Celebrating neurodiversity: the unique strengths and challenges of being neurodivergent

We believe diversity is something to be celebrated – and neurodiversity is no different.

Neurodiversity refers to the variations in the way our brains work. It's an umbrella term that describes different ways of thinking and includes conditions such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and learning differences.

We know that people who are neurodivergent bring unique strengths to the workplace, but they also face challenges.

This Neurodiversity Celebration Week (17 – 23 March), we're sharing the stories of some of our colleagues who identify under the neurodivergent umbrella. Together we're celebrating their many skills and talents, while learning how we can continue to create an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

Meet Adam Crowe, Business Reference Group Lead

Meet Michael Mitchard, Testing Manager

Meet Abby Welham, Client Partnership Lead and Access Services Educator

What can neurodiversity bring to the workplace?

It brings different perspectives and skills. With my diagnosis, I’m very organised, structured in my thinking, and able to break things down, which are good skills people don’t always think about.

I also think neurodiversity is important at Scope. There’s often intersectionality between neurodivergence and disability, so having experience and knowledge in this space is going to have a great impact on the people we support.

Importantly, diversity in the workplace reassures people that they can be themselves and know it’s going to be accepted and celebrated. Whether it’s age, gender, sexuality, culture, or neurodiversity, it’s going to make us so much stronger as a group.

What can we do to make the workplace more inclusive for people who are neurodivergent?

What I’ve found most valuable is having open and ongoing conversations with my managers about accommodations and reasonable adjustments that support me at work.

Some organisations might be nervous about this, but many accommodations are simple, like providing additional thinking and processing time, materials to prepare for meetings in advance, and flexibility to work from home. Everyone is going to need accommodations at times so embracing them is going to benefit us all.

I also worked with the property team to remove the fluorescent lighting above a row of desks at the office. With my autism I am sensitive to light, especially fluorescent lights. They can give me headaches and make me feel overwhelmed or overstimulated, so removing them has made being in the office more accessible for me. I’m really proud of this and I think there’s a lot more we can do to create more sensory-friendly spaces in the office.

What do you wish more people knew about being neurodivergent?

That neurodiversity is so much more than what people can see from the outside. What you see isn’t necessarily what you get and having that awareness is really important.

Also, that someone with the same diagnosis isn’t going to be the same as me. We need to be more aware of human variability and allow people to show up how they feel most comfortable. After all, human variability is what makes life so much fun.

I want more people to know that we’re just people. Like everyone else, we want to be welcomed, accepted, and acknowledged for the strength and diversity we bring to the workplace.