Neurodiversity at Work: Learning from the Evolution of Wellbeing
- Sarah Tancell
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
by Sarah Tancell - Founder of Neuro-D
It’s striking to look back at the trajectory of workplace wellbeing. Ten or so years ago, “wellbeing” was often something we only discussed when someone was off sick with stress, anxiety, or burnout. It was reactive, limited to occasional workshops, and largely seen as a nice-to-have rather than a core requirement.
Fast forward to today, and wellbeing has become a strategic organisational focus. Fully fledged programmes, wellbeing teams, and even wellbeing metrics are now part of many organisations’ core operations. Companies have realised that supporting their people isn’t just compassionate, it drives engagement, retention, and productivity.
Interestingly, neurodiversity at work is now following a similar trajectory. Until only recently, it was treated as niche: something to manage only if an employee disclosed a diagnosis, requested adjustments, or “needed support.” The default approach was reactive, often leaving talented employees to navigate the system alone in despair, I know this because I felt it.
Now, we’re starting to see change. Neurodivergent employees themselves are driving awareness. They understand their rights, know how their brains work, and articulate clearly what they need to succeed. Organisations that pay attention are seeing the same benefits we’ve long seen from wellbeing initiatives: better engagement, retention, innovation, and overall performance.
But we’re not there yet. Many workplaces are still reactive, waiting for disclosure or performance issues before acting. By applying the lessons learned from the evolution of wellbeing, organisations should move to making neurodiversity a strategic priority rather than an afterthought.
That means:
● Designing systems, processes, and communication with cognitive diversity in mind.
● Equipping managers to lead diverse teams, not just manage exceptions.
● Creating environments where employees can thrive without needing to mask, overcompensate, or constantly self-advocate.
The shift from reactive accommodation to proactive design isn’t just about doing the right thing. It’s about creating a workplace that works for everyone (not just those who are neurodivergent).
In short: neuroinclusion isn’t a “nice-to-have”, it's the next frontier in building sustainable, high-performing workplaces. And the companies that embrace it early will reap the same rewards we’ve seen in wellbeing: healthier, happier, and more engaged employees who drive the business forward.
Connect with Sarah
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Resources for this session can be found on the replay page here
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