Awareness is no longer enough. For the estimated one in five people in the UK who are neurodivergent, the gap between a well-intentioned policy and a truly inclusive workplace remains vast. Cathy Donnelly, Chief People Officer at Everway, explains what businesses need to do differently – from job adverts to performance reviews – to unlock the potential of every employee.
What are the differences in how neurodiverse employees work?
Neurodiversity shows up in many ways. Every neurotype brings differences in how people process information, communicate, and organise their work.
While every person’s experience is unique, some common examples include:
- An employee with ADHD who brings strong creativity and rapid idea generation, but finds long meetings hard to follow without breaks or structure
- An autistic employee who prefers clear instructions and predictable routines, and may find sudden changes or vague briefs stressful
- A dyslexic employee who excels in problem solving and big-picture thinking, but needs more time or tools for reading-heavy tasks
It’s important to remember that these are not deficits, and are simply differences in how people think and work. When workplaces are designed with that in mind, people can use their strengths more consistently. For organisations this means better focus, stronger ideas, and more reliable performance across teams.
How can businesses create a neuroinclusive culture?
Businesses build stronger neuroinclusive cultures when they focus on flexibility, trust, and clear communication from the start. That means moving beyond broad awareness campaigns and embedding inclusion into everyday practices. Employees should not have to disclose a condition before they can access support or work in a way that helps them perform at their best.
Cathy Donnelly
Chief People Officer at Everway
Many neurodivergent employees hesitate to disclose at work, and the data shows why.
Among the 500 neurodivergent employees we surveyed, 61% said they have experienced stigma in the workplace. Those who chose not to disclose their neurodiversity at work shared two main concerns:
- 44% felt it would negatively impact their career
- 42% worried managers or colleagues would view them differently
This tells us something important. The goal is not to push disclosure. The goal is to build trust and offer support in a safe, universal way.
At Everway, we’ve found that Employee Resource Groups can play an important role in building a neuroinclusive culture.
Cultural shifts don’t happen overnight. They require a commitment to “listening sessions” and active feedback loops. Our neurodiversity ERG, ‘Enable’, helps create space for employees to share experiences, raise feedback, and shape workplace improvements directly.
This has influenced changes ranging from workplace accessibility reviews to the introduction of the Sunflower Lanyard scheme across the organisation. When leadership is open about their own journey, as Everway’s Founder and CEO Martin McKay has been with his dyslexia diagnosis, it helps to create psychological safety at work. It sends a clear signal: you don’t need a formal diagnosis to get support – unlocking the potential of every employee makes good business sense.
