Promoting Neurodiversity in Corporations

Don't overlook neurodiverse talent. For years, my neurodiversity felt like something I had to hide at work. Today, I’m actively hiring people on the spectrum because I know how brilliant they are and I see the strength of mixed teams. Being on the spectrum (being neurodiverse) means I see patterns others miss. I hyperfocus, solve problems sideways, and obsess over details that make the document more structured, the code cleaner or the AI models sharper. But it also means sensory overload, social exhaustion, and moments where the world feels too loud. Autistic people often face barriers in the workplace. These barriers can lead to missed opportunities. Many employers fail to see the strengths that autistic individuals offer. And hiring practices can be biased. Many companies overlook autistic candidates due to stereotypes. This leads to an companies full of people who maybe can sell themselves during the inteview, but they do not deliver excellence later. This book in my hands isn’t just about strategies - it’s a mirror of my journey. Being neurodivergent isn’t a barrier - it’s a power. But there is a catch - being on the spectrum becomes your strength ONLY when you accept it and you have the environment who understands you. Otherwise it becomes a curse. We commonly think that autistic people are brilliant at numbers and processing information. That is partially true. We can become highly functioning given the opportunities. That is why I am working with organisations and universities to share the view of a highly functioning autistic and help them implement guidelines for autistic workforce. Let me share just a few suggestions for employers and hiring managers: 1️⃣ Offer remote work, flexible hours, or quiet spaces. Not everyone thrives in open-plan offices or 9-to-5 timing. 2️⃣ Avoid vague feedback like “Think bigger.” Say: “Iterate on the model’s efficiency by 15%.” 3️⃣ Pair neurodivergent hires with mentors who get it. Not to “fix” us, but to amplify our strengths. 4️⃣ Decrease sensory overload: Dim lights, allow noise-canceling headphones, let employees keep their sensory helpers like a blanket or a plushie. 5️⃣ Promote autistic voices in decision-making. We’re not just coders - we’re visionaries - once given time to explain what we mean. 6️⃣ To hiring managers: Look beyond the interview “script” and the sales pitch. Ask concrete questions and value the merit. 7️⃣ And for Pete’s sake: don’t ask us how we feel for the sake of having a small talk! 😂 That’s the most challenging question we can get. AI is built on logic, creativity, and patterns - things neurodivergent minds excel at. But to build ethical, inclusive AI, we need teams as diverse as the world we’re shaping. To anyone who tries to be someone else than themselves: Take a breath. You’re enough. ❤️ #Autistic #HighFunctioningAutistic #NeurodiversityInTech #AIForAll #AutismAtWork

What if your organization's biggest untapped competitive advantage is hiding in plain sight? In my latest Forbes article, I explore how most organizations approach neurodiversity like fire safety—as a compliance issue requiring basic accommodations to avoid problems. They offer noise-canceling headphones, adjust lighting, create flexible work arrangements and then consider the job’s been done. But this kind of compliance culture is a defensive posture focused on risk mitigation rather than opportunity optimization. It's also a lamentable waste of talent. The data is striking: figures shared by McKinsey & Company show about 20% of the population exhibits neurodivergent traits, yet this group faces an 80% unemployment and underemployment rate despite possessing advanced analytical and creative thinking skills—the very capabilities the World Economic Forum identifies as most critical for organizational success. Shift from accommodation to curiosity: Ask "What conditions help you do your best work?" rather than implementing standard protocols. Address the hidden curriculum: As Lawrence Fung, M.D., Ph.D. from Stanford notes, workplace norms that might seem obvious often need explicit explanation—not because of deficits, but because of different processing styles. Practice everyday development: Replace fixed solutions with ongoing developmental conversations that evolve with projects and contexts. Recognize systemic benefits: Harvard Business Review documents how neurodiverse teams at Fortune 500 firms challenged organizational tolerance for inefficiency, leading to process improvements. The most successful neuro-inclusive organizations discover that practices enabling neurodivergent employees to thrive are the same practices that unlock potential in all employees. Here's what we never talk about: up to 25% of CEOs may be dyslexic, yet few feel confident enough to publicly acknowledge neurodivergent traits. The question isn't whether to accommodate neurodivergent employees, but whether we possess the cultural sophistication to transform our response from compliance to curiosity. What practices have you seen that move beyond accommodation toward optimizing diverse thinking styles? 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gBRcn7Z3

How Well Does Your Company Support a Neurodiverse Workforce? Hiring neurodivergent employees isn’t altruism, it’s good business. At John’s Crazy Socks and now through Abilities Rising, we’ve seen firsthand how inclusive teams drive innovation, loyalty, and growth. The old adage says, “You measure what you value.” If inclusion matters, how do we measure it? Inclusion isn’t a one-time initiative or a feel-good press release. It’s a long-term commitment that requires intentional listening, honest data, and a willingness to evolve. In my latest article, I walk through: ✅ How to track neurodivergent representation ✅ Why inclusion surveys must go deeper ✅ What real companies like TD Bank, Dell, EY, IBM, and Microsoft are doing right ✅ How to measure the impact — not just the participation — of your inclusion efforts You can read the article here: https://bit.ly/4jb2d7z We need more leaders who are willing to move from intention to impact. If you’re working on this inside your organization—or want help getting started—let’s connect. #Neurodiversity #DisabilityEmployment #Inclusion #DEI #HRLeadership #AbilitiesRising #JohnsCrazySocks #InclusiveHiring

