It's About The Workplace Experience

In the evolving conversation about inclusion, one truth stands out: the way we think about neurodivergent individuals is shifting. For far too long, societal narratives have framed neurodivergent individuals through the lens of what they lack, and that deficit language has taxed businesses as they struggle to figure out how to support all their employees.

Breaking Free from the Disability Label

The word “disability” highlights limitations. It centers on a lack of an ability to do a certain job, and the need for adjustments to enable abilities that resemble those of a typical worker. While it’s important to acknowledge the barriers neurodivergent individuals face, many of these challenges arise because of rigid systems that prioritize conformity over individuality.

By shifting the narrative from disability to diversity in recent years, we started asking how we should adapt environments to foster inclusion rather than expecting individuals to conform. We shifted the onus away from the marginalized person. We created support systems and training.

Neurodivergent individuals encompass a range of strengths, especially when buttressed with supportive structures. For example:

• Creativity and innovation: Neurodivergent thinkers often excel in seeing patterns, making connections, and approaching challenges in ways others might not.

• Resilience: Many neurodivergent individuals develop strong problem-solving skills and adaptability as they navigate systems not designed with them in mind, leading some to strategy and leadership roles.

• Attention to detail: Some excel at deep focus or noticing the small things others may overlook, leading to exceptional work in certain fields like QA.

These strengths are invaluable in workplaces, communities, and organizations. Workplaces have encouraged a culture of empathy and understanding; productivity, creativity, and success don’t look the same for everyone. Diversity adds value in ways that cannot always be measured by traditional standards and has been a better lens than disability.

Have we broken free from the disability label? Not yet. There are legal reasons to not do so, but society seems to be building momentum, and many workplaces are already there.

Breaking Free from the Diversity Label

For the past year, I’ve hosted roundtables focused on helping HR and people leaders share insights about what’s working within their organizations to create inclusive environments for neurodivergent employees. The discussion topics included accommodations, leadership development, and strategies for retaining top talent and fostering a truly inclusive culture.

One topic that kept coming up was “accommodations for all.” We spoke with a CHRO about the top accommodations she’s granted to neurodivergent employees. She shared her experiences, noting the challenges that occur when one employee is perceived as being singled out for special treatment — often leading to feelings of resentment or even retaliation from colleagues. Then, we posed a simple question: What if the top 10 granted accommodations were offered to all employees? The conversation shifted, and a series of realizations emerged:

💡 No more singling out people for a disability

💡 Reduced risk of disability suits

💡 Employees no longer feel unsupported while waiting for an appointment from an approved medical assessor for their official diagnosis

💡 Fewer uncomfortable request rejections that demoralize talented folks who already are suspicious that companies and leaders care about their wellbeing

When an employee makes a request for an accommodation, perk, adjustment, or benefit that you haven’t considered, it’s natural to think “everyone will want it.” It’s easy to imagine the cash balance in your corporate account shrinking because of the one time you said “Yes” to giving someone noise cancelling headphones or a standing desk. One leader I spoke to recently mentioned the CEO preferring to let someone go rather than give them a $500 per year subscription to an AI copilot following a serious burnout (I mentioned this story in a previous post, and it’s worth touching on again). When talented employees leave because they lack basic support, companies can lose anywhere from 100% to 200% of each person’s annual salary in replacement costs. For a $50,000 salary, that’s up to $100,000—and that’s just for one employee.

One roundtable participant shared their experience with leadership development and the concept of a “Stay Interview,” which focuses on understanding employees’ needs to proactively address potential issues before they become reasons for turnover. They found that the exit interview often surfaced insights that were too easy to dismiss because the passionate stakeholder had literally left the building. The members of the roundtable made numerous suggestions, and one even considered borrowing Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) methodology for employers to gauge their effectiveness in supporting their employees.

Workplaces brag about their free beverages and snacks. Companies invest heavily in creating environments that help their employees and their businesses thrive. From ping pong tables and five-figure espresso machines to unlimited snacks and kombucha-on-tap, perks have become a staple in the modern workplace. We gladly welcomed on-site dry cleaning, executive chefs, and pet services. Yet we get more productivity from many of the neuroinclusive accommodations than we get from kombucha (at a fraction of the cost).

However, we are not endorsing offering a blank check. So, when do we push back?

HR leaders often find themselves in the position of judging whether a request is a legitimate need or simply a preference. And for good reason; some adjustments tailored to the disability community seem to be abused. For example, it’s easy to buy a service animal vest for your dog to take them almost anywhere.

In one of my past roles, I received pushback after creating a lactation room. Many senior leaders were suspicious that women would abuse the perk as a nap room. The pushback on a lactation room reveals more about the low trust environment (I won, there was a lactation room, and many appreciated it). Some leaders who have not cultivated trust and safety feel that if there is no barrier to a request for adjustment, everyone will abuse them.

There are no easy answers. However, when companies proactively view more accommodations as essential components of the workplace experience, there are fewer adjustment requests to address. A fine-tooth comb.

Have we broken free from the diversity label? No, we are just getting started. And the cooling of all things DEI in 2025 is a good nudge.

Workplace Experience As A Path Forward

Companies seem to be treading with caution when they deny or remove some benefits that overlap with accommodations for neurodiverse individuals such as flexible workspaces and flexible schedules. Yet there are a few who are focused on workplace experience for all.

Personally, I had neurodivergent traits before I had a neurodivergent diagnosis. Decades before. It’s estimated that 30% of the workforce have undiagnosed traits. Certainly, some of your employees share traits with their neurodivergent colleagues but haven’t crossed the threshold for a disability label. The undiagnosed at work may be the frontline for a better way of thinking.

Redefining neurodivergent thinking as workplace experience goes beyond language. It’s about rethinking structures and challenging biases. Anything that turns that trait from a challenge to a strength would benefit many employees with that trait. Supporting neurodivergent individuals may involve creating flexible schedules, sensory-friendly spaces, and offering multiple ways of communicating for all employees, not at the expense of any single employee just because they may appear “typical.”

Employees know what they need to thrive. Whether it’s the choice between a ballpoint pen or a rollerball, Chrome or Safari, WFH or an open floor plan, the key is trust. If we treat our employees like the capable adults they are, they’ll tell us what they need to succeed.

The Curb Cut Effect refers to the effect that gains for one group presents gains for others. Named after how sidewalk curbs were cut for wheelchairs after the ADA in 1990, and that action also benefited bikes, strollers, delivery carts, and more, we have seen countless incidences where disability-friendly features are used and appreciated by a larger group than the people they were designed for.

Curb cuts were upgrades for our communities. They created a better experience for more citizens. Instead of accommodations or adjustments, let’s call these organization-wide upgrades. Let’s integrate them into the workplace experience.

At work, many meetings are ripe for a curb cut. For example, agendas are a best practice and bring clarity. Yet if you review your calendar notices for the past week, what percentage had an agenda included with the invitation?

In her 2024 book, The Canary Code, Ludmila Praslova describes the idea that, much like canaries would signal to miners that there is not enough oxygen to breath, neurodiverse employees would signal to organizations that there may be an inconsistent, counterproductive, or unclear policy.

Neurodivergent thinking isn’t a weakness but a clue to a better workplace experience. The shift from disability to diversity to workplace experience isn’t just a semantic one. It’s a mindset that recognizes that the workflows that support neurodivergent individuals also improve the workplace for all employees.

Let’s keep the conversation going. How can we create workplace experiences that embrace neurodivergent thinking in meaningful ways?

If this post resonates with you, let's connect! 👋 BrainTypes helps you bring these ideas into your workplace. Reach out to Shaun to explore how.