What Employers Can Do To Reduce The Autism Employment Gap

Why Should Private Organisations Employ Neurodivergent Individuals?

Article 1. First published on LinkedIn April 15, 2025

There are several reasons why private organisations should employ neurodivergent people, some of which are listed below.

1. Survival of the fittest

Today’s companies live in a rapidly changing, highly competitive global world with daily threats and challenges including the emergence of artificial intelligence. Many organisations will not survive unless they gain a competitive edge. In order to do so they will need to be creative and innovative. Unfortunately many of them recruit employees similar to those they already employ, in their desire for the new recruits to ‘fit in’. This can lead to ‘group think’ where consensus is valued too much and no one wants to step out of line. This approach stifles innovation and is a very risky strategy. If companies carry on doing what they have always done, regardless of technological change and world events, they are unlikely to survive.

In order to be creative, organisations need to recruit and retain a diverse workforce. Neurodivergent people in particular tend to think differently, are capable of fresh ideas and approach problems in unconventional ways. Including such people in the workforce fosters creativity, leads to vigorous debate, innovative ideas and products and different ways of doing things. Although all neurodivergent people are different they usually have a spiky cognitive profile with some very marked strengths, many of which would be valuable to an employer. Neurodivergent employees may possess some, if not all, of the following strengths:

good problem solving skills – analytical and logical;
efficient and productive;
very creative;
original thinkers – can think outside the box;
can make good suggestions for improvements to processes and procedures;
intense powers of concentration – hyperfocus;
strong work ethic – perfectionist, high quality accurate work, attention to detail;
very good long term memory;
good at recognising patterns and connections in data;
excellent visual-spatial skills;
good writing skills;
honest, reliable, trustworthy;
loyal – can stay a long time in a job;
genuine and straightforward – no hidden agenda;
approachable, friendly, eager to please.

2. Shortage of talent

Many organisations find it difficult to recruit talented employees. Employing more neurodivergent people could help to solve this talent shortage. It is thought that between 15 and 20% of the global population are neurodivergent: this is a large pool of potential talent to draw from.

3. Workplace morale

The culture and process changes required to be a successful employer of neurodivergent people will help all individuals within the organisation. This includes existing employees that are probably neurodivergent but who are either unaware of their condition or not prepared to say because of the perceived stigma. A culture of acceptance and respect improves workplace morale, promotes collaboration and mutual support, encourages loyalty and reduces staff turnover. Valued and supported employees can bring their true selves to work and give of their best, with no need to mask and a consequent reduction in the incidence of burnout.

4. Attract and retain more employees

Inclusive companies are often perceived as more ethically and socially responsible which is attractive to young people who would like to work for such organisations. These companies often earn strong reputations which makes them desirable employers. Inclusive environments, where people feel supported and valued and which provide psychological safety for their employees, are very attractive to jobseekers, particularly those that are looking for stable environments.

5. Attract more customersInclusive companies are often perceived as more ethically and socially responsible which is attractive to many consumers, whilst companies that are seen to discriminate are likely to alienate their customers. The innovative ideas and products created by diverse teams are also likely to meet the needs of a wider audience.Given the advantages described above, why don’t more organisations employ neurodivergent people? Possibly because it requires a considerable amount of effort to make the necessary culture and process changes and many companies simply don’t know how to go about it. Further articles in this newsletter will discuss what organisations need to do if they wish to attract and retain neurodivergent individuals.

Why Should Private Organisations Employ Neurodivergent Individuals?

Article 1. First published on LinkedIn April 15, 2025

There are several reasons why private organisations should employ neurodivergent people, some of which are listed below.

1. Survival of the fittest

good problem solving skills – analytical and logical;
efficient and productive;
very creative;
original thinkers – can think outside the box;
can make good suggestions for improvements to processes and procedures;
intense powers of concentration – hyperfocus;
strong work ethic – perfectionist, high quality accurate work, attention to detail;
very good long term memory;
good at recognising patterns and connections in data;
excellent visual-spatial skills;
good writing skills;
honest, reliable, trustworthy;
loyal – can stay a long time in a job;
genuine and straightforward – no hidden agenda;
approachable, friendly, eager to please.

2. Shortage of talent

3. Workplace morale

4. Attract and retain more employees

Understand what a neuroinclusive business culture looks like.

Article 2. First Published on LinkedIn May 26, 2025

As described in my previous article (‘Why Should Private Organisations Employ Neurodivergent Individuals?’), many organisations are finding it very difficult to recruit and retain the talented, innovative individuals who think differently and are vital if the business is to thrive, no matter survive, in this increasingly competitive world. Autistic people could easily fill this gap if employers knew how to recruit and retain them. The most important, yet difficult, thing an employer needs to do is to create a neurodiverse-friendly culture which removes many of the barriers currently experienced by neurodivergent people. All organisations, even though they may be unaware of it, will employ neurodivergent individuals already. By changing the business culture to be truly neuroinclusive, an organisation can ensure all their employees can bring their true selves to work and give of their best. I appreciate that in this current challenging political environment this may be difficult for some organisations.

In this article I will describe what a neuroinclusive business culture looks like, and in next month’s article I will discuss what employers can do to create such a culture.

What does a neuroinclusive culture look like?

It is a welcoming, happy and inclusive environment where everyone, including autistic employees, feels valued and supported and where people are encouraged to share their neurodivergent identity. It is a culture:

which focuses on the strengths and potential of all employees;
where problems are minimised and employees can give of their best;
where everyone is treated as an individual and no one needs to mask;
where differences in communication, thinking, and behaviour are respected and understood;
where bullying and discrimination is deemed to be completely unacceptable;
where there is a willingness to include whatever reasonable adjustments employees need in order to do a good job;
where employee concerns are taken seriously and recorded and strategies then put in place to deal with them.

What are the main characteristics of an organisation with a neuroinclusive culture?

