Workplaces are often designed with neurotypical employees in mind, making it difficult for neurodivergent professionals to thrive. Over the years, I have encountered both the best and worst practices in workplace inclusion. Some environments have empowered me, while others have excluded, mistreated, and underestimated me. These experiences have shaped my understanding of what truly works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to fostering inclusive workplaces.
I am Pranav Sethi, an autistic professional with ADHD and a consultant at Orchvate. I spent the past decade working in the Climate and Disaster Risk Mitigation sector. With a Master’s degree from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), I actively advocate for disability inclusion, speaking at multiple forums, and share my lived experiences to drive meaningful change.
In this article, I share real-life experiences that illustrate the systemic challenges neurodivergent professionals face, along with actionable insights on how organizations can create environments where we don’t just survive but succeed.
Challenges I have Witnessed as a Neurodivergent Professional
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Physical and Social Exclusion
At one of my previous jobs, I was physically isolated from my team despite being their designated leader. My desk and chair were taken away, and I was moved to a storage room with inadequate furniture. This deliberate exclusion led to workplace bullying, making me a scapegoat for others’ misdeeds. The hostile environment forced me to leave abruptly, without serving a notice period.
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Unfair Compensation Practices
In another incident, I was hired as an unpaid intern and due to the need of the hour I agreed as I wanted to make a good CV for future jobs. I was not compensated for my time and energy. After working in the field, I got to know that they do pay the interns! When they are looking for employees and seeing the kind of salary they offer, I wonder what could the issue have been to not pay an intern at that point of time. This experience left me questioning the fairness of the organization’s practices.
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Workplace Bullying and Verbal Abuse
At a different job, persistent verbal abuse from a superior led to a nervous breakdown. The toxic work culture pushed me to the brink of retaliation before I ultimately chose to leave. Before my departure, I confronted the individual in the presence of colleagues, emphasizing his unprofessionalism and toxic behaviour.
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Interview and Hiring Bias
I have faced repeated rejections after interviews, often encountering vague, standardized questions such as “Tell me about yourself” and “Where do you see yourself in ten years?” Over time, I realized that honesty was rarely what employers sought in these interactions.
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Exclusion from Neurodiversity Advocacy
I have been advocating for neurodiversity and amplifying voices in the neurodiverse community. However, even in such spaces where I am sometimes invited to share my experiences, the conversation is taken over by the neurotypical people and caregivers of disabled people while the actual voices of the disabled are sidelined or not given enough space. While these events may appear inclusive on paper or social media, they often reinforce ableist mindsets.
Creating Inclusive Workplaces
Over the years, I have learned the hard way that the modern workplace is primarily designed for neurotypical individuals, often making it difficult for neurodivergent professionals to thrive. Many neurodivergent employees like me mask their challenges daily, investing significant energy into appearing "normal" to fit into rigid work structures. This constant effort can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and long-term psychological harm which may show up in ways people can’t even imagine and in rare cases push the neurodiverse person to the extent of self-harm.
To create an inclusive and truly supportive work environment, businesses must rethink their spaces, policies, and workplace culture.
Let me start with what works and see whether you have seen it happen in your own workplace.
What Works - Best Practices for an Inclusive Workplace
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Flexible Workplace
Offering diverse workspace options, including quiet zones, remote work arrangements, and alternative seating configurations. While some neurodivergent employees excel in collaborative environments, others perform best in low-stimulation areas with minimal distractions. Providing adjustable workspaces allows individuals to choose settings that optimize their productivity and well-being.
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Sensory-Friendly Design
To manage sensory difficulties, a comfortable space is needed where the temperature is regulated, lights are available as per need enabling the user to adjust them when required, noises and distractions are regulated, and the space is well organised. The employee is allowed to work or regulate their environment as per their need and sensory support items such as fidget toys, noise cancelling headphones, comfortable clothing or dress code are allowed to be used and practiced.
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Clear and Structured Communication
Neurodivergent individuals often process information differently. Providing written and clear instructions, structured workflows, visual aids, and checklists can improve clarity and reduce misunderstandings. Additionally, allowing employees adequate time to process instructions and ask questions ensures they feel supported and accommodated rather than being rushed or dismissed.
