This webpage has a collection of helpful resources for employers and managers working in the health and care system. Below you will find some examples of strengths that the most common forms of neurodivergence can bring to the workplace.
It is important to remember that no two neurodivergent people are the same – even if they have the same neurodivergence(s) and this toolkit is aimed to support all colleagues to support neurodivergent staff.
Autistic strengths in the workplace
ADHD strengths in the workplace
Dyslexic strengths in the workplace
Dyspraxic strengths in the workplace
Autistic challenges in the workplace
ADHD challenges in the workplace
Dyslexic challenges in the workplace
Dyspraxic challenges in the workplace
Neurodivergent challenges at work
While neurodivergent staff members have many strengths that are an asset to the workforce, there are also some challenges related to different neurodivergences which may require some additional support or adjustments to navigate. In this toolkit, there are guides to reasonable adjustments and how to support neurodivergent staff members.
This guide for health and care professionals Minding your language around autism and ADHD has been produced by people with lived experience of autism and ADHD, based on their experiences of language used towards them, and about them, in health and care settings.
Access to Work is a government funded employment support programme aiming to support more disabled people to start or stay in work. If staff members have a disability or impairment, Access to Work can provide practical and/or financial support. The size of grant depends on individual circumstances. HR teams should be able to support employees to apply for Access to Work grants. However, it is helpful for managers to also have an overview of the kinds of support available from Access to Work.
An Access to Work grant can pay for practical support to help someone:
More information can be found on the official Access to Work website here.
Access to Work can support a person in several ways, such as:
More information on different kinds of support offered can be found on the GOV.UK website: Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition.
A person can apply for Access to Work if they:
They must also:
A supportive manager and team are key factors in the wellbeing of neurodivergent staff. As no two neurodivergent people are the same, even if they have the same neurodivergence, it is key to get to know staff members and how they thrive best in the workplace. At induction and in supervision, discuss reasonable adjustments, potential stressors and support needs to ensure staff members receive the support they need from management. It is also helpful to discuss communication styles for both the manager and the staff member to avoid any miscommunication at work.
For example, a staff member might perform better when receiving written instructions or when presented with visual data. Likewise, a manager might prefer to receive questions via Teams rather than email as their inbox fills up very quickly. Seemingly small conversations like these can have a big effect on the efficiency and wellbeing of a team.
A great way to get to know staff members and any threats to their wellbeing at work is to use Mindwell’s Wellness Action Plans. These plans outline someone’s triggers and warning signs of being uncomfortable or unsafe at work, as well as how a manager can support them in those situations. Actions plans are a good method of getting to know staff members and their support needs. More information and templates can be found on the Mindwell website here.
The first step to a neuroinclusive working environment is to encourage open dialogue around neurodiversity. Working explicitly to increase awareness of different neurodivergences and to advocate openly for neuroinclusion sends a strong message to neurodivergent staff, potential applicants and other managers who might be unsure of how to approach neurodiversity in the workplace. Awareness days are great opportunities for colleagues to learn about neurodiversity and to promote conversation on the topic It is important that managers ensure that neurodivergent staff members are made aware of any staff networks that might exist in the organisation. Staff networks are a key support for neurodivergent staff members as they provide a safe space to discuss experiences and challenges with peers who can relate on a different level. Staff networks can be best brought up during induction or in supervision to encourage open and supportive dialogue.
A neuroinclusive employer stays informed on different types of neurodivergences and what kind of support neurodivergent staff might need. Some of this information is available in this toolkit through our other sections and the Suggested further reading section.
Some neurodivergent staff members might benefit from adjustments during their induction into new roles. For example, someone with ADHD or dyslexia might not be able to read through long texts like policies without text-to-speech software. Similarly, an autistic staff member might need very specific instructions during an induction to avoid anxiety. When a new staff member joins the team, have conversations about support needs and communication styles to help them thrive in their new role.
Neurodiversity training is available for managers and staff members in the NHS. It is important that managers uphold this and encourage all staff members to learn and gain awareness of different neurodivergences. In addition to internal training, there are also a range of specialist organisations that offer training, some of which can be found in the suggested further reading section.
Many NHS organisations have dedicated mentorship programmes, with some specifically aimed at neurodivergent staff. Mentoring is an effective method of furthering professional development. It is also a great way for staff to have extra support within the workplace, outside of their direct manager or colleagues.
If a mentorship programme is not currently in use at your organisation, consider finding mentors for neurodivergent staff if they are interested in being mentored. This could be someone in a different team or service, or someone on a more senior level. The West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership trialled a reciprocal mentoring project where neurodivergent staff and members of senior leadership exchanged experiences and perspectives to learn from each other. You can read about the outcome of that project in the evaluation report on the Supporting neurodivergent people at work web page where you’ll also find mentoring templates and training resources.