It is one where:

There is recognition at board level and throughout the organisation, of the importance of hiring neurodivergent people plus a deliberate policy to recruit a diverse workforce. Senior leaders must understand what neurodiversity is, its value, and their role in creating an inclusive environment;
Neuroinclusion goals are tied to business goals and manager’s performance evaluations;
Neurodivergent staff are involved in shaping neuroinclusive policies which are then regularly reviewed and adapted to reflect employee feedback;
Diversity is actively promoted so that it feels psychologically safe for everyone to be themselves regardless of disability, gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity. Everyone should feel safe sharing their neurodivergence without fear of stigma or negative career impact;
Disability, including neurodiversity, should be included in the organisation’s diversity statement and celebrated in internal communications and events;
The organisation’s website features a strong and publicly celebrated Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy which includes neuroinclusion and personal stories from neurodivergent individuals are featured (with consent) on the company’s website;
The company’s promotional and recruitment materials contains a message of disability inclusiveness and an employee with a disability attends recruitment events;
Regular neurodivergent awareness training is provided for all managers so that they can lead with empathy and actively champion neuroinclusion not just support it passively;
Regular mandatory neurodivergent awareness training is provided for all staff. Absolutely key to the successful employment of autistic and other neurodivergent people is the ability of neurotypical workers to understand their neurodivergent colleagues and be able to communicate with them. Neurodivergent awareness and acceptance training is crucial to achieve an accepting, tolerant and understanding culture and should not be a one-off exercise; all new staff should receive this training as part of their onboarding. As flexibility and tolerance will be required from all those who supervise, interact, or collaborate with neurodivergent people, these training sessions are essential in order to understand their behaviour as well as appreciate the strengths and benefits they can bring to the workplace. This training will help managers and staff spot any potential problems early on and find ways to ensure that the right support is available to those that need it;
Ongoing, external support from specialist employment service providers is employed. This will make the organisation more confident employing neurodivergent people, as the providers can advise on suitable workplace accommodations as well as help resolve any potential work problems before they escalate;
There is a designated manager in the organisation responsible for neurodiversity support– they should work directly with both the employee and the employee’s line manager;
Career development pathways are provided and there are co-workers with autism or other neurodivergent identifications who have been promoted. It is important to see role models who have reached a senior level in the organisation and know that disclosure wouldn’t shut down opportunities for promotion or training;
There is a neurodiversity-focused Employee Resource Group.
A formal workplace accommodations process exists that is simple and confidential and the importance of accommodations for all employees is well publicised. Any changes to operational practices that have been introduced in order to create and maintain a neuroinclusive environment, are publicised throughout the organisation and made available to all employees so that the responsibility for sharing an identification, asking for accommodations and possibly fighting for them is unnecessary.
Strong anti-discrimination and anti-bullying policies exist and are enforced;
HR personnel are familiar with their country’s equalities legislation and with disability and workplace accommodations and feel capable and confident to support neurodivergent individuals at work;
Access to senior mentoring and a workplace support circle is available. This could include a team manager, a team buddy and if necessary a job coach. In order to ensure the environment remains neurodivergent friendly there needs to be structured, ongoing support for both neurodivergent employees and their managers;
There is a fair system for submitting grievances;

Neurodivergent-friendly recruitment and management processes have been introduced.

How can an organisation create a neuroinclusive culture?

Article 3. First published on LinkedIn June 25th 2025

In my last article I described what a neuroinclusive culture looks like. In this article I make some suggestions as to how an organisation could go about creating such a culture.

Changing the culture of a business is extremely difficult and shouldn’t be underestimated, as the default position for many organisations is preservation of the status quo. Driving culture change effectively in any organization or group requires a strategic, sustained approach that aligns values, behaviours and systems. The main steps are listed below.

1. Leadership buy-in

To be successful, a change like this means serious commitment at board and senior management level, with the culture change becoming a leadership priority. Neuroinclusion needs to be embedded in company values and diversity initiatives and modelled by the senior leadership. Sufficient resources (money, people and time) should be allocated to the project. There should be an internal sponsor or champion at executive level in order to drive inclusion practices throughout the organisation. Ideally the champion is someone who is extremely approachable, with a passion for encouraging and supporting neurodivergent people. While the CEO and executive team drive the day-to-day culture, the board sets the tone from the top and holds leadership accountable; this includes being willing to replace the CEO if he/she resists the change in culture.

The leadership team will need neurodiversity training to eliminate misconceptions and find out how best to support neurodivergent employees. The organisation can’t expect to become autism experts overnight so it must be prepared to use external neurodiversity experts to provide the necessary expertise and resources.

2. Clearly define the desired culture

It is important that the core values and behaviours that will define the company’s neuroinclusive culture are identified and align with the company’s long-term vision and business strategy. The vision of what a neuroinclusive culture will look like, feel like and why it matters should be clearly articulated (see previous article). Clear goals should be set for neurodiversity recruitment, retention, promotion, employee satisfaction and workplace accommodations. Ownership should be assigned to specific roles and budgets allocated.

3.Audit the current culture

A cultural audit should be carried out to evaluate the organisation’s current policies (looking particularly at bias and unintended exclusion), recruitment (including job descriptions, application forms and interviews), workplace practices and employee experience. Anonymous feedback should be employed to gain some understanding of the employee experience.

4. Make a plan

A plan to move the existing culture to a neuroinclusive one should be created, with a realistic timeline and milestones. An early task on this plan should be to train managers and teams on neurodiversity awareness to increase understanding and acceptance, reduce stigma and improve communication. Real-life scenarios and testimonials should be used in training sessions and outside experts should carry out the training.

It is really important that the planning is done very thoughtfully. For example, it is no good making the recruitment neuroinclusive without incorporating proper support and readily available accommodations, or the newly recruited neurodivergent employees are unlikely to stay.

