Neurodivergent employees impacted by lack of training and support in the workplace

New research from the City & Guilds, and neurodiversity experts Do-IT Solutions finds that employers are currently failing to support neurodivergent employees with a lack of training and awareness available in the workplace.

10 March 2023

• New research from City & Guilds and Do-IT Solutions, conducted amongst 1000 employers and individuals, finds that only 23% of HR professionals and a third of Senior Leaders (29%) have had specific training relating to neurodiversity in the last 12 months
• Just over half (58%) of neurodiverse employees have disclosed their condition in the workplace with a good or OK response
• 40% of neurodivergent employees say they are impacted most days in the workplace by their condition.

Despite the research finding that 41% of employers have adapted recruitment processes to accommodate neurodivergent traits, only a third of HR professionals and 29% of Senior Leaders have had any specific training in relation to neurodiversity. 

An overwhelming 80% of the 972 respondents think it’s important to have disability inclusion policies and procedures in the workplace yet the research findings prove that this is currently lacking with just 23% of HR respondents having any training relating to neurodiversity in the last 12 months.

Almost a third of respondents (32%) have felt as if they can’t disclose their neurodivergent condition in the workplace, with 10% of respondents having been met with a poor response once they have done so. More positively almost half of organisations included in the research (49%) have neurodiversity champions or mentors, serving as advocates and allies and raising awareness of neurodiversity within the workplace.

Neurodivergent respondents of the survey were also more likely to report having neurodivergent children. Just under half the respondents have family dependents with a neurodivergent condition and 30% of parents of neurodivergent children have said it’s had an impact on their work.

Kirstie Donnelly MBE, CEO of City & Guilds, said:

“Neurodivergent people are estimated to make up 1 in 7  of the population in the UK, and when given the opportunity can bring fresh thinking to businesses that makes them more resilient and profitable. However, many face barriers when it comes to education, and training and getting into (and staying in) work. This is demonstrated in the fact that 30-40%  of neurodivergent people are unemployed in the UK today.

“To support more businesses to employ neurodivergent people, we carried out this important piece of research to find a benchmark for organisations to use and to consider what actions they should take to create a more inclusive workplace for all.”

Professor Amanda Kirby MBBS MRCGP PhD, CEO of Do-IT Solutions, said:

“The challenge remains in society that there is still a low level of appreciation of differences and the talents and skills we can gain if we ensure a more inclusive approach to both education and employment. This research is not only about employers, it’s also very important to capture an understanding from employees working in all sizes of organisations and to hear their current lived experiences and enable a means of having their voices heard. I’m delighted to be able to partner with City & Guilds Foundation on this Neurodiversity Index which will hopefully support many organisations on their quest to become more inclusive.”

In October 2022 City & Guilds in partnership with the Education Training Foundation launched a series of tools to support inclusive learning. The City & Guilds Inclusive Curriculum Framework has been created to equip trainers to confidently support learners with disabilities. See the first tool covering Specific Learning Difficulties: Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia and Visual Stress.