One in four employees self-identify or have been diagnosed as neurodivergent, according to new research by Dublin City University (DCU).
The research consisted of a survey of more than 1,500 neurodivergent and neuromajority (neurotypical) employees across three corporate workplaces. It also included six focus group sessions with neurodivergent employees across these workplaces.
It found that 25 per cent of corporate employees either self-identify or have been diagnosed as neurodivergent. Commonly reported neurodivergences included autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), dyslexia, dyscalculia, sensory processing issues, anxiety and depression, among others.
The report said the wellbeing of neurodivergent employees is “significantly poorer” than that of their colleagues, with 18.5 per cent of neurodivergent employees likely to be experiencing “significant levels of depression”. This assessment was based on the World Health Well Being Index.
Additionally, the research found that neurodivergent employees were less likely to hold a managerial role compared to their peers.
The percentage of neurodivergent employees holding a managerial position ranged from 24 per cent to 34 per cent across the three workplaces, compared to a range of 39 per cent to 51 per cent for participants who were not neurodivergent.
Report co-author Dr Laura Gormley, of the school of inclusive and special education at DCU, said the study highlights the “challenges faced, often daily, by employees who self-identify or have been diagnosed as neurodivergent”.
However, small changes by employers have a large impact on the wellbeing of neurodivergent employees, she said.
“Small accommodations go a long way in fostering an inclusive workforce, whether that’s a review of hot-desking or creating quiet zones, and this is no longer just a nice-to-have for employees, it is crucial to sustained employee success and wellbeing,” Dr Gormley said.
More than 80 per cent of participants believed that specific accommodations were necessary for neurodivergent employees to be successful at work. Hybrid working, access to quiet spaces and flexible start and finish times were identified as the accommodations of priority by neurodivergent staff.
The report’s findings “reinforce the need for employers to consider inclusivity in their strategising so that all employees have the same opportunity to progress and grow in their careers,” report co-author and head of the school of inclusive and special education at DCU, Dr Aoife Brennan, added.
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“Many employers already do just that but as the workplace continues to evolve, and with the advancement of new technologies, it is important that inclusion and opportunity for progression for everybody is at the heart of decision-making,” she said.
The research was carried out within the DCU centre for inclusive pedagogy, and with support from the DCU educational trust and Bank of Ireland.