Other tasks that should be covered on the plan include:

updating the organisation’s policies and practices;
ensuring the leadership communicates clearly, consistently and honestly about why and how the culture will be changing;
empowering employees;
updating systems and processes;
improving internal communications;
designing flexible hiring, onboarding and accommodation/adjustment options.

5. Empower employees

All organisations include neurodivergent employees even if they are unaware who they are. It is crucial that the views of these neurodivergent people should be listened to, as cultural change is more successful when employees feel ownership. If possible, neurodivergent employees should form part of the team responsible for identifying the changes required to create a neuroinclusive culture and their voices should shape policies and practices. Their input may need to be anonymous if they don’t feel the current culture is psychologically safe enough for them to talk about their neurodivergency.

An Employee Resource Group focused on neurodiversity should be set up. These groups can offer valuable insights to the organisation, can champion the culture changes and promote psychological safety and belonging thereby encouraging people to share their neurodivergent identities. If senior employees feel able to identify as neurodivergent and join the group it will be particularly beneficial to the many neurodivergent employees who may have kept their neurodivergence a secret, because of the fear of stigma and discrimination.

6. Tailor systems and processes

Neurodiversity awareness and training are not enough to change the business culture; major changes to the systems and processes within the organisation will be necessary so that they support neurodivergent people. Recruitment, onboarding and supportive work environments will need to be redesigned in order to accommodate diverse neurological needs and enable psychological safety. If the organisation is large it may be a good idea to pilot these changes in one department or division before rolling it out throughout the business. The lessons learned in the pilot will improve the rest of the implementation.

Changes could include the following:

Establish inclusive recruitment and onboarding procedures;
Offer and publicise available accommodations;
Make the accommodations process transparent, fast and without stigma;
Make it safe and easy to request support;
Pair neurodivergent employees with mentors who understand neurodiversity;
Provide guides/toolkits on inclusive management and communication;
Incorporate sensory-friendly work spaces;
Allow flexible work schedules;
Encourage diverse communication methods.

7. Make this change sustainable

Cultural change is a long-term project and can take years, so the board must support long-term investment and perseverance. Clear leadership, patience, persistence and systems that support and reward the new behaviours are crucial. The organisation must resist backsliding, particularly in times of crisis if pressure mounts to revert to old behaviours.

In order to make the culture change sustainable ensure that:

there is ongoing communication, promotion and reinforcement of the new culture – neurodiversity should be treated as a strength and not a liability;
behaviours that align with the new culture are celebrated and publicly recognised in order to inspire buy-in;
HR (Human Resources) promote and design a neuroinclusive organisation;
HR practices, recruitment, performance reviews, promotions and rewards reflect neuroinclusive values;
there is a clear point of contact in HR for neurodivergent employees;
policies and practices are reviewed annually for continued alignment with neuroinclusion;
there are systems, including safe, continuous surveys, anonymous feedback, interviews and observations to monitor the culture and ensure it remains neuroinclusive. Neurodivergent employees should feel free to voice any concerns they may have about the inclusiveness of the culture;
the organisation treats any concerns seriously, is prepared to be flexible and responsive to what’s working and what’s not and takes appropriate steps to rectify the situation;
managers who don’t practice neuroinclusive actions are held accountable;
neurodiversity training is given to all new employees – incorporating lived experience perspectives;
ongoing neurodiversity training is provided for all employees, including managers;
future leaders are developed to support a neuroinclusive culture;
mentorship programs or job coaches are provided.

My next article will look at the main barriers to creating a neuroinclusive business culture.

Barriers to creating a neuroinclusive business culture

Article 4. First published on LinkedIn on August 2 2025

Although there is increasing awareness of the benefits that neurodivergent employees can bring to an organisation, it is rare for them to become fully neuroinclusive, even if some parts of the organisation are already running successful neuroinclusive initiatives. As a result it is still very challenging for neurodivergent people to find and keep a job which really utilises their strengths and enables them to contribute fully to their organisation’s goals.

So what are the main barriers that prevent organisations becoming truly neuroinclusive? Why is it so difficult and why is it taking so long? I have grouped some of the reasons under four main headings: absence of senior leadership, superficial neurodiversity awareness, entrenched ways of doing things and failure to involve neurodivergent staff.

Absence of Senior Leadership

Without strong sponsorship, genuine buy-in and a united desire of the senior leadership team to change the business culture, it is very unlikely that a truly neuroinclusive culture will be created. Some of the reasons include the following:

Neurodiversity is often left out of broader equity, diversity and inclusion priorities;
The belief that the creation of a neuroinclusive culture is a niche Human Resources (HR) initiative rather than part of a broader strategy that should be embedded everywhere.
Competing priorities, short term pressures and focus on quarterly results mean it is hard to justify spending time and resources on projects that may not show an immediate return on investment; this is particularly true in times of cost cutting. There is a fear that redesigning processes, training, and introducing accommodations will be costly and will introduce management challenges. Resources allocated to the project (such as budget, time and energy) remain minimal, there may be inadequate training of HR and managers in neuroinclusive practice so neuroinclusion initiatives stall.
Large organisations are often complex, fragmented and geographically dispersed. Many successful initiatives start in one part of the organisation because of passionate individuals or teams but unless the senior leadership formally endorses, resources and measures neurodiversity as a strategic priority, changing the whole business culture becomes a side initiative and neuroinclusion projects remain limited to the areas where these champions are active.
Although research shows inclusive organisations benefit from increased creativity, productivity and employee retention, if successful neurodiverse teams in the organisation don’t measure or share the impact of their initiatives then the decision makers may not see the point of scaling up.
Some leaders worry that formal neuroinclusion policies could expose them to lawsuits or reputational risk if they get things wrong and this can discourage experimentation with neuroinclusive strategies.

