Advantages of neuroinclusive workplaces

The Owl Cafe in Goa employs neurodivergent individuals, providing them with skills, income, and a valuable platform to showcase their strengths.

Maitreyee Manglurkar is the Centre Head of The Owl House, a non-profit organisation that provides skilling and vocational support for neurodivergent individuals and also runs the café. She explains that employers frequently lack a clear understanding of the distinct characteristics and advantages that neurodivergence can bring.

Neurodivergent describes people whose brain differences affect how they think and behave. Individuals with conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and dyspraxia have unique strengths and challenges. Potential strengths include enhanced memory, the ability to easily picture three-dimensional (3D) objects, the ability to perform complex mental calculations, and strong pattern recognition.

Workplaces today are seeing a growing number of employees who identify as neurodivergent. These individuals bring unique thinking approaches, communication styles, attention mechanisms, and problem-solving abilities.

While there’s a growing corporate focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I), it has not adequately incorporated knowledge about neurodiversity. This gap can prevent employees from fully participating at work and achieving performance goals.

Corporate initiatives

Research shows that neurodivergent individuals make up 15–20% of the global population. Millions of neurodivergent professionals are working in the Indian workforce without adequate workplace accommodations.

In contrast, corporations such as Microsoft, SAP, IBM, and Thomson Reuters run targeted hiring and inclusion programmes for candidates with autism, dyslexia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who work successfully as software developers, UX designers, and data analysts.

Neurodivergent employees often have distinctive ways of communicating, which may be evident in direct speech, specific word choices, minimal eye contact, or unique body language. The work environment also affects their sensory perception, as they react strongly to noise, light, and open-plan office layouts.

These employees exhibit distinct work patterns, including intense concentration, difficulty switching between tasks, and strict adherence to schedules. They bring exceptional problem-solving abilities, including the capacity to detect patterns, generate innovative solutions, and maintain intense focus on details.

VN (name changed), aged 31, who has ADHD and works as a designer for a British multinational in Mumbai, says, “Employees with ADHD can deliver bursts of extraordinary productivity, often 200%, when given the freedom to manage energy and time. In fast-changing environments, ADHD is an asset: adaptability, quick thinking, and cross-domain problem-solving become natural strengths. What looks like restlessness is often resilience. Employees with ADHD often find creative ways to adapt when rigid rules drive others away.”

Currently, a lack of awareness leads to poor well-being, anxiety, and high rates of job turnover for neurodivergent employees. For example, an HR manager in Mumbai rejected a candidate with autism due to a lack of eye contact, only to later discover the candidate had outstanding data pattern recognition skills. This shows that managers who fail to understand different communication styles will overlook important employee capabilities.

Creating neuroinclusive workplaces

Implementing simple workplace accommodations leads to significant improvements in comfort and work performance among neurodivergent employees.

Rethink hiring and feedback systems: The recruitment process should eliminate unnecessary aspects such as casual conversations and group assessments.

Create sensory-friendly spaces: The workplace should provide designated quiet areas, noise-reduction systems, and remote work options to support employees with diverse sensory needs. Accommodations such as soft, smooth upholstery, sound-masking headphones, and fidget-friendly furniture (e.g., rocking stools and rocking chairs) can help employees to ground themselves. Giving icons or pictorial instructions can also be very helpful to new employees in navigating and reducing visual clutter.

Build awareness and train managers: Managers need training to identify neurodivergent communication patterns and view these differences as natural variations rather than problems to be corrected. Giving adequate transition time to settle into the work rhythm on a given day before initiating meetings for task discussions can help neurodivergent employees better settle into tasks.

Tap into inclusive employment providers: Specialists worldwide train and support neurodivergent candidates, helping them leverage their strong pattern-recognition skills to excel in software testing, quality control, and other areas.

Develop evidence-based solutions: Research shows that structured work environments, combined with assistive technology tools and inclusive meeting practices, lead to successful career development for autistic professionals at every stage.

Enable line managers and colleagues: Everyone in the chain of command must be sensitised and trained to be open and supportive so that neurodivergent candidates can reach their full potential.

Leverage external support: Because every neurodivergent candidate has unique strengths and challenges, the insights of family or support networks can be valuable (with the employee’s consent). This information can guide task assignments and workplace adjustments, helping employees adapt and stay longer.

Advantages to businesses

Neurodiversity is a valuable form of human diversity that delivers measurable business advantages. Research has shown that neurodivergent team members achieve 30% higher productivity than non-neurodivergent teams because they excel at focused work, detailed tasks, and problem-solving.

“Neurodiverse employees show exceptional resilience and adaptability when properly supported, a quality that fast-paced organisations require,” Maitreyee says. “Companies that hire neurodiverse employees gain dedicated staff members who bring fresh perspectives, leading to innovative solutions. Organisations that welcome neurodiverse employees experience better staff retention because inclusive environments build trust and foster a sense of belonging and work commitment.”

The Indian neuroinclusion movement faces various cultural and structural challenges that slow its development. Indian businesses must create workplaces that accept neurodivergent candidates through means that go beyond minimum regulatory standards. Organisations that create neuroinclusive work environments will gain strategic advantages by improving innovation and productivity, reducing employee burnout, and minimising employee turnover.

(Reji Varghese is a Chennai-based entrepreneur; Trinjhna Khattar is a program director at the Institute for Exceptional Children, Mumbai)