safety.
REDESIGNING OUTDATED SYSTEMS
Susan Ball, NED, Member of the Neurodiversity in the City Steering Group and Trustee at the British Dyslexia Association, says the issue lies in workplace design.
“Many organisations still assume the individual needs to ‘overcome’ something. In reality, it’s often the systems and expectations around us that need to evolve,” notes Ball. “The biggest misconception is expecting everyone to think, communicate and process information in the same way.”
In fact, the latest ACCA report , titled ‘Neurodiversity in Accountancy: Navigating Your Career’, resonated with Ball: “The real issue is that workplace systems, not people, need to change.”
PRACTICAL SUPPORT FOR NEURODIVERGENT EMPLOYEES
Neurodivergent leaders consistently point to practical changes that make the biggest difference. As Ball highlights: “Technology that reduces cognitive load or helps me organise information isn’t a luxury; it’s essential. Working with people who simply ask ‘What works best for you?’ rather than making assumptions has also been transformative. Being able to be open about my dyslexia without stigma frees up enormous mental energy.”
Nancy Doyle, CEO of Genius Within CIC, recommends taking “a strengths and needs-led approach”: “Rather than waiting for individuals to fail and then sending them to Occupational Health, prepare for having cognitively diverse staff. Make it normal for people to talk about having different strengths and challenges, and what strategies help them to work at their best.”
These insights reflect a shift towards proactive, inclusive workplace design.
TACKLING BARRIERS TO INCLUSION
Alongside what helps, there is clear agreement on what creates barriers. “Rigid or unclear communication habits, rushed turnarounds and noisy open plan spaces are challenging,” explains Ball.
“Clarity and format matter far more to me than volume. Talking things through – and using AI tools – helps me organise my thoughts,” she adds. “Masking to ‘fit in’ is exhausting and ultimately limits what I’m able to contribute.”
These experiences align with wider research showing communication is one of the biggest barriers to inclusion.
LEADERSHIP SHAPED BY NEURODIVERSITY
Neurodivergence can also shape leadership in powerful ways. As Ball reflects: “My dyslexia has made me a leader who listens for strengths rather than conformity. I look for complementary thinking, not sameness. It naturally encourages an environment where curiosity, dialogue and different approaches to problem solving are valued. I have tried to build teams that play to each person’s strengths and plug each other’s gaps.”
This strengths-based leadership approach is increasingly recognised as a driver of innovation. On what employers should do next, Ball’s advice is clear: “Design work with neurodivergent colleagues, not for them. Co creating support, updating processes and procedures, and offering choice in how people communicate and deliver their best work benefits everyone — not just those of us who are neurodivergent.”
CLARITY & AUTONOMY
Dhiren Doshi-Smith, therapeutic counsellor, writer, model and speaker, challenges another common workplace assumption: “I think one thing workplaces consistently get wrong about neurodiversity is this idea that support means lowering the bar. It doesn’t. It’s usually about removing unnecessary friction. Most of us can do the job, we just struggle with how the job is set up.”
He highlights autonomy and clarity as key to success: “What’s helped me thrive is autonomy and clarity. Tell me what you need, not exactly how to do it. If I’ve got space to do things in a way that works for my brain, I’ll usually exceed expectations.”
He also points to the pressure of constant responsiveness: “A common workplace thing that really doesn’t work for me is the pressure to always be ‘on’ and responsive. It rewards quick replies over actually good thinking, and that’s not where I do my best work.”
His leadership approach reflects a more inclusive mindset: “My neurodivergence massively shapes how I lead. I’m a lot more aware that people work differently, and I don’t expect everyone to fit into one way of doing things. I lead with flexibility, curiosity, and a lot of checking in rather than assuming.”
And his call to action is simple: “If I could change one thing tomorrow, it would be normalising conversations about how people actually work best. Not just as a one off adjustment, but something ongoing. That’s where inclusion becomes real rather than performative.”
His perspective reinforces a key theme: inclusion is not about lowering standards, but about enabling people to do their best work.
OVERLOOKED WORKFORCE: PARENTS & CAREGIVERS OF NEURODIVERGENT CHILDREN
Neurodiversity in the workplace is often viewed through the lens of employees themselves, but many organisations overlook the experiences of parents and caregivers of neurodivergent children. Reena Anand, Director and CEO of Being Inclusive, as well as a mother of two neurodivergent children, highlights the challenges of balancing demanding careers alongside complex caregiving responsibilities, from managing appointments and therapies to navigating education and diagnosis pathways.
Research from the City & Guilds Neurodiversity Index 2024 shows:
• 39% of employees say their children’s needs have affected their work
• 27% identify their children as neurodivergent
• 10% are awaiting a diagnosis for their child
Despite this, “many caregivers remain silent due to fear of stigma or being seen as less committed,” shares Anand. “Without support, this ‘hidden workforce’ is at greater risk of burnout, disengagement and leaving work altogether, with significant implications for talent retention.”
Anand’s perspective highlights a clear need for change: “Flexible working, supportive leadership and open conversations can make a meaningful difference, helping organisations retain skilled employees while building more inclusive workplaces.”
PRACTICAL SUPPORT MATTERS
Taken together, these perspectives paint a clear and consistent picture. Neurodivergent employees are more likely to thrive in workplaces that provide:
- clear and structured communication
- flexibility in how work is delivered
- supportive and informed leadership
- tools that reduce cognitive load
- psychologically safe environments
FROM AWARENESS TO ACTION
As Neurodiversity Celebration Week highlights the value of different ways of thinking, the message from neurodivergent leaders is clear: workplaces don’t need to “fix” people – they need to redesign systems.
As Aquayemi-Claude Akinsanya puts it: “My difference is not a deficit – it’s a dimension of excellence when understood.”
For organisations willing to act, the opportunity is not just inclusion, but unlocking innovation, talent and new ways of thinking.
RELATED ARTICLES
Why employers must do more to support neurodivergent employees.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week: Research reveals major gaps in workplace understanding
How to adapt your communication style to support neurodiversity at work
Neurodiverse community urges businesses to embrace inclusive language
Seven in 10 employees don’t understand the term “neurodiversity”
Better neurodiversity support needed at work: 64% of employees say their workplace values diversity — but only 47% say neurodiversity is supported
Widespread discriminatory behaviour towards neurodivergent employees
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