Superficial Neurodiversity Awareness

A limited awareness of neurodiversity and a lack of deep knowledge can prove a major barrier to the creation of a neuroinclusive culture. Some of the reasons include the following:

A lack of understanding of the range of neurodiversity conditions and the associated strengths and behaviours can lead to well intentioned but ineffective policies. Overgeneralisation can fail to meet the needs of many neurodivergent employees – for example, simple solutions such as a quiet room alone isn’t sufficient to meet the needs of all neurodivergent staff.
A lack of appropriate manager training can lead to a lack of understanding of neurodivergent traits and needs.
Even though the organisation may run neurodiversity awareness workshops, inclusion remains abstract unless it translates into concrete changes that support neurodivergent staff.
Superficial neurodiversity awareness can give rise to policies and practices that unintentionally exclude or marginalise neurodivergent people. A lack of tailored accommodations may mean that neurodivergent employees have to fight for basic support, have to endure microaggressions or are forced to mask. If their needs aren’t met they are likely to leave.

Entrenched Ways of Doing Things

Rigid processes, legacy systems and deeply rooted habits can make the change to a neuroinclusive culture very difficult for the following reasons:

People get comfortable with the ways things are done, they feel familiar and with that comes safety. They can feel threatened by any changes to the way they work which can then trigger fear. This is particularly true for those who have benefitted the most from the existing culture – they may actively resist any change and view the changes with scepticism. Unwritten rules may be even harder to change then formal processes.
The existing processes and procedures are frequently inflexible, ‘one size fits all’, designed for the neurotypical. This can apply to traditional recruitment (interviews, group assessments, and timed tests), performance reviews, training and development, workplace design and communication norms.
Traditional business environments often reward conformity to social norms, linear career paths, standardised communication and collaboration styles and rigid workplace structures. The new neuroinclusive system will need to reward new behaviours.
There will need to be consistent reinforcement and communication of the new culture, or people will revert to their old ways of working.
Too many initiatives can lead to people suffering from change fatigue.

Failure to Involve Neurodivergent Staff

When neuroinclusion strategies are designed for neurodivergent employees rather than with them they are likely to fail to meet the needs and priorities of the people they are designed to serve.
Without understanding the real needs of neurodivergent staff the organisation is likely to underestimate the systemic changes that are required to create a neuroinclusive culture.
Unless the company uses regular, anonymous employee feedback as a means of reviewing how effectively the culture meets the needs of all the organisation’s employees, the lack of neurodivergent involvement in the move to a neurodiverse culture will lead inevitably to failure. Not only is it important to understand how the existing culture fails to meet the needs of their neurodivergent staff but the impact of any inclusion programmes needs to be measured at regular intervals to see if it is having the desired effect and then adapted as a result of employee feedback.
One of the main reasons why neurodivergent staff are not involved in creating a neuroinclusive culture is that they have not shared/disclosed their neurodivergent identity because of a lack of psychological safety. They fear stigma and discrimination. Unfortunately this is a chicken and egg situation because the culture is unlikely to feel psychologically safe until it has moved some way to become neuroinclusive. As the organisation is unaware which of their employees are neurodivergent they can’t include them in the culture change.

The next few articles will describe how an organisation can introduce autism-friendly recruitment practices.

Websites and Career Pages

Article 5. First published on LinkedIn September 4, 2025

Does your organisation want to attract neurodivergent candidates because of their many outstanding strengths. If so you will need to ensure that your website and career pages are welcoming and don’t introduce unintentional barriers. It would be worth checking whether they include the features described below.

1. Supportive culture signals

Make it clear that you welcome neurodivergent applicants and are happy to offer accommodations/adjustments such as flexible working. Include quotes or videos from senior leaders showing a genuine commitment to neurodiversity inclusion.
Include testimonials, videos or blog posts from employees describing what is is like to work in your organisation and the support they have received.
Offer accommodations/adjustments for the application process (such as extra time, alternative interview formats, breaks and quiet spaces) and make it clear how the candidate can request these.
Include neurodiversity as part of your Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy and highlight the role of your neurodiversity Employee Resource Group(s).
Describe how you support the career development of neurodivergent employees.

2. Clear and accessible website

Organise the content in a consistent and logical way with simple menus, minimal clutter, clear headers, short paragraphs and bullet points. Use concise and direct wording with short clear sentences. Break up information into expandable sections. Avoid corporate jargon.
Optimise for mobile phones and minimise loading speed.
Avoid flashing content, distracting animations and auto-playing videos. Offer a calm mode toggle to minimise bright colours, motion and clutter.
Use dyslexia-friendly fonts (such as Arial or Verdana), a large font size (12pt or greater) and good line spacing. Allow users to adjust font sizes without breaking the layout.
Ensure there is a good colour contrast between the text and background (preferably dark text on a light background) but avoid overly bright or neon colours.
Ensure the website can be navigated smoothly and is compatible with screen readers, voice navigation and keyboard only users.
Provide text, video and audio versions for key information.

3. Career pages

If you would like to encourage neurodivergent people to apply to your organisation then, in addition to the features described above, career pages should also include the following:

a prominent position on the website;
an easy way to filter open positions by keyword, location and/or department;
a list of current job openings (regularly updated) with a clear and simple way for candidates to apply in a few steps;
neuro-inclusive language avoiding subtle bias;
job descriptions which focus on essential skills only and make it clear what the company is looking for;
a description of the work environment and the team the candidate would be working with;
a brief description of the hiring process, timelines and what’s evaluated;
the ability to apply in a variety of ways, including video, audio or portfolio submissions;
the ability for applicants to review and edit their responses before finalising them;
training and development opportunities including those for neurodivergent candidates;
your benefits package including opportunities for flexible working;
links to your social media pages;
an option to sign up for job alerts.

4. Ensure your web and career pages are regularly reviewed by neurodivergent employees to ensure they remain attractive to neurodiverse candidates and don’t contain any unintentional barriers.

