leadership, Inclusivity, Mentoring, Neurodiversity

Neuro-inclusive Employers: Does Intention Match Lived Experience?

Sue Garner / May 28, 2026

There have always been neurodivergent employees in the workplace. However, the employer and even the employee may not have been aware that an alternative way of processing information was what made them successful in their role. In recent years, we’ve seen progress, as more companies work to become neuro-inclusive employers. Do their intentions match lived experiences? Positive Progress on Workplace Neuroinclusion Let’s start with the good news! More Work Opportunities In the last decade, mentions of neuroinclusion in job vacancies have increased, with some firms proactively encouraging applications from neurodivergent candidates. In addition, there has been more insight into the skills and strengths that neurodiverse workers contribute. This has improved employment rates for neurodivergent individuals, who are underrepresented in the workforce. Higher Uptake of Neurodiversity Training I’ve been delighted to see a growing number of organisations offering neurodiversity training to their teams, and it has become a topic of relevance for HR specialists. The combination of greater awareness and support has enabled more employees to share their diagnosis and request reasonable adjustments that enable them to work productively. Greater Flexibility The rise in remote and hybrid working has enabled some neurodivergent people to find flexible roles where they have greater control over their working environment and hours. This has enabled them to contribute their skills with fewer sensory distractions. Changes to Make Processes Neuroinclusive In a recent study conducted by City & Guilds*, 70% of employers responded confidently to the statement that they were confident in their readiness to employ and support neurodivergent employees. Actions included reviewing job descriptions and adjustments to the interview process to improve inclusivity. This response certainly indicates improved awareness, good intentions, and actions to become more neuro-inclusive. Lived Experience for Neurodivergent Employees From the perspective of neurodivergent employees, things are also an improvement on past experiences. Around a third felt that a culture of psychological safety at work enabled them to disclose their condition and needs. In addition, 39% stated that they had been well supported from the start of their role. This is good, yet it shows a mismatch between employee confidence and employee lived experience. What the report revealed is an inconsistency in the response and support received. Some employees have their needs met, while others state that support is only initiated when something goes wrong. A third have waited for over 3 months for the reasonable adjustments they’ve requested. One factor that impacts the lived experience is the competency of the manager. Another is the role that the employee holds, with senior and specialist roles better catered for. The best practice is where inclusivity is standard practice in an organisation. This benefits all employees, including those who aren’t confident about disclosing their condition. 5 Ways to Align Intention and Actual Inclusivity In my conversations with employers, I do see good intentions and an openness to better understand and cater for neurodivergent team members. So, what steps can you take to better align intent and lived experience? Avoid Making Assumptions About Needs Firstly, unless we ask and listen, it is hard to understand the perspective of others. The risk is that we make assumptions and ineffective changes, rather than offering adaptations that genuinely support Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). A one-off neurodiversity training session is great for raising awareness, yet it takes more to create a consistently inclusive and psychologically safe company culture. Therefore, use team meetings, performance reviews and other opportunities to build a deeper understanding of every member of your team. Offer Flexibility As Standard When you give the option of hybrid work and flexible hours as standard, it helps all employees to gain greater control over their workspace and other responsibilities. Some employees favour an early start, when the office is quieter, and they can focus. Others prefer to work from home, so they can avoid a challenging commute and have tools that aid productivity at hand. When there are core hours to cover, and employees have to be physically present, part-time positions or shifts can help strike a balance. Focus on Output If you set clear goals, delegate tasks according to skills, offer support and focus on output, employees have greater autonomy about how they approach the challenge. Not being micromanaged or judged on how they work frees people to operate in ways that don’t restrict them. This opens up their potential to find more efficient processes and innovative solutions. Embrace Assistive Technology Digital advances have revolutionised the tools that employees can use to aid communications and efficiencies. These include assistive technology that equips individuals to be competent in their role. Being open to learning about these tools and allowing team members to use them can overcome many workplace barriers. Leading on from this, when assistive technology and other reasonable adaptations are provided, their effectiveness must be regularly reviewed. Is this working for the employee, and what else might assist their performance? Prioritise Manager Capabilities in Responding to Disclosures Team leaders greatly impact the performance of the workforce. Therefore, their skills in listening and responding appropriately to disclosure, including neurodivergence, are vital. They need to be approachable, non-judgemental and open to adaptations that support productivity. This might include changes to their communication style or behaviours. Workplace Neuroinclusion in Summary Insights reveal good intentions and a growing understanding of the benefits of a neuro-inclusive workplace. However, employer confidence in their readiness to employ and support neurodivergent employees is yet to be matched by lived experience. Neurodiversity training is a great way to gain awareness and insight. We now need to build on this by upskilling team leaders, embedding inclusivity and reviewing what steps enhance performance, productivity, and psychological safety. Through Neurodiversity in the Workplace training and inclusive leadership coaching, I equip organisations to embrace positive change. Contact me to discuss how I can help your organisation become neuro-inclusive. * Neurodiversity Index Report 2026