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Respecting Personal Boundaries
Not all employees enjoy casual workplace interactions. Respecting their need for personal space, allowing them to skip non-essential meetings, and ensuring they are invited to, but not pressured into, group activities fosters a safe and inclusive environment.
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Training and Awareness
Educating managers and employees about neurodiversity is essential to fostering an inclusive work environment. This includes providing training on different neurodivergent traits, challenges, and strengths, as well as debunking common misconceptions. Workshops and sensitivity training should go beyond theoretical knowledge, incorporating real-life experiences and best practices from neurodivergent individuals themselves. This ensures that training is practical and meaningful.
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Zero-Tolerance for Workplace Bullying
Organizations should promote a culture where bullying, microaggressions, and exclusionary behaviors are actively discouraged, with clear policies in place for addressing such issues.
What Doesn’t Work - Barriers That Prevent Inclusion
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Rigid Work Expectations
Expecting all employees to adhere to strict schedules, identical workflows, and uniform productivity measures ignores individual differences. Neurodivergent professionals can’t fit into such spaces as they have their own pace and way of working. What they need is flexibility in schedule, workflow and work culture. We are not machines (or AI!) and need time to process the information and work accordingly. A rigid work culture often leads to stress and burnout. Even AI is now given the time to ‘think’ to elicit a better response. Why shouldn’t we?
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Overstimulating Workspace
Different organizations have different work cultures but most of them believe in a “one-size-fits-all” approach. This is not true for neurodiverse people and the organization needs to respect the employee and their personal space. A workspace designed to take away an individual’s privacy can be overwhelming due to noise, distractions and lack of personal space. This may cause neurodivergent employees to struggle to focus or self-regulate and severely impact their work and performance.
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Improper Communication and Rushed Instructions
Poor communication, such as vague instructions, unclear expectations, or rushing employees through tasks can create immense stress for neurodivergent individuals. Employers should ensure that communication is clear and concise and provide time to neurodiverse people to clear their doubts while healthily addressing them.
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Lack of Awareness and Training
Many workplace issues stem from a lack of understanding about neurodiversity. Unconscious biases, microaggressions, bullying, and exclusionary behaviours, such as name-calling, hushed conversations, giggling at a neurodivergent colleague, or going silent when they enter a room can create a hostile environment.
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Exclusion from Workplace Activities
Neurodivergent employees are often unintentionally excluded from team gatherings, group activities, and workplace social events. This exclusion fosters feelings of isolation and alienation. Employers should make an active effort to include all employees while being mindful that some may prefer different forms of engagement and at least make an effort to invite them.
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Assigning Tasks Beyond Their Scope of Work or Interest
Many neurodivergent professionals excel when working on tasks aligned with their strengths and interests. Assigning work that is outside their comfort zone or forcing them into roles requiring excessive multitasking, social interaction, or sensory engagement can cause extreme stress, burnout, and even trauma. Employers should respect the employee’s skills and consult with them before planning to increase or change their workload.
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Improper Compensation and Pay Disparities
In many workplaces, neurodivergent professionals are underpaid compared to their neurotypical counterparts with similar skills and responsibilities. This financial disparity creates unnecessary stress and reinforces workplace inequality.
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Lack of Promotions or Recognition
Due to biases and traditional workplace hierarchies, neurodivergent employees are often overlooked for promotions and recognition. Their contributions may go unnoticed because they work differently than their neurotypical colleagues. A lack of acknowledgment for their hard work creates dissatisfaction and impacts long-term job retention.
Shifting the Workplace Culture
The list of workplace shortcomings for neurodivergent professionals often outweighs the list of effective solutions due to systemic ignorance and a lack of inclusive initiatives. My experiences over the past decade have been riddled with more instances of mistreatment than supportive practices.
Creating a workplace that supports neurodivergent professionals isn’t just about compliance or accommodation—it’s about allowing them to thrive. Inclusive workplaces lead to greater innovation, productivity, and stronger professional relationships. By listening, adapting, and advocating for neurodivergent-friendly practices, organizations can foster an environment where all employees, regardless of neurotype, feel valued and supported.
Businesses must question where they want to be in the next decade. Will they embrace inclusivity, or will they remain stagnant in outdated workplace models? The world is changing, and it’s time for organizations to change with it or be left behind.