Job Adverts

Article 6. First published on LinkedIn October 14, 2025

If organisations wish to employ more neurodivergent applicants in order to benefit from their unique skills and talents, they need to ensure that their job adverts don’t contain elements that may deter these candidates from applying for the advertised positions.

In order to create adverts that will attract neurodivergent applicants, it is important to:

audit your adverts carefully against the criteria described below to see if they are unintentionally excluding neurodivergent candidates;
modify your adverts as necessary;
let your existing neurodivergent employees review them to identify any unconscious bias or remaining barriers;
monitor the outcome of your adverts to see if they are attracting the types of neurodivergent applicants you wish to hire.

If this is done with care, neurodivergent candidates should feel encouraged to apply for the advertised jobs and organisations should get the best applicants, regardless of whether they are neurodivergent or not. However, attracting these applicants is only the first step. The interview process and then an inclusive workplace culture are crucial if these applicants are going to become valuable members of your workforce. These topics will be discussed in future editions of this newsletter.

The most important characteristics of job advertisements for you to consider, should you wish to attract neurodivergent applicants, include the following:

1. Requirements

Requirements to attract neurodivergent candidates should:

focus on what the job actually involves;
be clear about necessary skills and only include requirements that are essential, as many neurodivergent candidates won’t apply unless they meet 100% of the criteria;
distinguish must-have versus nice-to-have criteria;
minimise the must-have requirements to encourage applications from those who might feel excluded by long lists and to avoid discouraging potential applicants who may interpret requirements literally;
clearly outline all job responsibilities, provide a clear description of daily tasks and the work environment and specify exactly what is expected so that candidates can easily assess whether this might be a suitable role for them;
not emphasise non-essential social skills if the role does not demand it and only list essential interpersonal requirements, such as ‘ability to work with others’, if it is core to the job;
avoid unnecessary soft skills language such as, ‘must be outgoing’, ‘confident’, ‘team player’ or ‘energetic’;
avoid overuse of phrases that stress fit with the current team culture as this can discourage neurodiverse applicants;
focus on strengths, practical skills, practical experience and outcomes rather than: rigid, unnecessary or formal qualifications such as advanced degrees, lengthy lists of experiences or personality traits;
recognise non-traditional backgrounds and skills and welcome alternative qualifications, transferable skills and experiences such as freelance, voluntary or personal projects.

2. Neurodiversity and adjustments

If job adverts don’t include statements welcoming neurodivergent applicants and don’t mention adjustments or accommodations, neurodivergent applicants may well feel unwelcome and may assume they won’t be supported. Adverts that include phrases such as, ‘must multi-task’, ‘cope with a fast-paced environment’ and ‘open-plan offices’ can imply a workplace that isn’t inclusive of different sensory or cognitive needs. To avoid this, explicitly highlight inclusive values and workplace accommodations in your adverts ensuring these:

state a commitment to neurodiversity;
explicitly invite neurodivergent candidates to apply by including phrases such as, ‘We welcome applications from neurodivergent candidates’ or ‘We encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates’;
provide a welcoming, factual description of the workplace culture with phrases such as ‘join a team that values inclusion, creativity and collaboration in a supportive environment’;
focus on the applicant’s strengths;
inform applicants that your organisation has a commitment to providing support and reasonable accommodations at every stage of the recruitment process, using inclusive phrases such as, ‘If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview process please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs’ or ‘If you need any accommodations during the hiring process please do not hesitate to let us know so that we can support you appropriately’;
describe the accommodations you are happy to provide such as, remote work, flexible work hours and quiet spaces for sensory comfort, adjustments to interviews or alternatives to the traditional interview;
signal that no diagnosis is needed to access support;
mention that all adjustment requests will be treated confidentially;
provide a clear contact point in the advert for candidates to discuss any specific needs;
describe the workplace environment;
provide a link to neurodivergent employees’ experiences;
include inclusive, neuro-affirming and respectful language such as neurodivergent, autistic, ADHD, dyslexic or dyspraxic rather than ‘suffering from’ or ‘affected by’ and avoid deficit based language such as disorders or references to normal and abnormal.

3. Formatting

Use clear, simple and accessible formatting which should help applicants identify roles quickly and feel less overwhelmed. Suitable formatting includes:

clear headings;
short paragraphs or bullet points rather than dense blocks of text;
logical ordering;
easy navigation to minimise cognitive overload;
short sentences, avoiding complex phrasing /language;
clear, legible and consistent fonts;
avoiding the excessive use of italics or capitalisation;
avoiding PDFs when possible, as they are difficult to read on phones and are not interactive;
using good contrast and no overwhelming colours;
allowing users to change text size or background colour;
offering alternative formats (such as video, voice notes, audio) for candidates who process information differently;
adverts that are screen reader (text-to-voice) friendly, which includes using alt text for images and figures.

4. Language

Use clear, direct and literal language that avoids:

jargon, idioms, metaphors, figures of speech that can be misinterpreted or confusing, buzz words, (such as rock-star, guru, culture fit), industry slang and technical or complicated terms unless they are clearly explained;
vague descriptions and ambiguous or non-inclusive phrases such as, ‘excellent communicator’ or ‘great interpersonal skills’, ‘team player’, ‘dynamic, outgoing self-starter’, ‘must thrive under pressure’, ‘fast-paced environment’;
ambiguous instructions;
biased language;
terms such ‘determined’ or ‘competitive’ which can discourage some applicants, replacing with ‘collaborative’ or ‘innovative’;
emotional language such as “brave” or “inspirational” which can create confusion and anxiety;
negative or discouraging language such as ‘must not make mistakes’.

5. Applications

Provide clear, step-by-step instructions for applying, interviewing and onboarding;
supply timelines so candidates know what to expect, as this can reduce uncertainty and anxiety;
offer reasonable adjustments from the start of the recruitment process;
describe clearly what documents should be submitted and when;
describe what the interview will involve and say that interview questions will be offered in advance.

