Asking not assuming: Building neuroinclusive workplaces
Traditional ways of working weren’t set up with neuroinclusion in mind, so how can employers ensure workplaces support neurodivergent colleagues to thrive?
Jane McNeice is an MHFA England® Instructor Member and the founder of Mind Matters Training. After years of searching for answers, she received an autism diagnosis in her mid-forties. Jane brings her knowledge and lived experience to her work with employers and has written two books on autism.
In this blog, Jane shares her thoughts on how to create neuroinclusive workplaces. Read on for her tips on reasonable adjustments, neuroinclusive meetings and open conversations.
Tell us about your interest in neurodivergence and autism
Before 2020, I didn't have an interest in autism at all. Firstly, I didn't really understand it – and I'm not sure the word “neurodivergence” had even entered my vocabulary. Secondly, I had absolutely no idea just how close to home it was going to end up for me.
My interests today are very much in neurodivergence and neurodiversity. Without a doubt, autism is absolutely my obsession, and I use that word intentionally. I don't tend to say “special interest”, which the majority of the autistic community prefers. For me, it genuinely does feel like an obsession. I honour my own personal language preferences just as I would honour someone else's. An obsession for an autistic person is joyful. It's energising, it's life-giving.
I've written two books about autism, completed a postgraduate certificate about it, and am now heading into my final year of my MA in autism.
How can employers create fair and equitable workplaces that support neurodivergent colleagues?
A fair and equitable approach means asking, not assuming. It means accepting that people will need different things, and that the same things may not be effective at all times.
Employers need to ask people what they need to thrive, actively listen to their responses, and observe.
This should start early with a simple personal wellbeing support plan developed during induction that captures how to get the best out of someone, what helps them stay well, where they might need support, and any sensory considerations.
In practice, that might look like flexible working hours, a permanent desk in a hot-desking environment, adaptive software, and no judgement for any of that.
The challenges aren’t always visible. Trust someone's word – and if you've got empathy, you've got the motivation for the rest.
What is masking and how can it affect an employee’s experience of work?
At its core, masking is about camouflaging. It’s recognising the parts of us that are different and generally met with disdain and rejection, and suppressing them. I was doing it from the age of three, observing others so I could mimic them and fit the neuronormative ideal.
Masking isn’t a coping mechanism, it's a survival mechanism. Anyone who masks will tell you how exhausted they constantly feel. It can lead to a diffused sense of identity and burnout, which mirrors episodes of depression, and can include thoughts of suicide.
The cost to employers is significant. The more psychological safety you create, the more authentically someone can show up. That means genuine acceptance, zero tolerance for ableism, flexible working, space to decompress after socially demanding situations, and leaders who model empathy.
What reasonable adjustments have you seen work well for neurodivergent colleagues?
How someone is treated when they ask for adjustments affects whether they'll ever ask again. Reasonable adjustments shouldn’t only happen on request – explore them regularly through supervision and wellbeing check-ins.
Adjustments that work well could include advance information with time to process it, clear and literal communication, flexible structure, sensory spaces, and access to coaching or a support buddy. Small things are important too, like a permanent desk in a hot-desking environment, ear defenders in noisy workplaces, or simply using someone’s preferred language.
And think carefully about how you design participation. For years I was in spaces where I was forced to take part. I learned to play the game, but it took effort, and it made me exhausted. Taking part in icebreakers, introducing myself, trying to stave off a panic attack at the same time. That anxiety stopped me learning and got in the way of engagement. Give people choice and agency, and you’ll get more, not less.
Can you give us some examples of inclusive ways of working that managers and colleagues can implement?
Inclusion isn’t one-size-fits-all. What works for one person may not work for another, and could even unintentionally exclude someone else. It always comes back to values. If an organisation has a commitment to respect and equity, and people understand what that looks like in practice, it becomes the anchor when things get complicated.
For neuroinclusion specifically, allow candidates to see interview questions in advance or question whether interviews are even the right recruitment method. Run neuroinclusive meetings – name badges help, and so does not judging people for forgetting names.
Opposing needs are real too. An autistic need for structure may sit in tension with an ADHD need for spontaneity. Good managers learn to navigate that, through compromise, clear values, and a willingness to ask rather than assume.
How important is language when talking about neurodivergence?
I'm going to say it depends on the person – of course, I only speak for my own preferences. There’s research on what the majority of neurodivergent people prefer and that's a good standard to follow. Where you can, account for individual difference too.
If someone says neurodiverse when they mean neurodivergent, I'm not going to call them out on it. I'd rather have a safe, curious conversation about language than make someone feel they’ve done something wrong.
Do you have any final reflections?
Beware ableism. Never assume based on a label what an autistic person can or cannot do. They will simply prove you wrong.
Managers are the key to neuroinclusive, mentally health teams. Find out more about our manager training courses, and equip your managers to have confident conversations and create psychological safety for their teams.