Dive Brief:

• Slightly more than half (51%) of neurodivergent workers want to quit their jobs or already have because they don’t feel valued or supported by their employer, a new survey found. 
• Seventy-nine percent of the 900 workers surveyed said they would rather have flexibility regarding when they work, as opposed to the traditional 9-5 workday, according to the Neurodiversity at Work survey from Alludo, a global technology company, released Thursday. Respondents said working from home, taking regular breaks and having mental health and wellness days, a flexible schedule and paid time off have helped them feel better positioned to succeed at work. 
• While most said they did feel comfortable sharing their neurodivergent condition with their manager, not all had that sense of ease. Those who felt uncomfortable said they feared their supervisor would think they couldn’t do their job, that they would be treated differently or that they would be overlooked for promotions, the survey found.

Dive Insight:

Being neurodivergent means one’s brain works differently in some way, such as by having ADHD, autism spectrum disorder or dyslexia, and is fairly common: 1 in 5 U.S. adults is neurodivergent, according to consultancy firm Deloitte. 

Becca Chambers, senior vice president of global brand and communications at Alludo, said diversity initiatives often overlook neurodiversity. 

“In supported environments, neurodivergent individuals thrive and offer a wealth of strengths and abilities that allow them to make exciting discoveries and challenge the status quo. These exceptionalities are especially valuable now as businesses are struggling to find and retain talent. Embracing neurodiversity in the workforce is not only the right thing to do; it’s smart business,” Chambers said in a news release. 

Neurodivergent individuals self-identified skills they bring to the workplace, including creative thinking, attention to detail, ability to sustain focus, ability to recognize patterns and great math skills, the survey found. 

In the tech space, individuals with autism bring detail-oriented and creative mindsets, which are in demand for positions in cybersecurity, AI and data and operations, one executive told HR Dive. 

One hurdle neurodivergent individuals have to overcome is the hiring process. A Texthelp survey showed that 34% of neurodivergent respondents had trouble with the recruitment and interview process. That creates a problem when 91% of people surveyed, even among those with neurodivergent conditions, don’t know how common neurodiversity is.