6. Contact options

State that you respect different communication styles and offer multiple ways to apply or contact you such as, online accessible portals, email, written form or phone.

Reasons why interviews fail to recruit neurodivergent employees

Article 7. First published on LinkedIn November 11, 2025

This article looks at some of the reasons why traditional interviews can fail to recruit neurodivergent candidates, even if they have the best skills for the job.

Traditional job interviews, designed with neurotypical candidates in mind, can be an excellent way of selecting people that are good at interviewing but they don’t necessarily identify the best individuals for the job. Traditional interviews often reward confidence, charisma, social skills and quick thinking, traits that don’t always correlate with job performance. Too much emphasis can be placed on all round generic skills rather than the exceptional technical, creative or analytical skills the neurodivergent person is likely to possess. Managers frequently recruit in their own image and interviews can often assess the candidate’s ability to develop a rapport with the interviewer rather than their ability to do the job. This can mean that many neurodivergent candidates find interviewing a major barrier to obtaining a job: they may well struggle to ‘sell themselves’ and are often unable to demonstrate what they are capable of.

There are many reasons why neurodivergent candidates don’t do well in traditional interviews, some of which I describe below.

Social and Communication Challenges

Traditional interviews heavily emphasize social performance; interviewers often (unconsciously?) expect neurotypical communication styles with their unwritten social rules. Recruiters assess traits like eye contact, tone of voice, body language, small talk, spontaneous responses, rapport-building or whether a candidate “fits in,” regardless of whether these attributes are actually needed for the vacant job. When a neurodivergent person behaves differently it can be misinterpreted, leading to unfairly low ratings on ‘friendliness’, ‘enthusiasm’ or ‘fit’, even if the neurodivergent candidate is highly capable and would be an excellent match for the role in question.

1. First Impressions

First impressions tend to be crucial when meeting unfamiliar people and the ability to form an instant rapport with interviewers is particularly important. However interpreting and responding to social cues in real time can be exhausting or confusing for many neurodivergent candidates. Some may:

fail to greet the interviewer(s) with a greeting or friendly smile;
lack any facial expression;
lack a firm handshake;
wear inappropriate clothes and/or have an unkempt appearance;
have poor hygiene with body odour and/or bad breath;
make unusual movements or noises, or fidget.

2. Eye Contact

Many neurodivergent candidates will have difficulties maintaining the ‘right’ amount of eye contact, avoiding eye contact altogether or staring. Difficulties initiating or maintaining eye contact may occur either because this is too painful or because it is so distracting that it interferes with the neurodivergent person’s ability to listen to the person who is talking to them and absorb what they are saying. Staring can arise because the neurodivergent person has been told to try and maintain eye contact or because it helps with face recognition, which can be a challenge for some. If interviewers are unaware that the interviewee is neurodivergent and don’t realise that their presentation may be part of their neurotype, then there is a risk that the candidate will be judged unfavourably.

3. Communication

Neurodivergent candidates may display some of the following characteristics in interviews which interviewers may then judge unfavourably:

difficulties understanding body language or facial expressions;
an unusual way of speaking in terms of grammar, pronunciation, word stress, use of pauses, intonation and vocabulary;
talking too fast or very slowly;
not being aware when it’s appropriate to start talking, how long to answer or how much enthusiasm to show;
problems starting and maintaining conversations plus an inability to make small talk;
an inability to judge how much information is required so that they talk too much, don’t say enough or say something inappropriate or irrelevant – they may struggle to stay on one topic under stress;
they may speak impulsively and interrupt;
an inability to judge the purpose behind the interviewer’s questions, particularly if these are open or ambiguous. Many neurodivergent applicants interpret questions literally, making vague or open-ended interview prompts (such as ‘tell me about yourself’, ‘what are your strengths and weaknesses’ or ‘why should we hire you?’) confusing and anxiety-inducing, as these candidates may prefer specific, direct questions and may not intuitively understand what information is most relevant;
a monotonous tone of voice which may sound like a lack of enthusiasm for the job being applied for;
an inability to show enthusiasm if they are nervous;
an inappropriate level of formality, being over familiar or too formal;
a very direct communication style which may be judged as abrupt;
a lack of confidence because of previous interview experiences;
closing their eyes while listening, to cut out some sensory distractions.

Sensory and Environmental Challenges

Sensory sensitivities — to lighting, sounds, smells, clothing textures, or physical space — are common and can cause significant discomfort or even overwhelm during interviews held in unfamiliar, overstimulating environments. Interview settings (bright lights, noisy waiting rooms, background noise, uncomfortable clothes or face-to-face proximity with strangers or a group of interviewers) can cause sensory distress/overload which can increase anxiety. Unfortunately when a person becomes stressed they become even more sensitive to their sensory environment, making it even harder to focus, remember key points, or communicate clearly.

Executive Function and Processing Speed

Executive function is an umbrella term for a group of complex mental processes that are associated primarily with the pre-frontal cortex: it has been likened to the conductor of an orchestra or the chief executive of an organization. The term executive function includes the following cognitive abilities: paying attention, coping with change, working or short-term memory, organising, planning, sequencing, prioritising, time management, initiating actions and self-monitoring and regulation. Neurodivergent people may have increased difficulties with the above when they are very anxious, as in an interview. Some of the reasons are described below.

Interviews require juggling multiple tasks: recalling examples, managing time, monitoring body language and responding to new information. Processing the question, recalling a memory, structuring an answer and expressing it clearly — all under time pressure — can be difficult. Long and/or unstructured interviews, as well as multi-part, ambiguous or complex questions can be particularly stressful. Interviewees can become very anxious, which can make it harder to focus and more difficult to communicate clearly.
Traditional interviews heavily emphasize spontaneous responses which many neurodivergent people are unable to provide as they need extra time to process the questions. They can find it harder to organize their thoughts quickly enough to give concise and coherent answers on the spot to hypothetical and abstract questions. They can find it difficult to process, in real time, rapid shifts in topics or ambiguous phrasing. Interviews that prioritize quick, polished answers can disadvantage people who think deeply but slowly.
eurodivergent people may prefer structure, routine and predictability. The change in routine involved in going to an interview, any unexpected schedule or format changes or ambiguous instructions can increase anxiety. High anxiety levels, can lead to difficulties recalling relevant experiences or answering questions clearly under pressure, regardless of the candidate’s actual ability to do the work.

