Wired Differently: Unlocking Potential by Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace

The following article is an excerpt from Alliant's Global Benefits team's 2026 Global Health Review, compiled in partnership with Asinta.

If we do not treat any two clients the same, why should an employer treat two employees the same? We have become accustomed to thinking of diversity as something that can be easily seen such as gender, skin color, and ethnicity. However, neurodiversity goes a layer deeper and describes the cognitive distinctions between how people think, learn, and behave; these are sometimes attributed to conditions such as autism, ADD, ADHD, and various learning differences.⁴

There has been an increase in neurodivergent diagnoses due to an increased understanding of the conditions and how they manifest across individuals. These will only continue to increase as more members seek support due to reduced societal stigma and popular media portraying highly successful neurodivergent individuals (e.g., The Good Doctor). In the world, anywhere between 15% to 20% of members have been classified neurodivergent^2,3 and this extends to top leadership: 45% of C-level executives, 55% of business owners, and 33% of senior management.⁵

While these individuals have historically seen high rates of unemployment of roughly 30-40% (8 times higher than neurotypical colleagues), there has been an increased push to provide additional support to ensure they are provided the same opportunities to thrive.

Companies that do not seek to address neurodiversity in the workplace will face higher levels of stress and burnout, decreased satisfaction, increased turnover and poorer job performance.⁶ Not to mention they lose out on the potential of unlocking great innovation and creativity that comes from embracing diverse approaches and ideas.

Challenges and Opportunities

Besides legal regulations that prohibit discrimination for recruitment based on a member’s disability, many neurodiverse individuals are often screened out during early stages of recruitment, as only 51% of employers have carefully looked at their hiring process to ensure they are attracting and accommodating neurodivergent candidates.⁷ This is likely due to a variety of misconceptions and biases surrounding these individuals such as their inflexible nature, their inability to understand social cues and interact appropriately with colleagues and clients, and lower perceived productivity.

These biases are pervasive in the workplace and often result in those that have been hired (88% of all neurodivergent employees) to feel as though they cannot disclose their diagnosis to coworkers in the fear of being discriminated against or alienated.⁵ This perpetuates stigma, encourages further conformity, and poses a barrier to creating a psychologically safe workplace where employees can bring their authentic self to work and innovation can thrive. This can result in physical and emotional discomfort for these colleagues which often lead to longer term mental health issues, such as burnout, which the World Health Organization added to the ICD-11 in 2019 and defined as “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”⁸.

Instead, we need to encourage our clients to focus on the strengths that the neurodivergent community brings to the workforce which include innovation, creativity, accuracy, attention to detail and patterns, high levels of concentration and memory, reliability, reduced proclivity to group think, and their ability to uniquely approach problem-solving because of their capability to see the world around them differently. Embracing these individuals results in productivity gains, quality improvement, enhanced creativity and innovation, and broader employee engagement. Top companies such as Hewlett-Packard and Deloitte with neurodiversity initiatives have seen up to 30% higher productivity and 90% retention amongst their neurodiverse colleagues when compared to their neurotypical counterparts.⁶

Employer Approach to Neurodiversity

It is important to consider neurodiversity from the lens of recruitment, training, job role and performance, and social support. While outright discrimination during recruitment is not allowed based on a disability in about 120 UN-member countries, there are a few additional ways to avoid some of the unconscious bias that may creep in during recruitment and interviewing. One way is to standardize the interview process by providing a structured interview where each employee is asked the same exact questions and scored with the same rubric. This eliminates any bias that may play a role when assessing someone’s personality or social skills. Another tactic is to focus on skills-based tests and gamified scenarios that focus on those individual’s strengths.

There are additional steps an employer can take to ensure that their neurodivergent workforce feels heard and supported. The first is ensuring that leadership is fostering an environment where individual differences are acknowledged and celebrated so that neurodivergent individuals can confide in their colleagues and proudly disclose their diagnosis, being careful not to label it as a “disability”. One way to raise awareness about neurodiversity and the unconscious bias that undoubtedly exists in everyone is to embed neurodiversity into any yearly and new hire unconscious bias training. In addition, providing training on what neurodiversity is and the many ways it can manifest in an individual’s personal and professional life is key to understanding how personal of an experience it really is and how one can support their colleague. This will not only create a more positive work environment but will increase the bond and trust between a manager and their employee. Highlighting the strengths that can come from a neurodiverse workforce through scenario training is also imperative in fostering a culture of acceptance and inclusion.

Once employees feel comfortable disclosing their diagnosis, it is important that their unique needs feel heard whether that is their need for a flexible work schedule or the ability to telecommute. If this is not possible, a reasonable alternative, in some cases such as ADHD and autism may be adjusting the physical environment to reduce risk of overstimulation such as softer light, decreased noise, or providing noise-canceling headphones. Managers should also be trained in adjusting their communication style to each of their direct reports, whether that is being more directive when giving instructions or providing written instructions or visual aids. Finally, the creation of an employee resource group (ERG) or an affinity group for the neurodivergent community is also pivotal in fostering a sense of belonging.

While research is still emerging on the benefits of embracing and unlocking the talent and potential of neurodivergent employees, some countries and regions have been quicker to embrace it than others. This is increasingly common as neurodiversity gains attention and recognition and business impacts are evaluated and publicized. The greatest barriers across all regions continue to be lack of awareness and knowledge, lack of national and local regulations and infrastructure, and fear of disclosure due to stigma and discrimination. The role of consultants and company leaders is imperative to steer the narrative to not only raise awareness but convene stakeholders including policymakers, companies, and point solution vendors to support this important segment of the workforce.

Findings by Region and Country

• Americas: Neurodiversity is a growing area of focus, particularly for start-ups and other technology clients in countries like the U.S., Canada, Argentina, Brazil and Chile. More traditional companies and industries recognize the concern but rely on tools available through other benefits such as the health plan and EAP.
  
  
• APAC: Region with the lowest support for neurodiversity due to lack of awareness and strong cultural stigma leading to fear of discrimination.
  
  
• EMEA: Neurodiversity support still gaining traction in most countries except France and Germany where support is strong due to public-private partnerships, research collaborations, and carrier riders for additional support. Spain has also experience growing investment and growth in neurodiversity initiatives and expects this trend to continue for the next 12 months.

Download the 2026 Global Health Review to learn more about neurodiversity practices by region and country.