April 15, 2025
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In today’s evolving workplace, creating inclusive environments isn’t just the right thing to do - it’s essential for productivity, retention, and innovation. For HR professionals, EDI leads, people managers, and learning & development teams, inclusive practices must extend to one of the most frequent and fundamental workplace activities: meetings.
Meetings can be overwhelming, inaccessible, or even exclusionary for autistic and otherwise neurodivergent employees, unless they’re designed with inclusivity in mind. The good news? Adjustments that support neurodivergent staff benefit everyone.
Autistic and ADHD staff often experience barriers that impact their ability to fully engage in meetings. These can be physical (e.g. sensory discomfort), organisational (e.g. lack of agenda or unclear structure), attitudinal (e.g. assumptions about ability), and social (e.g. unspoken expectations about participation).
Without inclusive practices, companies risk losing valuable input, marginalising team members, and unintentionally excluding talent from important decisions. With the right adjustments, however, meetings can become spaces where everyone is heard, respected, and able to contribute effectively.
Set everyone up for success by sending clear agendas and relevant materials ahead of time. This gives attendees - especially those who process information differently - time to prepare, reflect, and contribute meaningfully.
🧠 No agenda? Me no attend-a!
Hybrid meetings should be standard, not an exception. Not everyone can attend in person due to sensory overload, chronic illness, caregiving responsibilities, or other access needs. Inclusive meetings make space for remote attendees to fully participate - using breakout rooms, real-time chat, closed captions, and flexible tech tools.
Consider part-time staff, carers, and those who work non-traditional hours. Offer repeat or “follow-up” sessions at different times of day and week. Diversity includes how and when people work.
A 10-minute break can significantly boost energy, engagement, and creative thinking. It allows people to move, refuel, and regulate. Schedule regular breaks into your agenda—and be flexible enough to add more if needed.
Avoid “info dumping.” Instead, deliver content in manageable sections with time to reflect in between. Give 5–10 minutes after each key point to process, absorb, and formulate ideas. You’ll hear richer insights and avoid missing out on brilliant contributions.
Recording meetings helps those who may need to revisit information at their own pace. Don’t assume a written summary is enough. O ffer multiple formats (e.g. audio, video with captions, plain text) to support different communication needs.
Create a culture where people feel safe to request and receive adjustments, whether that’s using captions, turning off cameras, or using assistive tools like desk umbrellas. Empower teams to support each other in making meetings work for all.
Inclusive meetings aren’t just a neurodiversity initiative. They’re a workplace improvement strategy. They increase engagement, reduce stress and burnout, and help unlock the full potential of every employee. As one of our speakers said: “Ten brains are better than seven. The technology is there - use it.”
At National Neurodiversity Training, we offer lived-experience-led training, research, and consultancy to help you build inclusive workplace practices that work for everyone. Whether you’re just starting out or refining your neurodiversity landscape, we can help.
👉 Contact us today to learn how our neurodiversity training can transform the way your teams meet, collaborate, and thrive.
