iPhone v Android Brains

What is neurodiversity in the workplace?

Neurodiversity is the natural variation in how human brains work. It includes conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and others. Around 1 in 7 people in the UK are neurodivergent, which means every workplace of any size already employs neurodivergent people, whether they know it or not. Neurodiversity in the workplace means recognising these differences, removing the barriers that hold neurodivergent people back, and making the most of the genuine strengths they bring, including creativity, pattern recognition, problem-solving and attention to detail.

Here's how I explain it in every session I run. Think of an iPhone and an Android. Both are excellent phones. Both do exactly what they were designed to do, brilliantly. But they run on different operating systems, and if you try to use one exactly like the other, you'll get frustrated fast and conclude the phone is broken. It isn't. It just works differently.

That's neurodiversity. Different operating systems, not defective ones.

The workplace problem is that most of our environments, from open-plan offices to interview processes to "quick catch-up calls", were designed for one operating system only. When neurodivergent colleagues struggle in those environments, we've historically blamed the person rather than the design. Unsupported neurodivergent differences are also strongly linked to poor mental health, which is why this sits at the heart of my work alongside mental health training.

The organisations getting this right aren't doing it out of charity. They're doing it because they've realised they've been leaving talent on the table.

Start with one hour. The Thrive Aware webinar introduces neurodiversity, the main conditions and their strengths, with CPD certification included. Find the next course here: https://www.peterlarkum.com/courses-and-events