Skip to content

Brought to you by

Dentons logo in black and white

UK People Reward and Mobility Hub

The latest updates in employment, benefits, pensions and immigration

open menu close menu

UK People Reward and Mobility Hub

  • Home
  • Events and training
  • Who We Are
    • Meet the team
  • How we can help

Neurodiversity Celebration Week: what should employers be thinking about?

By Alison Weatherhead
March 24, 2023
  • Disability
  • Discrimination
  • Employee welfare
  • Equality Act
  • Recruitment
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via email Share on LinkedIn

Neurodiversity Celebration Week was marked between 13 and 19 March 2023, with the annual celebration once again aiming to change the narrative on neurodiversity by challenging stereotypes and celebrating individual empowerment. With important initiatives such as Neurodiversity Celebration Week and April’s Autism Awareness Month gaining greater publicity year on year, the attention of many employers is turning to what can be done to support neurodivergent employees and candidates.

Background

Neurodiversity is widely considered to be an umbrella term encompassing a wide range of individuals whose thinking style and neurological processes differ from the mainstream. This includes those with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, dyscalculia and autism, amongst others.

It is estimated that around 15-20% of the population is neurodiverse, so it is likely that most workplaces will have neurodiverse employees. It is therefore important for employers to understand how these individuals can be supported and championed in the workplace.

How employers can support neurodiverse employees

Neurodiversity could be considered a disability for the purposes of it being a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. However, in most cases this depends on the impact on the individual and, even when this meets the statutory test, they may not identify as disabled. As a result, employers will often not really know for certain whether a particular employee is covered by the Equality Act.  Therefore, they should avoid discriminating against employees on the basis of their neurodiversity, and instead seek to make reasonable adjustments to prevent those employees from being at a disadvantage compared to their neurotypical colleagues.  

The reasonable adjustments necessary to support employees will be dependent on their specific needs and the nature of their employment role. However, such adjustments could include:

  • allowing for short rest or movement breaks throughout the working day;
  • being given a quiet working space away from distractions, such as colleagues making phone calls;
  • being given extra time to complete certain tasks which are more challenging;
  • greater allowance for flexible working and remote working; and
  • use of assistive technology such as mind-mapping software and assistive text software.

In addition to understanding their obligations to make reasonable adjustments, employers can support neurodiverse colleagues by providing training to all employees (and, in particular, to neurotypical employees) to help foster a collaborative and inclusive working environment.

The same can be said for tackling unconscious bias. Unconscious bias can be especially common during recruitment and promotion processes and that is why it is so crucial for employers to gain 360-degree feedback from all within their organisation on how they can address unconscious bias and support diversity, across all levels of the business.

The importance of supporting neurodiverse individuals in the workforce (and diversity more generally) should not be overlooked. It is well known that the benefits of having a diverse workforce ripple into all areas of the business, including employee engagement and satisfaction, productivity, profit, innovation and reputation. 

Conclusion

The progress highlighted by Neurodiversity Celebration Week and Autism Awareness Month, along with other awareness campaigns, is a welcome indicator that employers and employees are becoming increasingly aware of just how important it is to have a diverse workforce, whether this be in relation to neurodiversity or otherwise.  

If you would like any further information on how to support neurodiversity in the workplace, please reach out to our PRM team, or take a look at last year’s insight article on the topic.

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via email Share on LinkedIn
Subscribe and stay updated
Receive our latest blog posts by email.
Stay in Touch
disability, Discrimination, employee welfare, Equality Act, recruitment
Alison Weatherhead

About Alison Weatherhead

Alison supports and advises clients on the full range of human resource queries and acts for clients in employment tribunals and judicial mediations, predominantly for employers. Her experience in tribunals includes advising on unfair dismissal, disability discrimination claims, whistleblowing claims and unlawful deductions from wages.

All posts Full bio

You might also like...

  • Discrimination
  • Equality Act
  • Sex Discrimination

Requirement for an actor to not be visibly pregnant not a genuine occupational requirement

By Victoria Albon
  • Recruitment

New guidance issued on employment references

New guidance from the UK Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) provides employers with a timely reminder in relation to their obligations when providing and obtaining references which is an area in which employers can easily fall foul if they are not careful.

By UK People Reward and Mobility Team
  • Discrimination
  • Employee welfare
  • Employment policies
  • Family friendly rights
  • Flexible working
  • Legislation
  • Maternity Leave

Workplace protection for those undergoing IVF treatment

By Amy Gordon

About Dentons

Redefining possibilities. Together, everywhere. For more information visit dentons.com

Grow, Protect, Operate, Finance. Dentons, the law firm of the future is here. Copyright 2023 Dentons. Dentons is a global legal practice providing client services worldwide through its member firms and affiliates. Please see dentons.com for Legal notices.

Categories

Dentons logo in black and white

© 2025 Dentons

  • Legal notices
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of use
  • Cookies on this site