Neurodiversity: Reframing the Narrative
Written by Kim Hutchinson
The way we are working at the moment is fundamentally broken.
Our workplaces protect a status quo that nobody actually wants - where everybody nods but nobody actually agrees. This isn't about a few people struggling to fit in. It's about an entire system built on false assumptions about there being a 'correct' way for how human brains should work.
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity isn't just a label for certain conditions. It's a biological fact describing the natural variation in all human brains. Every single one of us has unique neural wiring that influences how we perceive, process, and respond to the world.
Neurodivergence, by contrast, describes people whose brains function significantly differently from what society has deemed as 'normal' or 'typical'.
The problem? We've built workplaces that cater to a narrow band of cognitive styles while actively punishing everything else.
The hidden cost of masking
I spent a lifetime feeling 'othered' as someone who never quite fit in. Being a woman of colour struggling with mental health challenges and coming from a lower socioeconomic background, these intersectional aspects of my identity already marked me as different. But there was something else at play.
It wasn't until I hit rock bottom after experiencing severe burnout and mental health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic that I discovered my neurodivergent identity. A lifetime of people-pleasing and trying to squeeze into expected boxes had exacerbated my mental health problems and disconnected me from who I really was.
This pressure to mask - to suppress natural ways of thinking and behaving to appear 'normal' - doesn't just harm individuals. It hurts organisations too.
In a society that rewards conformity, neurodivergent people are pressured to spend massive cognitive resources trying to appear a certain way to in the hopes of fitting in. This means they have less energy for actual work. Innovation suffers. Engagement plummets. The very diversity of thought that companies claim to want gets buffed away.
The innovation contradiction
Workplaces often say they want innovation. Corporate websites and mission statements trumpet creativity and 'thinking outside the box'. Yet our systems actively penalise the cognitive differences that drive creative thinking.
Why this contradiction? I believe most of us have positive intent. But we're also scared of change and disrupting our strongly held worldview. Being exposed to new perspectives feels risky, and most workplaces don't reward risk taking. In fact, workplace norms often punish people for sticking their neck out.
As human beings making approximately 35,000 decisions daily, we're overwhelmed. We take mental shortcuts. We fall back on biases. We prefer the familiar, even when it's not working. We think it keeps us safe.
Invisible barriers everywhere
Our workplaces contain countless barriers we don't even recognise because they've been normalised for so long.
‘Set’ ways of doing things go unchallenged. Leaders carry biases about how work should look, unintentionally favouring those who conform while excluding those who don't. This leads to groupthink and stale approaches.
For example, rigid schedules, presenteeism, and open plan offices preclude many neurodivergent adults who need flexibility to work during their optimal hours or in environments that accommodate their sensory needs.
These barriers don't just affect neurodivergent employees. They impact women, people with caring responsibilities, those with disabilities, people from different cultural backgrounds, introverts - anyone who doesn't fit the narrow mould of the 'ideal worker'.
A better way forward
There have been times in my career where I had the privilege of working with thoughtful leaders. These experiences were game-changing. When there was a clear shared vision and well defined outcomes but I was given the flexibility to explore, experiment, and work in ways that played to my unique strengths, I thrived.
Sadly, in some workplaces where I disclosed my autism diagnosis, I was either seen as a 'risky' hire or faced stigma that stripped away my autonomy to work effectively. My health worsened. Outcomes suffered. I witnessed these organisations grapple with massive 'brain drain' as talented people walked out the door.
I often think of true cognitive inclusion like a yoga class. Everyone receives the same instruction and works toward the same posture. But each person's expression looks different based on their unique body. Some use blocks, straps, or bolsters as supporting props. Others don't.
The yoga instructor doesn't judge these differences or force everyone into identical positions. They support each person in finding their own best expression of the pose. At the end, everyone has achieved the same outcome (completing a yoga class), just different ways to get there.
From othering to including
Current approaches to neurodiversity often focus narrowly on specific conditions like autism, ADHD, or dyslexia. They may pressure people to disclose their conditions even when it might not be safe to do so.
These approaches put the burden on neurodivergent individuals to seek accommodations, when asking for help is already often stigmatised in the workplace. There's a risk of being perceived as less competent simply for needing adjustments to workplace environments that weren't designed with different brain types in mind.
Creating inclusive workplaces
We need to build workplaces that work for everyone from the ground up. This means:
Focusing on outcomes rather than processes. Letting people achieve goals in ways that work best for their neurotype.
Creating psychological safety where differences are genuinely valued, not perceived as deficits.
Enabling people to play to their strengths rather than forcing everyone to work the same way.
Promoting more discussion and genuine collaboration, where diverse perspectives actually shape decisions.
Success redefined
In a truly neuro-inclusive workplace, we would measure success differently. We'd focus on the outcomes, results, and impact organisations make toward their mission, rather than counting hours worked or monitoring process compliance.
We'd recognise that diversity is strength, and everyone has a role to play. We'd understand that the most innovative solutions come from teams with different thinking styles working together.
The current workplace norms protect a status quo that fails nearly everyone. By embracing the full array of human cognition, we can build work environments that not only accommodate differences but actually thrive because of them.
This isn't about being 'woke' or nice. It's about unleashing the full potential of human minds to solve problems and create value. When we stop forcing different thinkers to conform, we all win.
