African man working on laptop at makers space. Businesswoman sitting inside small cubicle with a circular window using laptop at creative space.
African man working on laptop at makers space. Businesswoman sitting inside small cubicle with a circular window using laptop at creative space.

How can action on neuroinclusion accelerate business transformation?

Expanding neuroinclusion is a key that unlocks the transformational skills driving the next frontier of business value.


In brief:

    • Neurodivergent professionals surveyed report high rates of expert or specialist proficiency in the 10 fastest-growing skills – especially when feeling included at work.
    • Line manager behaviors and team ways of working are the most influential drivers of neuroinclusion.
    • Without change, 39% of neurodivergent professionals surveyed plan to leave their current jobs in the next 12 months, citing poor workplace relations.

    Expanding neuroinclusion is the key to unlocking the transformational skills driving the next frontier of business value, according to the EY Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025. But the study reveals that just 25% of neurodivergent professionals feel truly included at work today. With clear links between building neuroinclusive working environments and performance, there’s a strong case for change. 

    Mounting skills shortages pose the greatest risk to business transformation, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 20251. The WEF report also names the top 10 fastest-growing skills for the next five years, with a mix of skills from AI and big data, cybersecurity, and technological literacy to creative thinking, curiosity, resilience, flexibility and agility topping the list.

    On the World Economic Forum’s list of top ten in-demand skills, neurodivergent professionals report high rates of expert or specialist proficiency on several, with leadership and social influence (49%) and curiosity and lifelong learning (45%) topping the list.

    When neurodivergent professionals feel they belong, there’s a direct correlation to higher proficiency in the top 10 skills – as shown in our survey responses. What’s more, in environments where neurodivergent professionals feel included, they self-report up to 31% higher proficiency in these skills compared with neurotypical colleagues.

    When organizations intentionally orchestrate a neuroinclusive environment, they can boost proficiency in skills like leadership, curiosity and lifelong learning as well as data, AI and cyber. Expanding neuroinclusion throughout organizations is a vital way to unlock the transformational skills that will drive the next frontier of business value.

    What does good look like? Effective line management behaviors and considerate team ways of working. Line managers have a particularly outsized impact on a talent segment hungry for career development but lacking many of the organizational support mechanisms to make it happen.

    Without changes, the impact of colleague behaviors threatens to stifle innovation and prolong disengagement. More than a third (39%) of neurodivergent professionals report an intention to leave their current job in the next 12 months, with poor workplace interactions (74%) the overwhelming driver of their decisions.

    To expand neuroinclusion in search of transformational skills, organizations need to shift their thinking from awareness to collective action. Better conversations, improved role and task clarity, regular high-quality feedback, asynchronous ways of working and personalized career pathways are all levers that managers, teams and organizations can use to foster greater neuroinclusion at work. Everyone benefits when we get this right, amplifying business value through improved productivity and skill proficiency.

    Shot of a young programmer using a digital tablet and computer at night in a modern office
    1

    Chapter 1

    What links business value, transformational skills and neuroinclusion?

    Skills gaps are the No. 1 risk delaying business transformation and resulting business value, with neuroinclusion forming part of the solution.

    With mounting skills shortages now posing the biggest risk to business transformation2, many companies are looking to broaden their playing field of talent. Investing in programs to hire, support, develop and retain often-underemployed neurodivergent workers is one such avenue.

    Analyzing the self-reported skills of neurodivergent professionals, we found that, on average, 36% of neurodivergent respondents have specialist or expert-level skill proficiency in the 10 skills predicted to grow fastest by 2030 in WEF’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report.

     Top fast-growing skills

    Neurodivergent professionals with specialist/expert proficiency

    AI and big data

    30%

    Cybersecurity

    36%

    Technological literacy

    39%

    Creative thinking

    31%

    Resilience, flexibility, agility

    43%

    Curiosity and lifelong learning

    45%

    Leadership and social influence

    49%

    Talent management

    27%

    Analytical thinking

    33%

    Systems thinking

    31%

    n=470

    We also tested the impact of neuroinclusion on respondents’ skill proficiency. Neurodivergent professionals who reported feeling “truly included” reported higher proficiency in each of the 10 fastest-growing skills.

