Ensuring your employment practices are neuroinclusive

March 16, 2026

Legal Connect

This year, 16th–20th March is Neurodiversity Celebration Week and with news that 13% of UK employers have faced an employment tribunal claim relating to neurodiversity, there is no time like the present for you to review your employment practices.

The Ministry of Justice recently revealed that the number of tribunal decisions citing ADHD rose from just 6 in the first half of 2020 to 51 in the first half of 2025, making it crucial for employers to identify what more they can do to support neurodivergent individuals in the workplace.

Background

Neurodiversity is an umbrella term which encompasses conditions such as autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a global initiative which aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived, supported and recognised throughout their lives.

Help and resources for those wishing to support the cause can be found on the Neurodiversity Celebration Week website. You may also wish to note that April 2026 is World Autism Acceptance Month, with more details of this available on the National Autistic Society website.

Last year, City & Guilds, in partnership with Do-IT Solutions, published the Neurodiversity Index 2025, based on evidence from a survey of 1385 respondents, including 335 employers. It was this report that found that more than 1 in 10 UK employers had faced a neurodivergence-related employment tribunal claim.

The report reviewed employed individuals’ and organisations’ experience of neurodiversity at work, throughout the employment lifecycle. It found that 41% of neurodivergent employees feel affected by challenges in the workplace most days; in fact, 51% of neurodiverse employees reported taking time off work because of their neurodivergence.

Other key findings include:

nearly one in three neurodiverse employees are dissatisfied with the support their employer provides
55% of individuals who had disclosed their condition in the workplace said they had received an “OK” or “good” response, up from 42% in a similar poll in 2024.

Acas has also published an independent research paper, written by researchers at Birkbeck, University of London, entitled Neurodiversity at Work: Bridging Research, Practice and Policy. This provides insight into neurodiversity at work from a UK perspective, focusing on what good policy and practice looks like for organisations and nationally.

The research highlights the importance of a holistic perspective to neuroinclusion, which is defined as the conscious and active inclusion of all types of information processing, learning and communication styles at work.

It emphasises a strengths-based perspective on neurodiversity, which refers to recognising and valuing the unique abilities that neurodivergent individuals bring to the workplace. In doing so, employers are increasing the opportunities for their neurodivergent staff to truly thrive at work.

The report concludes that employers need to be aware that at least a fifth of the working age population will identify as neurodivergent and it is common for employees to have more than one neurodivergent condition. Neuroinclusion and harnessing the talent of neurodivergent workers must be addressed as part of wider equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and wellbeing initiatives.

Creating neuroinclusive workplace practices during the employee lifecycle

Recruitment

Job applications

Job applications can be adapted to be neuroinclusive through the removal of jargon and overall simplification. This can be through allowing alternative means of application and by providing clear guidance as to how an application is to be completed.

Face-to-face interviews

In the City & Guilds research, it was found that 29% of organisations provided questions in advance if requested to do so and 23% of organisations did so most of the time — however, it was reported that 49% did not do this. This is something you can consider doing to support neurodiverse applicants with their preparation. Another way to be neuroinclusive is to provide interviewers with training on EDI to ensure their own unconscious biases are checked and that they have the skills to prevent any biases they may have from influencing their decisions.

Psychometric testing

Any psychometric testing used during recruitment should have neurodivergent accessibility built in. The purpose of these tests must also be communicated to applicants and practice tests should be provided as standard.

Once employment has started

Onboarding

Providing a structured onboarding process for all new starters will allow for a smoother entrance to the workplace. If not already identified, this is another opportunity to show neurodivergent individuals that the workplace is somewhere they can feel comfortable and encourage them to come forward if they need additional support or adjustments.

Policies and benefits

Mental health services are valuable to all individuals, including those who are neurodivergent. Having access to targeted physical and mental health support can help with earlier interventions and potentially reduce recovery time, benefitting the employee and the employer. Investing in an employee assistance programme (EAP) can therefore be worthwhile. Where adjustments are identified, these should be provided without stigma or penalty and, as the report suggests, without a formal diagnosis.

Ongoing support

Communication and interaction

Ensuring neurodivergent individuals have more time to process information during meetings, discussions and group work gives them the opportunity to work at their best and should be strongly considered. The same goes for providing instructions in various formats, so that they are fully understood.

Task management assistance

Assistive technologies, such as speech to text tools can be beneficial throughout the employment cycle. Start with ensuring any online recruitment processes are compatible with them and, if needed, provide them during employment for use in areas such as task management.

Leadership and managerial support

The impact that managers can have on organisational culture and an individual’s experience of the workplace cannot be overstated. For neurodivergent staff to thrive at work, they need to have the support of a manager who understands what they need to perform and who is on board with the organisations efforts towards neuroinclusion. This can take the form of regular check-ins to discuss workload and arranging for a buddy or mentor to offer support.

As highlighted by Acas, line managers play a key role in triaging the need for additional support and adjustments of those working underneath them and making the appropriate referrals and implementing relevant organisational practices.

For organisational culture to move towards neuroinclusion, managers and members of the Senior Leadership Team need to align with the change. The research from City & Guilds found that organisations were taking active steps in ensuring this happens, finding that 43% of senior leaders had received specific training in relation to neurodiversity in the past 12 months and more senior leaders were willing to share their own personal experiences of neurodiversity.