Making it easier for managers to talk about neurodiversity

If your managers are worried about saying the wrong thing about neurodiversity, here’s how to help them start the conversation.

Neurodivergence isn’t always visible. A manager might notice someone struggling to prioritise competing demands or finding certain tasks or working environments difficult. But the employee may not have a formal diagnosis, be unaware they’re neurodivergent or feel uncomfortable disclosing this.

This can leave managers unsure what to say when they notice someone struggling. Fortunately, they don’t need to be able to diagnose a condition or have all the answers. They simply need to know how to open a supportive conversation.

This National Inclusion Week (14-20 September), our neurodiversity team shares five ways to make those conversations easier for managers.

1. Look beyond performance

The first step is helping managers understand how neurodivergence can show up at work.

Someone who repeatedly misses deadlines might be struggling to prioritise competing demands. An employee making frequent spelling mistakes might be dyslexic rather than careless. Someone who appears inflexible or takes instructions very literally might simply process information differently.

That doesn’t mean managers should try to diagnose employees based on their behaviour. But understanding some of the common ways neurodivergence can affect people at work can help them question whether something they perceive as a skills gap, attitude or engagement issue might actually be a sign that someone needs support.

2. Talk about what you’ve noticed

If a manager thinks someone might be experiencing a neurodivergent challenge, they shouldn’t try to diagnose them or open the conversation by suggesting a condition. Instead, encourage them to talk privately about what they’ve observed.

For example: “I’ve noticed you’ve been finding it difficult to keep on top of competing deadlines recently. Is this something you’ve always found challenging? Is there anything we could do differently to help?”

Keeping the conversation focused on the specific difficulty removes the need for either person to put a label on what’s happening. It also gives the employee space to share as much or as little as they feel comfortable with.

They may already know they’re neurodivergent but have been reluctant to ask for support. Or they may have developed coping strategies that worked well in the past, but are no longer enough following a change in role, workload or working environment.

3. Listen before looking for solutions

Once an employee starts talking, resist the temptation to jump straight into problem-solving. Instead, give them time to explain what they’re finding difficult and ask questions to understand what’s getting in the way.

They may already have ideas about what would help, particularly if they’ve experienced similar challenges before. Ask what has worked for them in the past and what they think could make things easier now.

Often, relatively simple, low-cost or no-cost adjustments can make a significant difference. But if the employee doesn’t know what would help, the manager doesn’t need to have the answer either.

As Nottingham City Council’s experience of taking a manager-led approach shows, managers can be given a direct route to specialist support, allowing them to refer employees straight for a workplace needs assessment when the right adjustments aren’t obvious.

4. Start with simple adjustments

Supporting a neurodivergent employee doesn’t always require expensive technology or specialist intervention. Often, small changes to how someone works can remove the barrier they’re experiencing.

Someone struggling with written communications might benefit from templates, AI or text-to-speech and proofreading tools already available within existing software. An employee finding it difficult to manage competing demands might benefit from clearer priorities, more structured deadlines or larger projects being broken down into smaller goals.

Before buying new technology, look at what you already have. Many organisations are already paying for software with inclusive features they could be making better use of. Where additional assistive technology would benefit several employees, a company-wide licence may also be more cost-effective than purchasing support individually.

Where more specialist support is needed, Access to Work funding may also help cover the cost of assistive technology, equipment or other support. A workplace needs assessment can help identify what would be useful before an application is made, so the support requested reflects what the employee needs and what the organisation can realistically provide.

The important thing is to focus on what will help that individual. A reasonable adjustment might be as simple as changing where someone sits, how instructions are communicated or how their workload is structured.

5. Keep the conversation going

Finally, make sure managers know that supporting a neurodivergent employee isn’t a one-off conversation. An adjustment that works today may need to change as someone’s role, workload or working environment changes.

Encourage managers to check in regularly about what’s working, what isn’t and whether anything else is getting in the way. This also helps make conversations about neurodiversity part of everyday management, rather than something employees only raise when they are already struggling.

Managers don’t need to become neurodiversity experts to make a difference. By recognising when someone might need support, opening up the conversation and knowing when to bring in specialist expertise, they can help employees get the right support much earlier.

By Stuart Johnston, Client Director for Neurodiversity, PAM Group

Case study: Nottingham City Council

Find out how Nottingham City Council adopted a manager-led approach to neurodiversity, giving managers the confidence to have supportive conversations and connect employees with the right support sooner.

How can PAM Group help?

Our experienced neurodiversity team can help you to support individuals with:

Needs Assessments – identify the workplace barriers an individual is experiencing and recommend practical, reasonable adjustments.

Manager Training – give managers the confidence to recognise when someone may need support, have supportive conversations and know where to go next.

Assistive Technology – provide specialist technology to help neurodivergent employees work more effectively and independently.

Neurodiversity Consulting – help create the policies, processes and culture needed to support neurodivergent employees to thrive.

If you would like one of our consultants to call you back, to discuss your organisation’s needs, please contact us to let us know a good time for you.

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