Neurodiversity, Autism And Work

Neurodiversity is a relatively new term, but increasing numbers of employers are seeking to plug their skills gap by developing a more neurodiverse workplace. This article gives some guidance on how HR can assist.

There has been growing interest in recent years in neurodiversity, which often refers to people with some form of autism spectrum disorder ('ASD' or 'autism' for short) or Asperger syndrome. It also covers other conditions such as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and pathological demand avoidance, whereby the person's brain functions in a different way from the dominant 'normal' societal standards. Someone with one of these conditions is described as 'neurodivergent'. There is a spectrum: while people with such a condition have features in common, they will display behaviours to a differing degree.