Reasonable adjustments are changes an employer can make to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone's disability. All applicants and staff members have a legal right to request reasonable adjustments in the recruitment process and in the workplace. This can be adjustments such as allowing extra time in an interview or introducing flexible working hours. Hiring managers should ask candidates if they require any adjustments in the recruitment process to ensure equity and promoting an inclusive workplace.
For further information please read the government guidance reasonable adjustments for disabled workers. If there is any uncertainty in what is reasonable or what is possible to adjust in the recruitment process, speak to the recruitment or HR team at the relevant organisation.
Sometimes smaller environmental changes can make a big difference for staff members, especially for neurodivergent staff. Many autistic people and people with ADHD are sensitive to stimuli such as noise, lighting, or foot traffic. Changes like installing light bulbs with softer lighting or reducing white noise where possible.
Some environmental changes fall under the reasonable adjustments umbrella. All managers should familiarise themselves with the adjustments they are able to make to support their staff members. Changes in the working environment, especially in a shared workspace, should be discussed with the staff members who share that space. A change that would benefit one staff member might not work for another. Please find examples of environmental adjustments in our Reasonable adjustments menu for employers.
This guide covers what reasonable adjustments might look like for your autistic employees or applicants, or employees or applicants with ADHD.
Neurodivergent people can struggle to understand and pick up on the unwritten social norms of the workplace. Examples of such unwritten rules are washing up after using utensils, contributing to the supply of tea bags or offering to make others a drink if making one for yourself. If a neurodivergent person has not picked up on these social norms, they may be perceived as rude by their colleagues despite having no intention to be. Social norms can often be related to progression in the workplace. For example, expectations of networking with colleagues or other organisations to advance within a workplace. If a neurodivergent staff member is not engaging in networking or outreach, they might be perceived by management as unambitious even if that is not the case.
To avoid these situations and to promote progression for neurodivergent staff members, it is important to have conversations within teams about what kind of unwritten norms might exist in the workplace and discuss these with neurodivergent staff who might express a desire to know.
Workplace meetings can be a source of stress and anxiety for many neurodivergent staff. The pressure to be engaged, avoid distractions and navigate social norms can be overwhelming. A neuroinclusive meeting:
Achieving a work-life balance can be difficult for all employees, not just neurodivergent employees. It is important for managers to encourage all staff members to take breaks and to leave work at work whenever possible. This is particularly important for those staff members who work from home where it can be more difficult to create clear boundaries between workspace and home.
Managers should have conversations with staff during supervisions on how they are handling this balance and how their managers can help. For example, many people with ADHD can sometimes ‘hyperfocus’ (intense concentration on a task or topic) at work and they might forget to take breaks. Their manager can support them by reminding them to take breaks or helping them set up a system to alert them to take a break.
Many neurodivergent people experience overwhelm and overstimulation when in noisy, bright or crowded surroundings. This can be difficult to avoid in fast-paced environments like wards or crowded offices. Having a designated quiet space at work is very helpful in these situations. Quiet spaces with lower lighting can give staff members some breathing space to take a break and stave off overstimulation. When a quiet space has been designated, it is important that staff members are made aware of where it is and any etiquette around using it.
Positive action enables employers to support an individual who may face disadvantage in accessing employment due to a protected characteristic. Positive action is legal under the Equality Act 2010. Employers have a legal responsibility to make workplace adjustments for disabled applicants or those with long-term health conditions. Under the Equality Act 2010 a person is recognised as disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment or condition that is either visible or hidden, that has a substantial and long-term (12 months or longer) impact on their ability to do normal daily activities. Read more about the Equality Act (2010) here.
Note: Applicants can ask for reasonable adjustments for any part of the recruitment process by emailing the recruitment team or contacting the hiring manager directly. This can be at any stage of the recruitment process, before applying or ahead of the interview. There is no minimum number of days or deadline to do this.
Below are some examples of adjustments that can be made at different stages in the recruitment process. Please find a more detailed list in our reasonable adjustments menu for employers.
Application stage
Interview stage
How to decide what reasonable adjustments are needed
Hiring managers should consider adjustments for individuals applying for a job within the organisation and tell the organisation that they are thinking of applying for a job. Hiring managers need to consider adjustments for a range of individuals who will be working in a variety of ways:
Whilst it is important to consider the legal context, putting in place some simple adjustments can have a positive impact on the wellbeing, experience and performance of the workforce. The hiring manager does not need to inform all candidates that a reasonable adjustment request has been put in place for another candidate.
We have developed a series of case study film that show how important adjustments are to neurodivergent people in the workplace and how managers can support them. These films feature people from across our organisations who share their experiences and the adjustments that have supported them. You can watch the films on this web page Diversity in the workforce.
Through our work on inclusive recruitment and feedback from different forums, we heard from our neurodivergent colleagues about the challenges they face in their daily work life. These videos on our Supporting neurodivergent people at work page show how important adjustments are and how managers can support staff to be the best that they can be.
