Flexible work structures are what neurodivergent employees need most to do their jobs well. That’s one of the main findings from the newly released Neurodiversity in Business Research Report 2026.
Now in its third edition, the report from Birkbeck University of London and Neurodiversity in Business shows what kind of support neurodivergent employees need, and where organisations are still falling short.
In this article, I break down some of the most striking findings from this year’s research, and I share my thoughts on what they mean for leaders and teams working on neuroinclusion.
1. Many organisations still lack psychological safety
What the data shows
The first edition of the report, published in 2023, found that psychological safety was the single strongest driver of wellbeing, career satisfaction, and retention among neurodivergent employees.
Yet three years later, neurodivergent employees continue to report lower levels of psychological safety than other groups. And unsurprisingly, this puts them at higher risk of burnout.
My perspective
These findings align with the City & Guilds Neurodiversity Index published earlier this year, which revealed a drop in psychological safety among neurodivergent employees from 60% to 55%.
It’s a concerning trend. Despite increased awareness of neurodiversity, fear of stigma and discrimination remains widespread. Openly sharing a diagnosis like ADHD or autism can still feel like putting your career on the line.
From what I’m hearing in conversations with peers in the corporate world, this lack of psychological safety is made worse by a wider sense of job insecurity – something I think many leaders are not acknowledging enough.
With the relentless push for AI adoption in organisations, many feel the ground beneath their feet is less solid than ever. And it’s making them even more hesitant to share deeply personal information with their employer, because they are worried it might be used against them.
This sense of insecurity is further fuelled by news reports suggesting that tech giants are using automated systems to target workers who requested disability accommodations for layoffs.
What many people are craving, in my view, is reassurance. Reassurance that their skills still matter. Reassurance that different perspectives are genuinely welcomed, and that inclusion was never just a checkbox exercise.
What we need are leaders who champion cognitive diversity as much as they celebrate technological progress.
2. Return-to-office mandates hurt neurodivergent people
What the data shows
40% of neurodivergent employees report receiving a return-to-office mandate, and half of those say it has made them reconsider staying with their current employer.
Return-to-office mandates negatively affect career satisfaction and engagement among neurodivergent employees, and amplify burnout.
My perspective
This has been a contentious topic in many organisations for years now, and I don’t foresee it going away any time soon. I’ll share my personal view here.
To my knowledge, this is one of the first studies that investigates the impact of return-to-office mandates on neurodivergent people. We needed research like this to have more data-backed conversations. The results don’t surprise me.
For many neurodivergent employees, the possibility of working from home in the wake of the pandemic threw them a lifeline. Finally, they had more control over their sensory environment and daily routines. Take away that flexibility, and it’s no wonder morale and well-being take a hit.
That’s not to say remote work fits every neurodivergent person, even if the nature of their job allows for it. Everyone has different needs. Some might struggle with a lack of structure or social support when they work from home.
But the data is clear: a blanket push to get everyone back in the office leaves many neurodivergent people struggling. It’s something companies should carefully consider to avoid losing some of their most valuable talent.
3. Flexible work is the strongest success enabler
What the data shows
Support with work structure, in the form of flexible or home working, is the biggest enabler for neurodivergent people to do their best work (selected by 72%).
My perspective
It’s easy to see why return-to-office mandates have such negative impact: the data from the report confirms that flexible work structures are exactly what many neurodivergent employees need most to do their jobs well.
In my experience, flexibility is not just about where people work, but also when they work. Many neurodivergent people struggle with rigid 9-to-5 schedules because our energy and focus levels may fluctuate throughout the day.
Of course, there are many jobs where 9-to-5 presence is simply part of the role, for example when serving customers in a shop. But it’s less obvious why modern knowledge work should be confined by the same constraints.
Knowing that some people’s energy peaks later in the day, why would we expect everyone to start at the same time?
Interestingly, a desire for autonomy and controlis also one of the main reasons why some neurodivergent people opt out of corporate life (more on that in section 6 below). Again, this should give organisations pause as they consider how to remain an attractive employer to neurodivergent talent.
4. Line manager support remains essential
What the data shows
Line manager support is the second most important enabler for neurodivergent people to do their best work (selected by 68%), after flexible work structures.
The report also shows the impact when this support is missing: a lack of understanding of neurodiversity among managers and decision-makers is the most cited barrier to accessing the adjustments people need (64%).
My perspective
For many neurodivergent people, getting the right support at work still depends on having the right manager. Some, including myself, are lucky to have a manager who understands and supports them. Others are not so lucky.
Consultancy firm EY aptly referred to this as the line manager lottery in their 2025 Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study. These new research findings show that the lottery is still very much alive and spinning.
Building confidence and capabilities among managers should remain a top priority for organisations serious about neuroinclusion. But, from my experience, putting consistent support structures in place is equally important to reduce reliance on individual managerial goodwill.
Managers often don’t know how much liberty they have to make decisions about reasonable adjustments. So it’s understandable why their first inclination may be to avoid such challenging conversations altogether.
Both neurodivergent employees and managers need clarity, and that’s what a well-documented adjustments process should offer.
5. Job crafting leads to happier employees
What the data shows
The more neurodivergent employees can shape their own roles through job crafting, the more engaged they are. In fact, it’s the strongest driver of employee engagement.
My perspective
This finding fits well with my own experiences: the most fulfilling jobs are the ones we get to shape around our strengths, rather than being constrained by a job description. It’s what gives us a sense of autonomy – one of the three core psychological needs according to self-determination theory.
I can see why neurodivergent employees would benefit from job crafting in particular. That’s because we tend to have more pronounced differences between our strengths and challenges (what’s also known as having a spiky profile). We may excel in some areas, but really struggle in others.
The good news is that there is often someone else on the team with complementary qualities. Rather than expecting everyone to be an all-rounder, why not discuss with your team how each person can take on tasks that play to their strengths?
Check out this article about job crafting in neurodiverse teams by organisational psychologist Nancy Doyle for more tips.
6. Organisations may lose the talent they need most
What the data shows
This year’s edition of the Neurodiversity in Business research was the first to survey a group of neurodivergent entrepreneurs, alongside those who are employed in organisations.
On average, neurodivergent entrepreneurs report being better able to use their strengths than employees working within organisations.
The top 3 strengths reported by neurodivergent entrepreneurs are creativity (85%), innovative thinking (81%), and big-picture thinking (80%).
My perspective
These findings suggest entrepreneurship can be an appealing alternative for neurodivergent people who struggle within the confines of organisations, or for those who never make it into the workplace in the first place.
Case in point: Dr. Ingrid Verheul and her team at Erasmus University Rotterdam have done research showing how ADHD traits like hyperactivity are positively associated with self-employment.
Perhaps being your own boss is the ultimate opportunity for job crafting?
That said, it comes with its own challenges too. The report highlights several, which many entrepreneurs will recognise: unpredictable workloads, struggles with work-life balance, and having to constantly market yourself (social media seems to be a particular sore point here).
What’s striking from an organisational perspective is that the strengths reported by neurodivergent entrepreneurs – creativity, innovative thinking, and big-picture thinking – are precisely the ones companies need more of, especially as AI automates more routine work.
Which raises the question: how much talent are organisations losing by forcing people into overly rigid systems that don’t suit how their brains work?
The report suggests it may be one of the biggest costs of sticking with one-size-fits-all models of work that continue to exclude neurodivergent people.
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