Neuro-Inclusive Management: Leading with Accessibility

Business leaders play a significant role in sustaining inclusive work cultures, which requires them to think carefully about the way they manage their teams. 

To develop truly inclusive leadership strategies, workplace supervisors must accommodate neurodivergence, said Hannah Toney, custom learning solutions director at Management Concepts, an HR consultancy in Tysons Corner, Va., speaking at SHRM25 in San Diego. 

Neurodivergence is a blanket term used to describe natural variances in how individual human brains process information — that result in “little differences in understanding,” Toney explained. Employees diagnosed with a variety of cognitive differences may be considered neurodivergent — including autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, and many more.

Employees vary in information processing speed, communication style, interpersonal skills, and other traits that may present a disadvantage in workplaces that do not embrace neurodiversity — the spectrum of differences between human brains, Toney said. For example, an employee on the autism spectrum may face challenges in interpreting social cues and subtle nuances in communication, while an employee with ADHD may have difficulty focusing on their work in an open office layout.  

Neurodiversity is a component of overall human diversity and should be reflected in the way that supervisors manage their employees, Toney said. By adopting leadership approaches that accommodate neurodivergent workers, organizations can better leverage the competitive advantages presented by employees’ unique skills and perspectives. 

“When we flip the script and design for neurodiversity, instead of asking employees to fit in or mask [hide their neurodivergent traits], we start to unlock really amazing talent, resilience, and creativity,” Toney said.

Toolkit: Implementing SHRM’s BEAM Framework for Inclusion

Leading with Neuro-Inclusive Principles 

Encourage supervisors to implement these inclusive management practices that empower neurodivergent workers to succeed.  

Provide specific instructions. Unclear directions are disadvantageous to a variety of neurodivergent workers. For example, an employee with ADHD may be especially prone to anxiety when faced with vague expectations, a symptom that causes a major distraction. Furthermore, an employee with autism may have increased difficulty managing time or planning effectively, which could be compounded when instructions are difficult to follow. 

“When you remove the noise in the form of unnecessary barriers, employees lead with their strengths — and they come in and rock it,” Toney said.

Neuro-inclusive directions may incorporate detailed examples or visual aids. Consider if employees might benefit from:

• Templates.  

• Step-by-step guides.

• Examples of high-quality work from comparable projects. Avoid telling employees to “Use your best judgment,” which can worsen anxiety. Instead, be clear about your desired outcome for assignments. 

• Instructions free from figurative language and corporate jargon, two elements that can be difficult to understand for certain neurodivergent workers.

Toolkit: The HR Discipline of Inclusion and Diversity 

Customize communication. Neurodivergence may hinder an employee’s ability to present or comprehend information through particular modes of communication. An employee on the autism spectrum may have difficulty with face-to-face interactions. Meanwhile, a worker with dyslexia may struggle to interpret written words. 

Neurodiversity influences which mode of communication employees are most comfortable with, so flexibility is key in including neurodivergent workers, Toney explained. She recommended that employers:

• Gather information on employees’ communication preferences during the onboarding process.

• Ask employees to indicate feedback preferences. They may request written or oral comments and real-time or delayed delivery, for example. 

• Offer meeting notes or transcripts as an alternative to in-person or virtual attendance.

• Don’t require an immediate response. Employees may need time to contemplate their answer.

Modernize your definition of professionalism. Outdated corporate norms exclude neurodivergent workers and may even jeopardize psychological safety. Some traditional office expectations — such as constantly maintaining a polished demeanor or avoiding displays of emotion — may incentivize masking, which risks extra stress, anxiety, or even physical discomfort. 

For example, the formal atmosphere of a traditional office space or business meeting may encourage an employee with Tourette syndrome to resist their tics — involuntary actions and vocalizations that may be painful to suppress — in fear of being seen as disruptive. These employees may be accommodated by allowing them to excuse themselves during meetings, attend them virtually, or take short breaks throughout the day. 

“It’s about changing the workplace — which has been designed for the majority — and asking those in it to think differently,” Toney said. “There is no correct way to think, communicate, or contribute.”

Modeling true neuro-inclusive management requires business leaders to embrace cognitive differences and uphold a culture that doesn’t require masking neurodivergent traits. This requires creating an environment that balances the acceptance of neurodivergence with the needs of all employees. To accomplish this, consider the following:

• Host training on neurodivergence to teach employees that cognitive differences and their symptoms are normal human traits.

• Encourage neurotypical employees — those who are not neurodivergent — to view neurodivergence with compassion and forgive distractions caused by its symptoms, but provide them with a quiet, alternative workspace when necessary. 

• Focus on the results of an employee’s work, the outcomes of your interactions with them, and the respect they show, rather than their physical presentation or appearance.

• Develop a more progressive view of engagement during meetings, understanding that “paying attention” doesn’t look the same for everyone. Consider allowing nontraditional practices that may help neurodivergent workers concentrate, such as standing up, walking around, or doodling. 

• Train employees in public speaking, coaching them to give presentations or lead meetings despite potential distractions.