Training, Coaching, Inclusivity, Neurodiversity

How to Engage All Learners: Creating Inclusive Training Spaces

Sue Garner / June 27, 2025

What lessons, courses or training have stuck in your memory and helped to develop your skills? It’s unlikely to be those following the traditional classroom model of passive listening. More likely, you’ve learnt more from a YouTube video, a practical activity or an open discussion. Unfortunately, I still see trainers who stand at the front, talking for long periods, while clicking through their slide deck. This is not the way to engage all learners. As trainers, we have a responsibility to create inclusive training spaces. Know Your Subject, Know Your Audience It’s a given that as a trainer, you need to know your subject inside out. A deep knowledge enables you to adapt the content and confidently respond to questions. Additionally, it is ideal if you are fascinated by what you share and keen to learn more. That’s because your enthusiasm is infectious and you’ll be open to ideas or perspectives offered by the learners. It is equally vital to know your audience and this is where a lot of training falls flat. You need to be as curious about the participants as you are about the subject matter. I find a pre-training discussion or survey to be effective for gathering the following insight: At this point, I want to add that many learners have had a negative experience in school. Around a third* of young people leave education without achieving Grade 4 (low C) in both English and Maths. This shows their learning needs have not been met. Others have experienced bullying. As a result, some of your training participants will have adverse preconceptions about learning. They don’t feel confident about their ability to learn and are switched off before they arrive or log in. So, how will you break down that barrier? Inclusive Training Environments Use the information about your audience to consider the training environment. That could include a room or building. What equipment is required to make it accessible or is there an alternative space that can be used? We often think of accessible spaces as being wheelchair friendly, with step-less entry, wide doorways and disabled toilets. However, in a diverse audience, there will be diverse needs. These might include requirements for hearing loops, sockets to plug in assisted technology and adaptions to the lighting. If you are offering virtual training, explore channels with accessibility features and enable interaction. I have been impressed by the growing list of accessibility features on Zoom, which include: Becoming familiar with these tools, knowing your audience and informing participants about relevant features before the training will make your course more accessible. Inclusive Learning Practices There is no need to wait for participants to share specific learning needs. That’s because there are many steps to make your content more inclusive. Use Plain English in Training Course Avoid jargon, complex descriptions and expressions, such as ‘kill two birds with one stone’ in your training. The audience may include people with English as a second language, people with neurodivergence and people with low literacy levels. Therefore, clear and simple language is the way to increase understanding. Use Inclusive Language with Delegates Keep up to date with what is socially and culturally acceptable and make no assumptions. So, if you are unsure about what’s appropriate, ask. Use a Range of Training Material Formats A variety of learning resources will help to cement key information. To appeal to different learning styles, include audio-visual elements, group discussions, activities, a workbook or a handout. Make All Formats Accessible Add subtitles and/or printed transcripts for video, use icons and infographics to share data, print handouts in larger font sizes or provide documents as a PDF, which can be read using screen readers. Ask Open Questions Specifically, ask questions relating to delegates’ experiences of the points you are making. This helps tailor the course and make it more relevant to delegates. It also provides a forum for discussion, idea sharing and feedback. I believe that peer learning is a valuable element in any training session, as the trainer will never have all the answers. Don’t Force Participation in Training Activities Training activities are a great way to break up the course and help delegates experience or explore the point you are making. However, not everyone will be comfortable about getting involved. You can encourage interaction but don’t force the point if someone is reluctant. Post-Training Follow-Up You’ve shared the final slide and answered any questions; the course is over, but the learning isn’t. This is your time to discover ways to improve your training skills and understand what else you can do to create an inclusive training space. For this, you need honest delegate feedback. Immediately after the training, most people are keen to get home or out for a break. As a result, the comments on a feedback form are often limited; it really is a tick-box exercise! Therefore, I recommend sending a link for feedback post-training the next day. You could include links to resources that you referenced during the course or a copy of the slides. Additionally, you could follow up with the organiser a few weeks later to ask how they are getting on with applying the learning. Have they become aware of anything that would be useful to know that wasn’t covered in the training? Inclusive Training in Summary To make your training inclusive to a diverse audience, I recommend: Let’s give delegates a positive learning experience that sparks their curiosity, supports their development and makes them feel included. If you’re intrigued to learn fresh approaches for sharing your message, take a look at my group training for trainers. These sessions cover the full spectrum from creating a training programme to using virtual training tools and finessing your content and/or delivery * https://ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2024/09/a-closer-look-at-pupils-who-did-not-achieve-the-basics-at-gcse/#

