There is a wave of children, adolescents, and young and older adults receiving a diagnosis or self-identifying as neurodivergent. Even though the workplace is neurodiverse now, it isn’t neuroinclusive, and it will need to be to adequately recruit and retain the neurodivergent talent that organisations need to be future-proof.
Now is the time to prepare and future-proof your organisation by gaining first mover advantage at attracting, recruiting and retaining neurodivergent talent.
Millions of people are choosing to prioritise people and planet in their daily lives and work.
Customers, employees, and stakeholders value businesses that prioritise social and environmental responsibility and those whose business practices reflect value-driven decision-making. A commitment to social objectives allows you to align your operations with your broader ESG metrics, while also achieving business benefits.
It reflects your company’s commitment to your social responsibility, making your brand more attractive to socially conscious consumers, employees and partners.
In addition to the social and ethical arguments for neuroinclusion, there’s also a strong business case.
Organisations with inclusive cultures are:
Providing the right environment and supports for neurodivergent employees can unlock tremendous cognitive advantages and therefore positive productivity.
Companies with neurodiversity hiring programmes have reported that their autistic employees were 48% more productive than their peers. Neurodiverse teams also show a positive impact as a whole, demonstrating a 30% higher productivity level than teams without neurodivergent members.2
Some employees in your workforce are neurodivergent and could be very loyal employees; however, non-neuroinclusive environments and relationships will cause absences, burnout, and voluntary resignations. Supporting and retaining neurodivergent employees at all company levels can reduce turnover and result in significant cost savings.
We also know that a neuroinclusive organisation will reduce resignations overall, not just from neurodivergent people, by improving employee experience.
By 2029, the Millennial and Gen Z generations will make up 72% of the world’s workforce 3; who want to join and stay with an organisation for a new reason: because its efforts, purpose and goals align to their own and the world around them. Being an inclusive organisation makes you more attractive as an employer.
As more Gen Z enter the workplace, employers will need to provide a neuroinclusive work environment. In a recent survey 53% of Gen Z said they somewhat or definitely identified as neurodivergent.4
Prioritising neuroinclusion and working with a social enterprise to achieve it can be a key strategy for maximising a company’s social impact and achieving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. ESG leadership is linked to top-line growth, employee productivity, reduced costs and investor attraction.
In 2020, Edelman published an Institutional Investor Trust Report in which they looked at the next generation of investment criteria. In the findings, diversity and inclusion metrics were considered to have a positive impact on company share price.5
A comprehensive neuroinclusion strategy demonstrates your commitment to the S in ESG.
among the 6-market global average investors monitor ESG KPIs (such as carbon emissions and diversity targets) to inform investment decisions on an ongoing basis.
among the 6-market global average investors believe that strong diversity & inclusion metrics have a positive impact on a company’s share price.
There have been 1,200 new pieces of legislation around sustainability and governance introduced since 2011 and a 155% increase in the last decade.6
Starting in 2025, the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive will require more than 50,000 organisations worldwide to begin disclosing their ESG information.
Employees, customers, investors and stakeholders want to see companies that are not only compliant but reflect purpose in how they operate. These new regulations now touch organisations of all sizes and sectors.
Employers that fail to support neurodivergent employees are exposed to legal disputes that are costly and could also damage their reputation. You can avoid this outcome by proactively creating an accessible and neuroinclusive workplace.
Around the globe, laws are coming into force to ensure good practice for the employment of disabled people, including, in some countries, mandatory percentage quotas for how many disabled people should be employed by an organisation (for example up to 6% in France, Germany and Austria).7
Since the turn of the century, we have seen an exponential rise in the number of people on waiting lists for autism and ADHD diagnosis. As society better understands the various ways in which these conditions can present, more people of all ages are seeking diagnosis. These figures don’t include those who will go down the private route for diagnosis, those who choose not to get a medical diagnosis (but self-identify) and those who are neurodivergent but don’t realise it.
These people are skilled and can benefit a business, but may need support that managers aren’t able to provide just yet. In a 2024 UK survey, 54% of managers did not feel capable or confident to support neurodivergent individuals at work.27
1 ‘Fostering an Inclusive Culture is a Business Imperative Not a Trend’, Kim Lessley, Forbes (2020)
2 ‘Neurodiversity as a competitive advantage’, Robert D. Austin and Gary P. Pisano, Harvard Business Review (2017)
3 ‘ESG as a Workforce Strategy’, Marsh McLennan (2019)
4 ‘What Gen Z Entrepreneurs Want’, Forbes, Julie Kratz (Mar 2024)
5 Special Report: Institutional Investors US Results, Edelman Trust Barometer 2020, Edelman (2020)
6 ‘ESG regulations have increased 155% in the last decade’, Matt Mace, Edie (Jun 2023)
7 ‘Legislation in the Member States’, Compendium: Good Practice in Employment of People with Disabilities, European Commission
27 ‘Neurodiversity at work report 2024’, CIPD (Feb, 2024).
28 ‘Time trends in autism diagnosis over 20 years: a UK population-based cohort study’; The Journal of Child Psychology and Psyciatry (Aug 2021)
29 In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated the prevalence of autism had gone up to 1 in 166 children. By 2021, their estimate went up to 1 in 44 children. Referenced in ‘Is Your Company Inclusive of Neurodivergent Employees?’, Harvard Business Review (Feb 2022)
30 ‘The Truth about ADHD and Autism: How Many People Have it, What Causes it and Why are Diagnoses Soaring?’ The Guardian Newspaper, Ian Sample (Jun 2024)
31 Gartner Unveils Top Predictions for IT Organizations and Users in 2024 and Beyond, Gartner (Oct 2023)
We are an authentically neurodiverse company and all our practices and processes are built for, and by, neurodiverse teams.
Established in 2009, we have a proven track record of neuroinclusion success. Learn from a team of subject-matter experts with hundreds of years of combined experience in recruiting, supporting and employing neurodivergent talent.
We have been providing sustainable employment for autistic technologists for 15 years. Additionally more than 30% of our operations staff identify as neurodivergent.
Partner with an award-winning social enterprise with a majority-neurodivergent workforce, and where revenues are reinvested towards impact.
Partner with a multi-cultural and multi-language organisation with operations in 15 countries and expanding globally.