    When neurodivergent professionals feel included at work, there’s a 31% increase in proficiency for cybersecurity skills, 20% for AI and big data skills and 10% in strengths such as resilience, flexibility and agility.

    Inclusion boosts the skill proficiency for neurodivergent professionals by an average of 10%

    Average skill proficiency in WEF’s fastest growing skills, by group

     Top fast-growing skills

    Neurotypical

    Neurodivergent

    Neurodivergent + Truly included

    AI and big data

    1.92

    2.17

    2.31

    Cybersecurity

    1.96

    2.3

    2.56

    Technological literacy

    2.4

    2.35

    2.47

    Creative thinking

    2.37

    2.18

    2.3

    Resilience, flexibility, agility

    2.65

    2.47

    2.89

    Curiosity and lifelong learning

    2.69

    2.49

    2.78

    Leadership and social influence

    2.63

    2.36

    2.71

    Talent management

    2.05

    2.12

    2.25

    Analytical thinking

    2.46

    2.24

    2.45

    Systems thinking

    2.44

    2.18

    2.36

    n=470

    n=1296

    n=210

    Furthermore, our study shows that the skills of neurodivergent and neurotypical professionals are highly complementary. Neurodivergent professionals contribute a higher rate of specialist or expert proficiency in high-demand competencies such as cybersecurity, AI, cloud computing, and project management. Neurotypical colleagues complement these with higher rates of specialist or expert proficiency in critical thinking, systems thinking, and writing and editing. 


    Beware the pitfalls of stereotypes

    Expectations that neurotraits such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, or dyslexia will bring a common set of skills and strengths to organizations ignore the truth of neurodivergence: no two brains are the same. Our research reveals that labels aren’t predictive of skills and neurotraits don’t fit into neat, isolated categories. Instead, the skill profiles of neurodivergent professionals are determined by a complex range of factors including education, passions and interests, organizational support, and role autonomy. Using a clustering algorithm, we identified seven skill clusters with distinct profiles formed of multiple neurotraits and high rates of co-occurrence.


    Our advice to managers: while it is important to understand neurotraits, they don't generalize skills which may change over time. Instead, managers should focus on having the right conversations to understand the skills, strengths and interests of the individual.

    With a view of their strengths and challenges, generative AI (GenAI) provides neurodivergent professionals with a powerful assistive technology in the workplace. Our results reveal 79% of neurodivergent professionals surveyed are already utilizing AI and are 55% more likely than neurotypical professionals to do so. They report that AI tools improve the quality of their work and accelerate access to information. 

    ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and Mental Health Conditions are represented in each cluster and 48% of the sample reported at least one co-occurring neurotrait. While it is important to understand individual neurotraits, hiring by neurotrait is too simplistic; individuals exhibit characteristics of multiple traits simultaneously, which influence their skills profile alongside a myriad of other factors.


    Touching the rainbow
    2

    Chapter 2

    How can organizations create neuroinclusive teams?

    Just 25% of neurodivergent professionals experience true inclusion at work today.

    Our global sample of neurodivergent professionals feel optimistic at work. Two-thirds agree they were fully engaged at work (67%) and enjoying their job (65%) in the six weeks prior to completing our survey. Similar numbers (62%) said they were able to cope with their workload and maintain healthy working habits (covering physical, mental, social, and financial health factors). And over half of our neurodivergent respondents (58%) felt energized by their time at work.

    Progress on neurodiversity awareness is evident. Forty percent of neurodivergent professionals indicated that their organization has created and communicated a neurodiversity strategy. Over half reported adjustments to make hiring (54%), learning (60%) and performance management (61%) processes more inclusive.

