Many companies still treat neurodiversity as a matter of accommodation instead of empowerment, say voices pushing for change, sparking calls for a shift in HR strategy as AI tools and inclusion frameworks make tailored support more feasible.
Writing in The Times, Alex Wright, co-founder of drinks firm Dash Water, made the case that neurodivergent people do not benefit from labels like “superpower” unless leaders create systems, tools and cultures that let difference flourish. He recalled how, at school, dyslexia felt like “constantly swimming against the tide”. Now, he says, it has become part of how he leads a company where diverse brains are vital to innovation.
Dyslexics, Wright noted, make up around one-third of UK entrepreneurs, compared with one in 10 of the general population. But he cautioned that business must do more than tolerate difference. Too often, he argued, they focus on “accommodating” neurodivergent staff, implying bending the rules just enough to let them fit. Instead, he said, organisations should adjust the environment so that diverse thinking is a strength.
“Real empowerment means the opposite: recognising that different brains bring different strengths, and shaping individual experiences to unlock them,” he wrote.
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Inclusion frameworks and competitive edge
Recent research supports Wright’s premise: neuroinclusion is increasingly seen not as a “nice to have” but as a strategic imperative. A report from the Institute for Employment Studies says that since about one in seven people is neurodivergent, workplaces will inevitably include a mix of neurodivergent and neurotypical staff. In that context, inclusive practices can drive engagement and productivity.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has published guides urging HR teams to adopt flexible work design, awareness training and psychological safety for neurodivergent employees.
Workplace advice service Acas also offers best practice advice: reviewing recruitment processes, training managers, raising awareness and having neurodiversity policies that allow workers to obtain support without needing to disclose to all.
Some UK firms are already responding. In the financial sector, for example, Schroders and Jupiter have launched employee neurodiversity networks, offering support to staff with ADHD, autism or dyslexia. They aim to help managers understand individual profiles and provide appropriate accommodations.
And software firm SAP UK has joined a national industry forum, Neurodiversity in Business, to promote inclusion and share strategies across organisations.
These initiatives show that momentum is building. But Wright warns that unless difference is melded into operations, these activities risk being superficial.
AI and assistive tech as enablers
Wright also placed hope in AI and assistive tools. He argued that platforms such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, Copilot and smart dictation software can diminish barriers in reading, writing and administration, thereby liberating employees to focus on creativity, problem solving and innovation.
“The mistake some make is leaving these tools as optional extras. Instead, embed them into how your whole team works,” he said.
Wright singled out a failure mode in many organisations: treating neurodiversity as something to be managed rather than leveraged. He contrasted dumping tasks on neurodivergent staff with creating roles that let them delegate weak areas and focus on natural strengths.
He praised advocates such as Kate Griggs, founder of charity Made by Dyslexia, for promoting the idea of teaching all workers to “think like a dyslexic” — not to emphasise deficits but to unlock different patterns of thought.
But Wright cautioned that allowances without progression lead to nowhere and called for structural changes so that talented people are not penalised for traits deemed atypical in standard systems.
HR’s evolving role
The expectation, say workplace experts, is for HR to no longer only provide reasonable adjustments but to reshape culture, policy, training and technology so that workplace norms benefit everyone.
Part of that work is making employee support visible — to ensure that neurodivergent colleagues are neither sidelined nor unduly spotlighted. Empowering all staff to customise their workflow, sense check meetings or communications or choose tools that aid cognition may increasingly become baseline expectations.
Another role for HR will be measuring progress. Tools such as the Neurodiversity Employers Index allow organisations to assess their practices and benchmark against peers.
Where firms excel, neuroinclusion gives them a competitive edge. Rather than paying a diversity premium, they can tap into talent that sees patterns others miss or questions norms that others accept. Wright’s experience for Dash Water is just one illustration.
