Thankfully, this old stigma is going down the drain: Neurodiversity inhibits the ability to work and employing neurodiverse people is a charity act that drains a company. With new research on neurodiversity and its impact on performance, employers are increasingly understanding that employing neurodiverse people is like having access to a super-brain.

In recent years, Human Resources departments have started to specifically scout out neurodiverse candidates. Since COVID kicked off the ‘The Great Resignation’, employers have turned to new strategies to attract and retain talent. One study published in the Harvard Business review suggested that teams with neurodivergent professionals are 30% more productive than those without. While the tides are changing, it’s important to note we’ve got a long way to go. Many work environments out there are still super old-school: built for an outdated understanding of how brains work, what is ‘neurotypical’, and how to organizationally structure productivity for those brains.

To support this, researcher Liz A. Wilson came up with the 8-Inclusion Needs of All People. The proposed framework takes an Intersectional approach and seeks to find the common denominators, that when put in place, can be inclusive of many different people. The 8 Needs are: Access, Space, Opportunity, Representation, Allowance, Language, Respect, and Support. While Wilson’s work is geared towards employers, it also offers a good rubric to self-advocate from as a neurodiverse professional.

Grab Your Journal

📓 Journal Prompt: Use Wilson’s Inclusion framework and ask yourself: what kind of Access do you need? What kind of Space? Opportunity? Representation? Allowance? Language? Respect? Support? If you have trouble identifying your needs, begin by exploring your challenges in these areas. E.g. What kind of Space prohibits you from doing your best at your job? Often, the “No” is clearer than the “Yes”. Identify the “No” and you can then logically offer yourself its counterpart. For example, if open-plan offices are tough for you to work in, then perhaps an enclosed environment (e.g. a cubicle or small office) is something you can ask for in your work environment.

Without the right advocacy tools, or an inflexible work environment, molehills such as missing a deadline can indeed become mountains. If the employer doesn’t know, or doesn’t understand, the employee’s neurodivergence, they assess their performance through the expectations of a neurotypical person. The overwhelming implication becomes one of failure. Both women and neurodiverse people can be harder on themselves than a neurotypical man. Without the proper communication, working environments can become deeply stressful, perpetuate feelings of low self-worth, and affect performance.

While we’re moving towards a more equitable future for all, if you’re neurodiverse, it’s worth seeking out companies that are at the forefront of understanding and accommodating for neurodiversity. If you’re already working in an old school environment that may not be set up to support you, see our sample scripts for how to broach that conversation and self-advocate.