What if the person you call "distracted" is actually your most focused thinker?
What if the colleague who avoids small talk isn't disengaged but conserving energy to solve the problem you've been stuck on for weeks?
We don't have a people problem.
We have a misunderstanding of how people work.
And when that misunderstanding sits inside a workplace, it can quietly cost people their confidence – and employers their best talent.
Introducing The Series
I'm Samantha Newton, founder of Magenta HR Consulting and a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD. After twenty years in HR — from manufacturing floors to GP federations, I've learned that inclusion doesn't start with policy; it starts with curiosity.
This month for Foyht, I'm exploring neurodiversity in the workplace – the realities, the myths, and the quiet revolutions already happening in small businesses. Each week we'll look at a new theme: recruitment bias, everyday adjustments, and how leadership shapes a truly inclusive culture.
Because understanding how different minds work isn't a "nice to have." It's how we build workplaces that don't just function, but flourish.
Different Minds, Same Goal
In a small Oxfordshire design studio, the day begins with the usual buzz of emails and coffee cups. Jess, the new designer, slides on her headphones. Her manager used to worry she was "cutting herself off." Now he knows she's autistic, and that quiet focus is her superpower.
The result? Happier employees, smoother projects, higher profit.
That's neurodiversity in motion: when we stop expecting sameness, everyone wins.
Did You Know?
• 1 in 7 people in the UK are neurodivergent.
• Around 40 % of entrepreneurs show ADHD or dyslexic traits.
• The average cost of a workplace adjustment is under £75 — and many are free.
Beyond The Label
Neurodiversity describes the natural variation in how our brains process information. Around one in five people are neurodivergent – including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and Tourette's.
Yet most workplaces were built for the other four. Open-plan offices, quick-fire meetings, unwritten social rules – all designed for the "average" brain. But average isn't neutral; it's exclusive.
When Systems Don't Fit People
I once supported a healthcare practice where a gifted administrator kept missing verbal updates. The assumption? Carelessness.
The truth? She processed information better in writing.
Once meetings were summarised by email, accuracy doubled.
That's not special treatment. It's smart management – adjusting the environment instead of penalising the person.
Common Myths About Neurodiversity at Work
- Myth: Adjustments are expensive.
Truth: Most cost little or nothing – time, flexibility and empathy are free. - Myth: Neurodivergent employees need constant support.
Truth: They often just need predictability and clarity. - Myth: Inclusion slows productivity.
Truth: It boosts it – because people stop spending energy on camouflage.
Why It Matters
Inclusion isn't sentimental; it's strategic.
- Retention: employees stay when they feel seen.
- Innovation: different thinkers spot different patterns.
- Reputation: inclusion attracts both clients and talent.
- Legal duty: under the Equality Act 2010, employers must make reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent employees.
Ignoring it isn't just risky; it's wasteful.
Inclusive workplaces don't only protect wellbeing; they enhance it. The same adjustments that make work accessible often make it calmer and kinder for everyone, reducing stress, burnout and that quiet sense of not quite fitting in.
And What If the Owner Is Neurodivergent Too?
It's easy to talk about inclusion as something leaders give to others. But what if you – the owner, the manager, the driving force – are the one with ADHD, autism or dyslexia?
Many founders are. The traits that spark entrepreneurship – hyperfocus, creativity, relentless problem-solving -are the same ones that can tip into overload. Decision fatigue, sensory stress and the pressure to mask can make running your own business both liberating and draining.
If that's you, remember: the same adjustments that support your employees support you.
Structure, downtime, clarity and asking for help aren't weaknesses; they're safeguards. Inclusion starts at the top, not only for your team, but for your own wellbeing.
Five Simple Shifts
- Recruit with clarity. Write what's essential, not everything imaginable. Offer interview questions in advance.
- Train your managers. Teach them to spot strengths, not deficits.
- Fix the environment. Light, noise, clutter – small tweaks, big wins.
- Normalise flexibility. Let people choose how and where they work best.
- Build trust. Ask "what helps you?" and mean it.
A Small Story, A Big Shift
A GP federation I work with stopped weekend email chains after employee feedback. Within a month, anxiety fell, focus rose, and sickness dropped.
No grand rebrand. No consultant-speak. Just leadership listening.
Test Yourself
- Would a neurodivergent candidate thrive in your interview process?
- Do you value outcomes more than appearances?
- How many of your adjustments were offered, not requested?
If you hesitated, that's your clue. Awareness is the first adjustment.
Looking Ahead
The next generation of successful workplaces won't be defined by hierarchy or hustle. They'll be defined by humanity.
Neurodiversity isn't a side note in HR; it's the blueprint for the future of work — one where people don't need to hide how they think to be valued for what they do.
If this article resonated, your next step doesn't have to be big. A short conversation about your current challenges can reveal where inclusion gaps sit — and how simple it is to close them.
Next Week
The Hidden Barriers – Recruitment, Bias and Burnout.
How those everyday processes we call "standard practice" quietly shut the door on brilliant minds, and what we can all do differently.
Book your free 15-min HR SOS call. Because meaningful work needs meaningful protection.
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All Photos created in Canva
About the Author: Samantha Newton
