Neurodivergence may have been a fuzzy term for business owners in the past, but it’s become crystal clear how hiring and supporting team members with outside-the-box thinking can be beneficial.

Imagine having team member who’s ultraproductive, dedicated, focused, detail oriented, and innovative. How would you describe them? A dream employee, perhaps? Management material?

These sought-after qualities can also describe neurodivergent people. Unfortunately, however, this group is often overlooked in the job market, resulting in an estimated unemployment rate upward of 40 percent. Discover the many strategic advantages you can get by making your workplace and processes more neurodivergent friendly and how to foster these individuals’ strengths within your organization.

What is neurodivergence?

As this relatively new term indicates, neurodivergence is literally a different (divergent) way of processing (neuro), encompassing a breadth of people who, simply put, are hardwired to experience the world differently. It’s thought that up to 20 percent of Americans are neurodivergent, with the most well-known examples being autism spectrum disorder (ASD), dyslexia, and ADHD. It’s important to note that each of these individuals is different and should be treated accordingly; that said, there are common behaviors they may exhibit in certain situations, including the ones below.

Social interaction
Some, such as those with ASD, may have difficulty with things like nonverbal cues, figurative speaking or humor, and eye contact.

Communication
You may find that some neurodivergent people are surprisingly direct while others are measured in what they say and take more time to clearly explain their thoughts. Change They often thrive in predictable environments, and it can be frustrating for them to deal with change.

Sensory overload
Loud sounds, strobe lights, messy workstations, and the like can cause them to get distracted or act out; as such, they tend to prefer quiet spaces.

Other conditions
Neurodivergent people may sometimes exhibit secondary disorders. For instance, a person with autism may also display OCD, or one with ADHD may also experience anxiety.

No barrier to success

Being neurodivergent isn’t necessarily an obstacle, as evidenced by the success of various well-known figures such as animal behaviorist Temple Grandin and actor Anthony Hopkins, both of whom have autism, and entrepreneurs Richard Branson and Kevin O’Leary, who have dyslexia. Meanwhile, Sandi Wassmer, CEO of the UK nonprofit Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion, has thrived despite being diagnosed with ADHD over fifteen years ago.

Not every neurodivergent person will become an Oscar-winning actor or fly into space, of course, but they do often provide immense workplace value. For example, it’s thought that those with autism can be 90 to 140 percent more productive than their neurotypical counterparts. In addition, studies have found that hiring people with disabilities increases not only revenue, sales, and profit margins but also overall company bonding and morale.

What you can do

As a savvy leader, you should embrace the potential of any team members who are open about their place on the neurodivergence spectrum—along with those who may prefer to remain private—by taking steps to support their needs in the workplace. After all, this is far from a new concept. In fact, Ernst & Young (EY), Freddie Mac, SAP, Home Depot, Charles Schwab, JPMorganChase, and other big businesses have a history of supporting neurodiversity.

The bottom line: if you haven’t yet adjusted your way of running your business in this respect, don’t hesitate to do so. Otherwise, you risk being at a competitive disadvantage both practically (for reasons already discussed) and perceptually (as more job seekers consider inclusion to be an important company value). Here are some ways to go about it.

Create a welcoming first impression

“Feeling excluded and invisible is typical for neurodivergent people,” says professor Ludmila N. Praslova (also a person with ASD) in Harvard Business Review’s Ascend. To help make such situations atypical, update your in-house processes, starting with your hiring methods. From the top down, educate your team about neurodivergent tendencies and needs so they can be baked into job descriptions, interview standards, and company culture. For interviews in particular, eschewing a one-size-fits-all approach can be helpful since job seekers with autism, for example, may have difficulty with standard conversation practices like social cues, such as knowing when it’s their time to speak. Instead, have alternatives like test taking and handson competency demonstrations (such as how to run a program on a laptop) available as part of your interview process in case such options are requested beforehand.

Craft an accommodating work environment

The key to productivity for any employee is a working environment that feels supportive, positive, and collaborative. So how can you make sure your office or remote work meets that standard for your neurodivergent employees? First, be ready to provide reasonable accommodations. Some neurodiversity conditions fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), so such individuals have the legal right to request them, both during interviews and after coming aboard—and your cost will likely be minimal. Per a January 2024 survey by the Job Accommodation Network, 56 percent of employers reported zero expenses for obliging employees with disabilities, and the 37 percent who incurred a one-time cost said it averaged about $300.

Note that to remain ADA compliant, you cannot pose disability-related questions before a job offer is made, though you may generally ask if they need any accommodations. The restrictions aren’t quite as strict once you hire someone, but you might still want to keep the questions broad to help them feel comfortable. For anyone you onboard, consider having their manager inquire whether their setup works well for them; if they request something like dimmer lighting, noise-canceling headphones, or even a walkthrough of Zoom view options for meetings, be prepared to meet their wish. It may also behoove you to go back and provide the same courtesy to your current team to ensure that they feel fully supported and boost morale.

In addition, you and your organization should get in the habit of tweaking your language to avoid subtle but widely construed negative language (e.g., a “disabled person” versus “a person with disabilities”) and be crystal clear about what you mean, such as saying “Complete, factcheck, and distribute this report by Friday” instead of “Get this report done by Friday.” You could also overhaul your company’s work schedule, especially in terms of hours and in-office requirements. Both your neurotypical and neurodiverse employees would appreciate the flexibility, but the latter may especially—some may thrive in the routine of taking the train to work every day, for instance, while others may become withdrawn in a busy office. Finally, look into ways to enhance even your most innocuous processes. Something as simple as providing neurodiverse team members advance notice of forthcoming changes can make a huge difference, allowing them the extra time they may need to process it.

Create a path for future growth

A general rule of thumb is that when you find good employees, you want to keep them, and for neurodivergent ones, that may require some extra considerations. The key is recognizing what each individual excels at and giving them well-defined instructions for how their corporate growth can be achieved, preferably in writing so they can reference back to it. Offering mentoring and training for career advancement, much like you would for neurotypical team members, has also been found to profit these individuals as well as organizations’ bottom lines. This overview can start you on the road toward creating a more inclusive workplace, but there are plenty of ways to get more information, such as through the US Department of Labor or the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN), which provides a comprehensive neurodiversity tool kit for employers. Take that first step today, and discover how much your business can benefit from having these individuals on your team.

TAKE ACTION:
Brainstorm with your HR team about how you can make your organization more inclusive for neurodivergent team members.