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Being able to build, retain and develop a neurodiverse team is a particularly important skill and requires managers that have high levels of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and effective communication skills. While work can cause challenges for those who are neurodivergent, and they may often require additional support, employers are becoming increasingly more aware of the value neurodivergent people can add to organisations. Some organisations actively target neurodivergent candidates, as they recognise the value that neurodiversity can bring to specific areas of work. The NDSW Initiative is a social enterprise focused on creating safer, more inclusive workplaces through training, resources, and advocacy for neurodivergent individuals. Dive into our range of expert services, crafted to unlock the full potential of your neurodivergent talent and drive lasting success across your organisation. The assessor will consider the organisation’s specific concerns and requirements before making recommendations for reasonable adjustments. Peer mentoring networks within the company; allowing support activities via employee assistance, mental health, or family support throughout the working day; allowing access to stakeholder groups and charities throughout the working day. This Toolkit gives a brief overview of the main neurodiverse conditions, what language to use, some of the barriers people face, and suggestions of adjustments many neurodiverse people find useful. By incorporating these best practices, you can create a workplace that not only supports neurodiverse employees but also thrives on the unique perspectives and strengths they bring to the table. It’s a win-win for everyone involved, fostering a culture of inclusion and innovation. Regularly updating your training programs ensures that all employees are equipped with the latest research and insights. This keeps your strategies fresh and effective in supporting neurodiverse colleagues. Predictable performance feedback is another critical element in creating an inclusive environment for neurodiverse employees. Neurodiverse individuals may find sudden and infrequent feedback disorienting or stressful, as it can conflict with their perception of their performance. The modern workplace is becoming more inclusive, yet there’s still much to understand about supporting neurodiversity and mental health. Neurodiversity encompasses a range of natural variations in brain functioning and processing styles, and embracing it means valuing the unique perspectives neurodivergent individuals bring to work. However, without sufficient awareness and accommodations, these employees may struggle, impacting both their mental health and overall job satisfaction. This can help you develop supports and strategies that are appropriate for your situation, long lasting, and sustainable. For many clients, the depth and clarity provided by the psychologist-led pathway is the most meaningful choice. First, it means that roughly one in ten workers is working in either fear or embarrassment that their workplace should find out about their condition. They can also make use of resources such as the neurodiversity toolkit produced by the Business Disability Forum. Most employers, whether they realise it or not, are responsible for supporting employees who have are dyslexia, autistim, DCD/dyspraxia, or ADHD  . In such cases, it’s imperative that they arrange proper screening and support for employees who feel they need reasonable adjustments to their working practices. The assessment lasts 1-1.5 hours and is delivered remotely via video call by one of our assessors. Our assessors have great experience in coaching neurodivergent individuals, and they are themselves neurodivergent. Whether you’re meeting your obligations under the Equality Act 2010, supporting an employee after a diagnosis, or looking to foster a more inclusive culture, our experienced assessors can help. We’ve been delivering neuroinclusion workplace assessments long before offical guidance was published. Today, we continue to set the standard by blending legal compliance, evidence-based neuroinclusion practice, empathy and practicality. If you would like to explore how making neurodiversity an intentional part of how your business works could strengthen your team and your outcomes, Matthew and the team are here to help you start that conversation. It is already part of your team and will continue to shape your capacity to innovate, retain talent, and create products that resonate in the real world. Investors increasingly view people practices as part of long term viability, particularly in early stage companies where execution capacity is a key predictor of future growth. Evidence shows that teams with inclusion at their core make better decisions and outperform their peers in productivity and innovation. Research highlights that people who think differently often bring deep focus, pattern recognition, creative problem solving, and the ability to challenge assumptions in ways that strengthen teams and products. Yet even as this reality becomes clearer through research and practice, many startups still treat neurodiversity as a “nice to have” diversity topic rather than a strategic advantage that shapes how work is done and how teams succeed. He advocates creating the right environment for neurodivergent people to thrive by making small but significant adjustments, rather than expecting adaptation to the neurotypical world. Lexxic's neurodiversity diagnostic assessments use a variety of recognised tests to determine if an individual has a specific neurodifference. These assessments are not intelligence tests but rather explore how the brain processes information. Doyle (2020) also provides a summary of different types of adjustments and example activities, which are listed in the below table. The table also includes additional recommendations from the College of Organisational Psychologists’ incubator event. This list is non-exhaustive and non-prescriptive; any adjustments should be negotiated with individual employees to align with their unique capabilities and needs. Making your organisation neuroinclusive does not have to be costly or complicated. We employ a 3-Tier system so that you get the assessment that is right for you and the organisation. Our consultants understand the complexities of adapting working practices and with the assistance of stakeholders,  such as Line Managers and Human Resources, advise organisations accordingly. Pair your workplace assessment with our neuroinclusion audit and neuroinclusion consultancy to move from insight to strategic change. (2017) Why firms are embracing neurodiversity, HR Magazine, accessed 6 October 2017. Be sensitive to the fact that what works for you or others in the team may not work for everyone. In other industries, such as security, actuarial, engineering and scientific fields, differently wired brains are tremendously well-suited to the work that a neurotypical brain is less suited Neurodiversity Assessment for. Inclusion is about more than policies; it’s about creating an environment where everyone feels they belong. A Harvard Business Review report highlighted that up to 85% of autistic individuals are underemployed or unemployed despite having valuable skills. Many qualified neurodivergent candidates are overlooked, contributing to unemployment rates among this group being disproportionately high. Organisations should develop clear protocols whilst maintaining flexibility in their approach. Studies demonstrate that companies implementing comprehensive training programs experience significant improvements in employee experiences and overall engagement. No amount of being told to try harder or masking our differences to try and conform to the neurotypical world makes neurodivergent brains work differently. Trying to fit in to a world that is designed to work for the neurotypical population often comes at an enormous cost to the mental and physical health of the minority who are not neurotypical. Not all people with ADHD find it difficult to maintain concentration when there is background noise.