April 29, 2025
Creating an inclusive workplace goes beyond policy, it starts with understanding. For many autistic and ADHD employees, one of the most personal and challenging decisions is whether to disclose their neurodivergence at work.
As HR professionals, people managers, and EDI leads, you play a vital role in ensuring that disclosure leads to empowerment - not stigma or exclusion. This blog explores why disclosure matters, how to foster a supportive environment, and what practical steps to take when someone shares that they are neurodivergent.
When neurodivergent employees feel safe to share their needs, the whole organisation benefits. Disclosure allows:
However, disclosure rates remain low. According to ACAS, 72% of line managers say one of the biggest barriers to providing reasonable adjustments is that neurodivergent employees don’t disclose their needs [1].
Without disclosure, many autistic and ADHD individuals mask their challenges, leading to burnout, disengagement, or even exit from the organisation. Encouraging disclosure (without pressure) helps unlock solutions and build trust.
Neurodivergent employees often fear being judged, misunderstood, or labelled. Research from the CIPD shows that only 1 in 10 neurodivergent employees feel entirely comfortable disclosing their condition at work [2]. This may be due to concerns around job security, lack of understanding, and inconsistent support.
Some individuals may not have a formal diagnosis but still identify as neurodivergent and require support. Others may feel unsupported by past experiences of poor manager response or performative inclusion.
If someone discloses they are autistic or have ADHD, thank them and ask how they’d like that information to be used. Never assume it's okay to pass this on to others, even with good intentions. What’s shared stays confidential unless agreed otherwise.
Employees don’t need to justify their experience with a diagnosis. Instead of asking, “Do you have paperwork?” ask “How can we best support you?” Neurodivergence is a spectrum - every person is different.
It’s important to know that employers are not legally allowed to request a formal medical diagnosis in the UK.
Include neurodiversity in your DEI and business strategies. Talk about it during onboarding, in well-being check-ins, and team-wide communications. Offer multiple ways to communicate (e.g. via email, in private 1:1s, or anonymous feedback forms).
Make it clear that requesting adjustments doesn’t require sharing medical history or a formal label - just a conversation about what helps them thrive.
Signpost people to workplace adjustment processes, peer networks, and neurodiversity-focused resources. One helpful tool is an executive summary of all the neurodiversity initiatives your organisation provides!
Providing line managers with neuro-inclusion training is also essential. The same ACAS report revealed that more than half of managers feel unequipped to have these conversations and wouldn’t know where to start when providing reasonable adjustments.
When people disclose, it’s not just about individual support; it builds momentum for cultural change. Having visibility in data (anonymous and aggregated) helps make the case for inclusive initiatives and allows neurodivergent voices to shape policy.
At National Neurodiversity Training, we help organisations like yours become neuro-inclusive. From tailored training to policy reviews, our expert-led and lived-experience-informed services create meaningful change.
👉 Contact us today to learn how we can support your HR and management teams reduce turnover, boost satisfaction, and ensure compliance!