    However, when we applied the 15-driver scale developed by Professor Robert Austin’s research, we found that only 25% of neurodivergent professionals feel truly included at work. While this is a disappointing finding, it is reflected in the neurotypical control sample too, where only 22% feel truly included.

    Our research reveals that:

    • 25% of neurodivergent professionals are truly included at work – reporting robust agreement with all 15 identified drivers of neuroinclusion and strong positive sentiments regarding their workplace experience.
    •  42% fall into the engaged middle, registering agreement on job-related factors and line manager support and recognition, with room for improving environments that are safe and inclusive, as well as asynchronous working.
    • 33% are ambivalent observers, indicating a neutral stance on team ways of working and job-related factors, with a negative experience of some line manager behaviors and limited exposure to neuroinclusive practices.
    Inclusion of neurodivergent professionals
    Ambivalent Outsiders
    Inclusion of neurodivergent professionals
    The Engaged Middle
    Inclusion of neurodivergent professionals
    Truly Included

    In our study, the rate of truly included professionals varies significantly across geographies, indicating the continued importance of regulatory, social and cultural factors in shaping the lived experience of neurodivergent professionals and access to support mechanisms. We saw little variation by sector and other demographics is limited.

    Neurodivergent professionals indicate that their experience is shaped by line manager behaviors (42% of neuroinclusion score) and team ways of working (29%). Truly included professionals are up to three times more likely to report that line managers and colleagues often or always display neuroinclusive behaviors. They are also 2.4 times more likely to be working in an environment where they feel secure to take risks, voice differing opinions, and raise concerns without fear of negative consequences - all within a culture of inclusion and support.


    The line manager lottery

    The importance of line managers getting this right is underscored by our survey sample, of whom 63% openly discuss their neuroidentity with line managers or colleagues. This increased to 81% of those who are truly included at work. Line managers show up both as enablers of better conversations and blockers to conversations happening in the first place. 

    Avoiding the line manager lottery is imperative to improving neuroinclusion. Unfortunately, just 37% of respondents indicated that their organization provides neurodiversity training to line managers. Shifting from general awareness training to dedicated line manager training is a critical next step, both in adjusting managers’ own behaviors and setting expectations for team members.

    Neurodivergent managers experience a double bind, required to facilitate the neuroinclusion of team members while lacking the support mechanisms to help them manage the demands of their own jobs. This takes a toll on their neuroinclusion levels – first-line managers or team leaders are 30% more likely to be ambivalent observers, indicating limited exposure to neuroinclusive practices. Middle managers are 24% more likely to be ambivalent observers.

    Team harmony

    The second largest influence on neuroinclusion in our survey relates to the level of safety and inclusion within teams. Reports vary widely between our neuroinclusion segments: 90% of truly included professionals report strong feelings of safety and inclusion compared with 67% of the engaged middle and 37% of ambivalent observers. Being able to make mistakes without fear of punishment and receiving recognition for their strengths are among the most valued dimensions for neurodivergent professionals.

    The workplace environment also makes a significant difference. Organizations pondering changes to their remote or hybrid work policies should carefully consider the impact on neurodivergent professionals, who are almost twice as likely to experience regular sensory distractions in the workplace. Seventy-three percent of neurodivergent professionals working fully onsite report regular sensory distractions. This reduces by up to 12 times if working remotely, or more than three times if working on a hybrid schedule.

    Neuroinclusion can be achieved by ensuring there is a broad, accepting workplace culture; by specifically training line managers; and by listening openly to individual preferences for different working modalities. 

    A woman and a man studying.  The reality of social distancing affects the interior architectural designs of workspaces and academic areas.
    3

    Chapter 3

    Exodus without change?

    Thirty-nine percent of neurodivergent professionals plan to leave their jobs in the next 12 months.

    In a multi-factor analysis of research findings, negative workplace relationships are the predominant driver of intent to leave (74%) rather than talent policies or practices. Workplace relations describe the impact of microaggressions, such as being mocked for speech patterns, being interrupted or asked not to interrupt colleagues, or being excluded from social events. These hidden forms of soft bullying can and do have a pernicious impact on happiness at work.


