Neurodiversity at Work: Where Do I Begin?
“I Want to Support Neurodiverse Employees… But Where Do I Begin?”
Many leaders say they want greater awareness and understanding of neurodiversity in their teams. But when it comes time to act, they aren’t sure where to start.
Keep reading and download our Leader’s Quick Guide to Neurodiversity at Work to help you navigate this journey.
1. Start with Listening, Not Labels
Awareness begins with curiosity. Ask employees what helps them do their best work. You don’t need to know a diagnosis to provide support. A culture of listening creates trust, which is the foundation for inclusion.
Leader Reflection: When was the last time I asked my team what helps them thrive?
2. Audit Your Work Environment
Do a quick scan of your team’s day-to-day structures:
Do meetings have clear objectives, or are they long and unstructured? Aimless? Meandering?
Do meetings have clear outcomes? Will decisions be made collaboratively or will information be shared by an individual? Excellent leaders make it clear what decisions will be made and who will make them.
Is communication only verbal or only written?
Do deadlines assume a “one-size-fits-all” pace?
Small adjustments like sharing agendas early, offering multiple ways to give input, defining decision-making, and breaking tasks into steps make the environment more accessible for everyone.
Leader Reflection: If I audited my team’s workflow tomorrow, what barriers would neurodiverse employees point out first?
3. De-Silo Neurodiverse Employees
Avoid creating “special” tracks. The goal is collaboration, not isolation. Build mixed project groups and encourage cross-collaboration so neurodiverse talent becomes integral to team success—not set apart from it.
Leader Reflection: Am I unintentionally isolating neurodiverse talent instead of integrating their strengths across the team?
4. Build Flexibility Into Policies
Options matter. Can staff choose between quiet workspaces and collaborative ones? Can deadlines be framed with milestones instead of one “all or nothing” date? Flexibility isn’t lowering standards—it’s creating pathways for people to meet them.
Leader Reflection: Where can I add flexibility without compromising outcomes?
5. Educate & Model
Bring in bite-sized learning—articles, short videos, lunch-and-learn sessions. Highlight both strengths and challenges. Then model what you want to see: adapt your communication, invite feedback, and show openness to different ways of working.
Leader Reflection: Am I modeling inclusion in my own behavior, or just asking others to do it?
Final Thought
You don’t need to “have all the answers” to begin. Start small. Awareness grows into understanding when leaders commit to consistent, collaborative action.
