Author: Nicky Hardwick
Neurodivergence has become a far more common workplace conversation. While greater awareness is positive, employers need to be careful that inclusion doesn’t turn into assumption. Not every neurodivergent employee struggles at work. Not everyone requires reasonable accommodation, and those who do will not necessarily need the same support. The most effective approach is to focus on the individual’s actual workplace needs rather than making assumptions based on a diagnosis.
What is neurodivergence in the workplace?
Neurodivergence is a broad term that can include autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other differences in how people process information, communicate, concentrate, or respond to their environment. Two employees with the same diagnosis may experience the workplace very differently. One may need practical adjustments, while another may perform their role without any accommodation at all.
This is why employers should avoid treating neurodivergence as a one-size-fits-all issue.
How should employers approach reasonable accommodation?
Neurodivergence should be approached in much the same way as any other condition or circumstance that may require reasonable accommodation. The starting point should always be the individual employee, not the diagnosis.
Instead of assuming someone cannot perform certain duties, employers should ask practical questions such as:
- What aspect of the work is creating difficulty?
- How does it affect the employee’s ability to perform their role?
- Is there a reasonable adjustment that could help?
Focusing on functional workplace needs often leads to more practical and effective solutions.
What are examples of reasonable workplace adjustments?
Sometimes the solution is surprisingly simple. Depending on the employee’s needs, helpful adjustments might include:
- Providing written instructions instead of relying only on verbal communication
- Setting clearer priorities
- Reducing unnecessary interruptions
- Offering a quieter workspace where possible
- Creating greater structure around deadlines
Some employees may need none of these adjustments at all. The key is to tailor support to the individual rather than applying standard accommodations to everyone with a particular diagnosis.
Does accommodation mean lowering performance standards?
No. Reasonable accommodation doesn’t mean removing accountability, lowering performance expectations, or allowing conduct that negatively affects others. It means considering whether an employee can meet the legitimate requirements of the role with reasonable adjustments in place. The objective is fair access to work, not different standards of performance.
What role does the employee play?
Accommodation works best when it becomes a shared conversation. Employers cannot reasonably be expected to guess what support someone needs. Where assistance is required, there should be an open discussion about:
- The specific workplace difficulty
- Its impact on job performance
- Practical adjustments that may reasonably help
A diagnosis may provide useful context, but the conversation should remain focused on functional workplace needs rather than the label itself.
Why managers should avoid making assumptions
Managers should also resist the temptation to diagnose employees based on behaviour alone.
Someone who misses deadlines, avoids eye contact, communicates bluntly, or becomes overwhelmed under pressure is not automatically neurodivergent. There may be many other explanations, such as:
- Unclear expectations
- Inadequate training
- Personal circumstances
- Ordinary performance challenges
The same caution applies after an employee discloses that they are neurodivergent. Once a manager knows about a diagnosis, every mistake shouldn’t automatically be attributed to it. That can become patronising and may prevent the employee from being treated as the capable professional they no doubt are.
Good management principles still apply
Good management already recognises that people do not all work, communicate, or learn in exactly the same way. Supporting neurodivergent employees doesn’t require an entirely separate management system. It requires employers to apply the principles they should already be using:
- Listening carefully
- Understanding the facts
- Assessing the genuine requirements of the role
- Considering reasonable options
- Reviewing whether the arrangement is working
Employers should neither minimise neurodivergence nor make it the defining feature of an employee.
The goal isn’t special treatment, but rather fair treatment based on the person’s actual circumstances.
Sometimes reasonable accommodation will be necessary, sometimes it won’t. What matters is asking the right questions instead of assuming the answers.
Watch the full webinar here: Neurodivergence at work: Reasonable accommodation, fair process, and practical boundaries