Neurodiverse workers are overlooked and it's time for employers to wake up

Neurodiverse employees have been an overlooked group of employees for decades. 

These workers fall within a spectrum of different conditions that include autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, but can sometimes struggle in traditional working environments. Unfortunately, many neurodiverse workers remain silent about their conditions for fear of the repercussions if they do speak up. 

Nearly 60% of neurodivergent workers believe that disclosing their diagnosis would be bad for their careers, according to a survey published earlier this year. About one-third of these workers were denied an accommodation request when they asked for one, and nearly one-fourth said that posing the question either got them demoted or fired.

But some companies are finally waking up to how important these workers are, and the kind of benefits they can bring to business. My colleague Emma Burleigh writes that supporting neurodiverse workers has become a major focus for the accounting company EY. The organization created its Neuro-Diverse Center of Excellence (NCoE) team in 2016 and has since grown it to include more than 500 neurodiverse employee members across 23 locations and 10 countries. 

The company uses an AI literacy support platform to help these employees write and communicate. It has also trained around 40 managers to work with neurodiverse employees and hired three full-time coaches for the group. They help employees in areas they may struggle with, like time management. 

This kind of intentional architecture for neurodiverse workers has led to big benefits: a 92% retention rate, and around $1 billion in value creation due to the NCoE employees, the company says. 

“People work really hard, and if we can make their lives a little easier if we can expand their skills so they could spend some time on things that they’re better at, why not?” says Karyn Twaronite, global vice chair of diversity, equity & inclusiveness for EY. “It’s great for business and great for them,” she says.

You can read more about what EY is doing for its neurodiverse employees here.

Leadership Tip of the Week 💡

If you have a runaway business success—Stanley’s stainless steel thermos cup, for example—don’t just rest on your laurels. Keep searching for your next big success. That’s what the new president of the company’s doing, writes my colleague Lila MacLellan. Check out where he says he wants to take the business. 

Leadership Next

Can lessons learned in the world of sports translate to the world of business?

Jim Kavanaugh , CEO of the tech behemoth World Wide Technology, ought to know. Long before he cofounded World Wide Technology in 1990, he represented the United States as a member of the 1984 Olympic soccer team. On this week's episode of Leadership Next, Kavanaugh talks about the AI boom, the benefits of running a tech company from the Midwest, and the surge in popularity of soccer in the United States.

Listen to the episode and subscribe to Leadership Next wherever you listen to podcasts, or read the full transcript here.

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