    Within modern teams, the neurotypical professionals in our sample are much less likely to experience non-inclusive behaviors, with up to 70% reporting that they never or rarely experience them versus only 45% of neurodivergent professionals. This inclusion gap reduces within truly inclusive organizations, where 57% of the neurodivergent professionals report that they never or rarely experience non-inclusive behaviors.


    Barriers to career progression also strongly influence intent to leave (19%), with many neurodivergent professionals whom we surveyed facing barriers such as lack of career pathways (faced by 36% of neurodivergent professionals) and limited job shadowing opportunities (34%). Collectively, barriers are widespread – 91% of neurodivergent professionals reported at least one barrier to moving into new positions.


    When it comes to realizing their full potential, the neurodivergent professionals in our survey cite lack of organizational support (37%) and lack of timely adjustments or support (34%) as the most frequent barriers (34%). Lack of professional development opportunities was reported by one-third of all respondents, while limited line manager understanding of strengths and working styles is more commonly felt by neurodivergent professionals (31%) than neurotypicals (21%).

    Girl looking at a large scale image of projected patterns in a gallery space
    4

    Chapter 4

    Fostering neuroinclusion to unlock transformational skills

    Building a picture of what good looks like.

    There is no one way for building a neuroinclusive workplace culture, but there are examples that work. Start with an understanding of your own organization’s neuroinclusion journey and tap into your own community of neurodivergent professionals: there is no better voice than those within your organization often found in employee resource groups (ERG).

    Many organizations create a Neurodiversity Center of Excellence (NCOE) that can act as a learning ground for trying out different workplace modalities with smaller groups of neurodivergent professionals. Learnings from NCOEs can then be applied and amplified across the organization with the knowledge that they have been pre-tested and validated.

    To expand neuroinclusion in search of transformational skills, organizations need to shift their thinking from awareness to collective action. Everyone benefits when everyone gets this right, amplifying business value through improved productivity and skill proficiency.

    Here are four actions that organizations seeking to transform their approach to talent can take to amplify neuroinclusion and unlock transformational skills and opportunities:

    1.Take a skills-based approach to talent strategies: Our research indicates that neurodivergent individuals have the future skills most needed for business. They are, for example, 55% more likely to use AI than their neurotypical colleagues. Adopting a skills-based approach to talent strategies will enable organizations to identify workforce strengths, that may lie dormant. Activating these latent capabilities can be a force multiplier.

    2. End the line manager lottery: Currently, neuroinclusive environments largely rest on the strengths and abilities of individual line managers. A more systematic approach to training is required to equip managers with the skills to manage the unique challenges facing neurodivergent professionals and build a positive team environment. Better conversations, improved role and task clarity, assistive technology, regular high-quality feedback and personalized career pathways are all levers that managers can use to enhance neuroinclusion.

    3. Adopt an open and flexible approach to working practices: When you work, where you work and what physical environments best suit your needs are all choices that can be make or break for neurodivergent professionals. Ensure that individual needs are discussed in a safe and open way that avoids presumption and avoids stigmatizing the employee. The more routine such discussions are, the more included and heard employees feel. Our research across workplace studies shows that a degree of personalization is highly valued by all employees, not just the neurodivergent whose needs may be more acute.

    4. Unlock the cognitive intelligence of your organization: Neurodivergent and neurotypical professionals possess complementary skills that strengthen the cognitive intelligence of the organization. Our research measures neuroinclusion across generations, regions and sectors, providing a baseline for employers to use in building their own roadmap for identifying talent opportunities and mitigating risks in a rapidly evolving job market. Taking a data-driven approach to measuring progress will help to accelerate change.


    Summary

    Neuroinclusion can be the key to unlocking business value and powering business transformation in an era of mounting skills shortages. With just 25% of neurodivergent people feeling truly included at work, there’s much more organizations can do to unlock that value.

    About this article

    Authors

    You are visiting EY uk (en)
    uk en