The most important accommodations an organisation can offer before an interview

Article 8. First published on LinkedIn January 16, 2026

As described in my previous article, there are many reasons why traditional interviews, that have been designed for neurotypical candidates, can often exclude neurodivergent people. The best interviews should identify the most talented and competent candidates, not those most skilled at performing under social stress, that is in interviews.

This article looks at the most important accommodations organisations should introduce before a recruitment interview, while the next article will describe the most important accommodations to include during the interview itself. Following these recommendations will enable employers to recruit the best people for their vacancies, whether they are neurodivergent or not. They should also minimise the organisation’s exposure to employment tribunal claims and lawsuits, all of which are currently rising sharply both in the UK and the US. Some of my recommendations may be things you do already but some of the others may involve a considerable change to the way your organisation does things.

Most of the recommendations described below are best practice: that is, they are not always legally required but are strongly recommended in order to avoid indirect discrimination and exclusion. However some of these recommendation are a legal duty when requested as a reasonable accommodation under the UK Equality Act of 2010 and the US Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Recommendation 1: Provide neurodiversity training to everyone involved with recruitment

If organisations truly want to recruit neurodivergent people for their skills and talents, it is absolutely crucial to reduce bias by providing ongoing neurodiversity training to everyone involved with the recruitment process. They must come to understand that neurodivergent differences are not deficits, must respect diverse viewpoints, learn to identify unconscious bias against neurodivergent traits and appreciate what constitutes either direct and indirect discrimination. All candidates must be evaluated against the same role requirements and a standardised debrief process must be used to reduce bias and group thinking.

As a result of appropriate neurodiversity training, recruiters should:

be aware of neurodivergent communication styles and not discuss them in the interview unless they are relevant to the job;
appreciate the challenges neurodivergent candidates face so that they can be offered suitable accommodations/adjustments;
not penalise candidate for using accommodations and never challenge or question the legitimacy of an accommodation;
consistently implement any accommodations that have been agreed;
get advice, rather than guess, if they are unsure whether something is an accommodation;
avoid making on the spot social judgements either before or during the interview;
score interviews on job-relevant assessment criteria only, not on impressions;
avoid using eye contact, small talk or culture fit as an assessment tool;
learn not to penalise anxiety or flat or intense expressions of emotion as displayed through facial expressions, tone of voice, body language or gestures;
be prepared to allow pauses (that is silence without interruption) and additional processing time during the interview;
be willing to rephrase questions when asked;
stick to any questions sent in advance;
ask only one question at a time.

Recommendation 2: Normalise requests for accommodations

As neurodivergent candidates often fear stigma or rejection, it is really important that they know that your organisation offers accommodations as standard rather than exceptions. Name a specific contact person and a simple channel to request any accommodations and reassure candidates that this will not affect how they are evaluated. It is essential that interviewers know what accommodations have been agreed for each candidate.

You should ensure that advertisements and invitations to interviews state explicitly that no formal diagnosis or medical evidence is required to request accommodations. Provide, in writing, examples of the type of accommodations that you are happy to offer. These might include:

alternative ways to apply and a variety of interview formats (such as video, phone, written or work sample based, 1:1 person interviews) rather than traditional panel interviews (see recommendation 3 below);
the opportunity to ask for an alternative venue, date or specific interview time, perhaps because the candidates have transport issues or need to avoid rush-hour travel;
a visit to the interview site in advance if required;
offering to answer practical questions about access (e.g. parking), technology or the environment so that candidates can anticipate and manage their sensory or executive function demands;
written questions being sent in advance of the interview;
quiet interview rooms, with minimal visual or auditory distractions, no interruptions and no harsh lighting;
a quiet place to wait before the interview;
the provision of extra processing time during the interview – candidates are explicitly told that they may pause before answering as you prefer thoughtful answers to fast answers;
no surprise questions or unnecessary time-limited tests in the interview;
that it is perfectly acceptable to ask for clarification or rephrasing of questions during the interview;
that breaks could be offered for longer interviews;
that notes can be taken during the interview;
that brief notes or prompts can be brought to the interview if it helps with memory and organisation;
that fidget items or, when possible, noise-cancelling earphones could be used in the interview:
that extra time, assistive technology or alternative formats can be offered for written or computer tests.

Recommendation 3: Offer different ways to apply and interview.

It’s important to remove any barriers that are unrelated to job performance so that every candidate can demonstrate what they are capable of. Since one format does not suit everyone and to accommodate different processing and learning styles, offer all materials in:

written format, not just verbal explanations;
plain language versions;
accessible PDFs or documents.

When possible, offer interview choices. These could include:

virtual interviews versus in-person interviews;
a single interviewer versus a panel interview;
a live interview versus one with asynchronous components – this could be where answers are submitted in writing at a different time than the question;

Offer, in addition to, or instead of, the traditional interview:

structured practical exercises that are relevant to real job tasks;
work trials;
multi-day assessments.

If virtual interviews are to take place ensure that:

camera expectations are clearly stated and, if possible, use of the camera is optional;
headphones, captions or chat responses are permitted;
the platform and its features, such as screen share, are clearly documented.

Recommendation 4: Share details about the interview in advance

Many neurodivergent candidates value predictability: uncertainty, unknown sensory conditions and hidden expectations are major barriers. Predictable environments improve performance so it is crucial to provide clear, concrete information about the interview in advance. Knowing exactly what will be happening in their interview can reduce the candidate’s cognitive load and their anxiety and can help them to demonstrate their skills and knowledge.

