The way we talk about difference at work has changed. Diversity is no longer confined to what can be seen or easily categorised. Increasingly, attention has turned to how people think, process information and respond to their working environment. This is often described as neurodiversity, a term used to capture the natural variation in how human brains function.
For employers, neurodiversity can feel like unfamiliar territory. The language is evolving, the experiences are individual, and the legal framework is not always well understood. Yet the risks of getting it wrong are becoming clearer. Employment tribunals are seeing a steady rise in claims where misunderstandings about neurodivergent conditions sit at the heart of disputes over performance, behaviour and dismissal.