Here's why 3 out of 10 people don't disclose their neurodivergence to their managers: 👉 the risks outweigh the benefits 👉 once they've shared it, they can't take it back 👉 there's no reasonable adjustments policies in place 👉 there's no guarantee of what happens next 👉 they don't know what their rights are or what help they need 👉 there's no mandatory neurodiversity training for managers at work 👉 they don't know how to explain their condition to anybody else 👉 they're on a years-long waiting list for an assessment 👉 they've had to fight incredibly hard to get to where they are, so why would they risk it? Instead, they may struggle in silence until there's a problem - which can easily end up in the employment tribunal. The legal obligation for employers to make reasonable adjustments arises when they know or should have reasonably known about a disability - they don't need to be told. 🙃 (And managers can be held personally liable for acts of disability discrimination.) In contrast, early & open conversations can benefit everybody - but there needs to be trust. Here's how managers can become neuro-affirmative: ✅ accept that neurodivergence is a reality, regardless of diagnosis or disclosure ✅ seek out specialist education and training (e.g https://lnkd.in/eFePQRzD ) ✅ assume positive intent, noticing your own biases and judgements ✅ provide options & flexibility for people who think differently to you ✅ acknowledge someone's experiences as valid - even if you don't understand them ✅ express a desire to listen, learn & support employees ✅ adapt based on mutual understanding and respect for difference ✅ provide reassurance, kindness, and vulnerability (as simple as saying 'quick chat - good thing!' when requesting meetings) ✅ advocate for yourself & others, such as by recording reasonable adjustments & communicating these against external pressure. ✅ align working environments that support *everybody* (e.g with a reasonable adjustments policy like this one - https://lnkd.in/eK9gMD_x ) Here's what I wrote about it for Training magazine: https://lnkd.in/eYBQQy_z Does this resonate with you? What would you add? Do our Neuro-Affirmative course here: https://lnkd.in/erhuv7CG

Creating Neurodivergent-Friendly Onboarding Programs 🤓 🍎 Onboarding is usually a new hire's first real taste of a company’s culture and expectations. But for neurodivergent individuals, traditional onboarding programs can often be overwhelming or misaligned with their unique ways of processing information. To truly embrace diversity and inclusion, companies need to rethink and redesign their onboarding programs to accommodate neurodivergent team members. Here’s are a few suggestions for how: 🌟 Tailored Communication: Offer multiple formats for delivering information—written, visual, and verbal—to cater to different processing styles. 🌟 Sensory-Friendly Environments: Consider the sensory environment during onboarding sessions. Offering noise-canceling headphones, quiet spaces, or virtual onboarding options can reduce sensory overload for those who may be sensitive to sound, light, or busy environments. Offer breaks to allow for team members to decompress. 🌟 Structured Learning Paths: Break down onboarding into smaller, manageable segments. Providing a clear, structured schedule with defined goals and timelines can help neurodivergent team members feel more at ease and focused. 🌟 Effective Use of Pre-boarding and Post-Boarding: Not everything has to be covered in a new hire's first few days. Providing pre-recorded videos and detailed guides before and after that first week can can help neurodivergent prepare for their first days, and absorb information at their own pace. 🌟 Mentorship and Support: Pair new hires with a mentor who understands neurodiversity. This can provide a safe space for asking questions, seeking clarity, and receiving personalized support. 🌟 Feedback Loops: Create an ongoing feedback mechanism where neurodivergent employees can share their experiences and suggest improvements. This helps in continuously refining the onboarding process to better meet their needs. By implementing these strategies, companies can create an onboarding experience that is not only more inclusive but also sets up neurodivergent employees for success from day one. Let’s move beyond one-size-fits-all onboarding and design programs that celebrate the unique strengths and perspectives of every team member. 🌍💡 #Neurodiversity #Inclusion #Onboarding #WorkplaceCulture #DiversityandInclusion #HR

10 Essential Steps for Neuroinclusive Recruitment: Building a More Diverse and Accessible Workplace: In today’s diverse workforce, embracing neuroinclusion is more than a good practice—it’s a critical step towards fostering innovation, equity, and resilience. However, recruiting neurodivergent talent requires intentional strategies and a commitment to inclusivity. This guide outlines 10 practical steps that all recruiters and hiring managers can implement to make their processes more accessible, welcoming, and fair for neurodivergent candidates. By building a recruitment process that values and supports neurodiverse talent, organisations can unlock unique strengths and create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.