Neurodiversity, Inclusivity, Training

Management Training Key To Neuroinclusive Workplaces

Sue Garner / March 24, 2025

15-20% of the UK population can be described as neurodivergent. That means they have conditions including dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism and ADHD which result in them processing information in alternate ways. Having individuals within the team who approach tasks, decisions and problems differently is an asset. However, a new report* highlights that management training is key to neuro-inclusive workplaces where individuals can thrive. Why Are Neuroinclusive Workplaces Important? Around 12 million people in the UK are neurodivergent. Some of them will be aware or diagnosed, others not. However, the majority have skills that are valuable to organisations. These can include, but are not limited to: By being aware of an individual’s needs and providing a neuro-inclusive workplace, your organisation can help individuals thrive, so you can benefit from this talent. Ultimately, a work environment where everyone’s skills are valued and encouraged is one where the team are most likely to contribute, develop and stay. What Makes a Neuroinclusive Workplace? The challenge of thinking in a unique way is struggling to fit in with standard, one-size-fits-all approaches. For example, an employee with dyslexia may not be as quick or proficient at reading or writing reports and emails. However, given the right tools, such as a text reader, that individual can perform. So, the first thing that is required is a psychologically safe work environment, where individuals feel able to share what they need without negative judgement. Secondly, there is no need for a formal diagnosis or disclosure to request reasonable adjustments. It is no different to your employees requesting a wrist rest or back support without needing a doctor’s certificate. Universal policies, including flexible working opportunities and workstation assessments, ensure everyone is treated fairly. Thirdly, the manager understands how people work best. For example, they recognise that the best ideas might not come from the quickest or most vocal response. Some people need time to consider and evaluate ideas, others want to research something or give it a go before speaking up. Therefore, they don’t rush to make a decision. Ideally, their organisation will have a Diversity Policy, with specific reference to meeting the needs of neurodivergent employees. Gathering insight from employees can inform the development of this policy and its practical application. Are Managers Equipped to Support Neurodivergent Teams? A Neurodiversity at Work Research, Practice and Policy paper* was published last month. It revealed that manager training is essential in fostering neuro-inclusive workplaces. Without training, many managers lack the necessary awareness, understanding and confidence to effectively lead a diverse team. That’s not surprising, as it is difficult to comprehend how people view the same thing from an alternate perspective. With line manager training comes the opportunity to develop different communication skills, strategies and tools. This equips leaders to get the best from individuals in their team and address needs and performance. It can demonstrate how small changes in language, attitudes and actions can transform interactions. In addition, training offers a safe space to ask questions that managers may feel unable to raise at work. I also think it is important for organisations to recognise that line managers may need more time, resources and support when leading a neurodiverse team. Training is a positive start, yet the learning is continuous. So, how can you enable them to put the learning into action? Neurodiversity at Work Training I offer three levels of CPD-accredited Neurodiversity training modules. These start with a basic introduction and progress to a deeper understanding of how to create a more inclusive and productive workplace. These sessions can be delivered in person or virtually. Neurodiversity training builds awareness of reasonable adjustments. Sometimes these adaptions are minor and low-cost, yet they make a big difference. If your managers are attending, allow them to recommend universal and specific changes that promote inclusivity. The report* suggests that greater insight into reasonable adjustments is one of the most valued and useful elements of Neurodiversity Training. To find out more and book training for your team please call 07775 624724, email info@suegarner.co.uk or complete my online contact form. *https://www.acas.org.uk/research-and-commentary/neurodiversity-at-work-research-practice-and-policy/report To understand more about the skills and abilities that neurodivergent individuals have brought to the workplace in this Hiring Talent on the Spectrum video. (13 min running time)