Neurodiversity has become a familiar word in workplace conversations, but familiarity hasn’t translated into action.
Only 36% of UK employers currently have a neurodiversity policy, and fewer than four in ten reference it in their DEI strategy at all. Meanwhile, an estimated one in five people in the UK is neurodivergent, meaning most teams already include colleagues who think, process and work differently, whether or not that’s ever been discussed.
The gap isn’t really about awareness anymore. It’s about follow-through. Deloitte’s 2025/26 research found that neuroinclusive organisations are 75% more likely to see ideas progress from concept to product, a clear business case for getting this right. Yet 51% of neurodivergent employees have taken time off work because of their condition, often a sign adjustments weren’t in place. And while 78–80% of senior leaders feel confident supporting neurodivergent staff, only around a third of employees feel safe disclosing, or trust adjustments will actually happen. That confidence gap is where good intentions quietly fail.
The employment figures make the stakes clearer still. Only 34% of autistic adults in the UK are in work, versus 82% of non-disabled people, despite 77% of unemployed autistic people saying they want to work. Employees with ADHD are twice as likely to lose their job as those without it. These aren’t ability gaps. They’re environment gaps.
To understand what genuinely helpful support looks like, we spoke to Charlotte Wales, an experienced Head of Procurement who is also neurodivergent (ADHD and autistic). Here are some of the highlights from that conversation.
In Conversation with Charlotte Wales
What is it about procurement that makes neurodivergent thinking such an asset?
“Neurodivergency is a different way of perceiving things. We’ll come at the same problem with a different lens and ask, ‘why aren’t we doing this?’ without the embarrassment of breaking a social norm. That generates real conversations about improvement. There’s also a lot of pattern recognition, spotting a thread, predicting an outcome, seeing a problem coming down the path, which is hugely valuable in procurement.”
Can you share a time you felt unsupported at work because of how your brain works?
“I remember a time in a previous job when we moved to an open-plan office built around a social breakout area. Even with headphones on, the visual distraction pulled me straight out of focus and I had 74-page contracts to read and challenge. I asked for a small quiet corner, nothing elaborate, just some partition screens. The response was, ‘You shouldn’t need that.’ It wasn’t malicious at all; it was purely a lack of awareness but it meant I ended up working from home far more, which then raised its own questions.”
What’s the one thing a manager could have done differently?
“The most beneficial thing I’ve experienced is a manager disclosing that they’re also neurodivergent. It cuts through the constant pressure to justify or explain myself. My current manager told me early on: assume I’m not angry with you unless I say so. That single sentence removed so much anxiety from every interaction.”
Are there frameworks or resources you’d point managers toward?
“Honestly, I’d steer away from generic HR checklists — they fall into the same trap that boxed neurodivergent people out in the first place: standardisation. Start with a real conversation. Ask what someone finds easy and what they find hard. I once wrote my manager a short deck on my ADHD, my key strengths and weaknesses, and how each shows up day to day. That did more than any policy document could.”
What’s a small, practical thing that makes a big difference?
“Never put a meeting in my diary without saying what it’s about — that’s genuinely stressful, even for colleagues with no diagnosis at all. I now always message people first with the topic and framing. Then they can prepare, instead of walking in wondering what they’ve done wrong.”
Practical Tips for Managers
Drawing on Charlotte’s experience, a few starting points for any manager who wants to move from good intentions to genuine support:
- Have the conversation, not the checklist. Ask each person what they find easy and hard. Generic policies rarely fit the individual in front of you.
- Be transparent about meetings. Always share context when booking time — what it’s about and why. Ambiguity creates unnecessary anxiety.
- Protect focus time. Quiet space, flexible location, or headphone-friendly norms can be the difference between a productive day and a wasted one.
- Say the quiet part out loud. If comfortable, share your own working style or neurodivergence — it builds trust and gives others permission to be open too.
- Match the format to the person. Some thrive with varied, gamified tasks; others need fewer, longer sessions. Ask, don’t assume.
None of this requires a big budget, but it does require managers willing to ask, listen, and adjust, treating neurodivergent colleagues not as a compliance issue, but as individuals whose different way of thinking is often exactly what the team needs.
Further Reading for Managers and HR
Free, credible guidance for employers:
- Acas – Neurodiversity at work – reasonable adjustments and inclusive management.
- CIPD – Neuroinclusion at work – research-backed guides on recruitment and HR practice.
- National Autistic Society – For Employers – training and resources for supporting autistic staff.
- ADHD Foundation – training for building ADHD-friendly workplaces.
- Access to Work (gov.uk) – government grants that fund workplace adjustments.
Inclusion Matters at Bramwith
At Bramwith, we believe the best procurement teams are built on different ways of thinking, not despite them. Supporting neurodiversity isn’t a box-ticking exercise for us, it shapes how we run candidate conversations and the advice we give clients on building genuinely inclusive teams. If you’re an employer wanting to attract and retain neurodivergent talent, or a candidate looking for a workplace that gets it, we’d love to talk.
With thanks to Charlotte Wales for sharing her experience and insight.