A few days before the interview send the following information to all candidates in clear, jargon free writing:

a brief agenda or outline of the interview including:
the interview date;
the start time and expected duration;
the format (online/in-person, panel/1:1);
whether there will be noise, group interviews or assessment centres;
the names and photos of people on the interview panel with details of their role in the company and what role each will play in the interview such as note taking or asking technical questions;

details of the job tasks specifying which of the job criteria are essential and which are just desirable – avoid vague traits such as “excellent communication skills” or “culture fit” as generic requirements;
core question topics, any case studies to be discussed, task types, sample questions, or all the interview questions;
the expected length of the answers (short/ detailed) – this enables the candidates to prepare, structure their thoughts and manage their anxiety;
details of any tests, exercises or presentations;
how candidates will be evaluated and what skills/criteria will be assessed – explain the scoring criteria in plain language;
details about the interview dress code;
the interview stages – how many there are and what happens after this particular interview;
the expected timelines or time ranges for decisions;
how feedback will be communicated if it is offered;
clear written and visual information about the interview location, as predictable environments improve performance – include some of the following:
directions to the interview location (ideally with a map and/or pictures of the front of the building);
instructions on how to find the interview room (if they are not being met at reception);
photos or descriptions of the room in which the interview is to be held – include details about the lighting, whether there will be background noise or interruptions, the room setup/seating;
the procedure on arrival;
the waiting area and expected waiting times;
who will meet the candidate.

Recommendation 5: Confirm by email any arrangements made over the phone

The most important accommodations an organisation can offer at an interview

ARTICLE 9. FIRST PUBLISHED ON LINKEDIN ON FEBRUARY 13TH 2026

Why are traditional interviews such a barrier for autistic candidates?

One of the main reasons for the autism employment gap is that traditional job interviews are designed for neurotypical candidates: they are quite unsuitable for autistic applicants who may well struggle to ‘sell themselves’ and are often unable to demonstrate what they are capable of.

The main problems associated with traditional interviews are as follows:

they select people that are good at interviewing rather than the best individuals for the job
they often reward confidence, charisma, social skills, quick thinking and all round generic skills rather than the skills actually required for the vacancy
recruiters assess traits like eye contact, tone of voice, body language, small talk, rapport-building or whether a candidate “fits in,” regardless of whether these attributes are actually needed for the vacant role
for candidates with sensory sensitivities, unfamiliar, overstimulating environments, face-to-face proximity with strangers or a group of interviewers, bright lights, noisy waiting rooms, background noise or interruptions can all cause considerable anxiety, making it even harder to focus, remember key points, or communicate clearly.

How can organisations improve their recruitment methods?

If organisations truly want to select the best talent for their vacancies there are many simple steps they can take in order to level the playing field and reduce the chance of excluding neurodivergent applicants. These accommodations aren’t about giving anyone an advantage, they’re about removing unnecessary barriers so the candidate can demonstrate their actual ability and the organisation can assess whether they posses the skills required for the job. Not every candidate will want all of these accommodations— the key is offering choice. In order to create a fair, equitable and inclusive recruitment process that enables all candidates — including neurodivergent candidates — to demonstrate their skills, experience and potential, accommodations will need to be offered both before and during the interview.

Accommodations that can be offered before the interview

My last newsletter described in some detail the accommodations that should be offered before an interview. These included:

providing neurodiversity training to everyone involved with recruitment;
normalising requests for accommodations;
offering different ways to apply and interview;
sharing details about the interview in advance.

Accommodations that can be offered during the interview

Allow a supporter to accompany the candidate to the interview to ease communication with the interviewer, to reword any unclear questions, to prompt for more information and help the applicant understand exactly what the interviewer wants;
Let the candidate face as few interviewers as possible;
Allow them to wait, prior to their interview, in a quiet and calm space away from other people;
Ensure the candidate is met at the entrance and guided to the waiting area or interview room if the location is new to them;
Make sure the interview takes place in a quiet, calm room, with no interruptions, which is not too hot or cold and doesn’t contain other things which may cause sensory distress such as bright or flickering lights;
If they wish, let the interviewee furnish written responses during the interview or refer to their written notes;
Train your interviewers:
to recognise and reduce unconscious bias, including bias relating to neurodiversity and ensure potential bias is discussed before a final decision is made;
not to assess the candidate negatively on their eye contact, small talk ability, tone of voice, direct communication style, body language, visible anxiety or speed of response unless these are genuinely relevant to job performance;
to focus their scoring on skill, evidence and job capability rather than delivery style, likeability or culture fit;
to avoid social chit-chat at the beginning of the interview;
let the candidate take a break if they feel they need it and to allow adequate breaks during long interviews;
not to rush the candidate, to tell them to take their time to think before answering questions, to allow them to pause without interruption and not to interpret silence as incompetence;
to avoid rapid-fire questioning;
to avoid timed selection tests if speed is not essential to the role;
to ensure questions are specific and structured;
to avoid any multi-part questions so the interviewee can concentrate on answering one query at a time without the need to remember any other questions;
to avoid role play
to be direct, to say exactly what they mean and identify precisely what they want ;
to be prepared to ask the same question in a different way if the answer is unexpected or the candidate seems confused;
to be clear about the kind and quantity of information wanted in an answer;
to prompt the candidate in order to extract sufficient information;
to tell the interviewee if they are talking too much or giving too much information;
to use specific and closed questions or practical tasks based on the interviewee’s past experience instead of vague, hypothetical or abstract questions such as ‘tell me about yourself’ or ‘how do you think you’ll cope with working if there are lots of interruptions?’;
to ensure that if there are any spontaneous questions that were not sent in advance, they are clearly job related and limited in number;
to avoid indirect patterns of speech such as clichés, implied meanings, and idioms;