Gain a competitive advantage

In today’s competitive business landscape, fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace is more than a moral imperative—it’s a strategic advantage.

Gain a competitive advantage

In today’s competitive business landscape, fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace is more than a moral imperative—it’s a strategic advantage. Among the different dimensions of diversity, neurodiversity stands out for offering unique benefits that can significantly boost productivity, drive innovation, and improve overall organisational performance.

Businesses can tap into the power of neurodivergence by actively attracting, supporting and including neurodivergent employees. People with distinctly unique neurological differences such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia can bring unique strengths that, when harnessed effectively, can drive superior business outcomes.

The power of unlocking neurodivergent potential

Leading companies like JPMorgan Chase, HP, ANZ, SAP, and Specialisterne have shown the benefits and competitive advantage of attracting and including neurodivergent employees into their workforce. By embracing the unique strengths of neurodivergent individuals, these companies have seen increased productivity, more innovation, and a stronger company culture.

Niki Welz, Neuro-inclusive Recruitment Project Manager at Autism SA shares,

“With 20% of the workforce identifying as neurodivergent, it’s imperative for businesses to evolve their practices and create neuro-inclusive environments. By fostering workplaces that recognise and harness the unique strengths of all employees, companies can drive innovation, boost productivity, and cultivate a more engaged workforce. This strategic commitment to neuro-inclusion not only empowers employees but also strengthens the organisation’s competitive edge.”

There are a number of ways in which unlocking neurodivergent potential in your workforce can create a competitive advantage.

1. Boost productivity and performance

Actively attracting neurodivergent talent into the workforce can foster inclusivity and can boost productivity. Studies have shown that neurodivergent employees often excel in areas requiring a high level of attention to detail and strategic thinking, resulting in impressive efficiency gains.

Increased productivity: Research from Deloitte suggests that teams with neurodivergent professionals can be up to 30% more productive. This is likely because of neurodivergent employees’ unique skills and cognitive abilities, allowing them to solve problems and approach tasks differently than their team members. Additionally, JPMorgan Chase’s Autism at Work initiative found that neurodivergent employees were 90% to 140% more productive than their neurotypical counterparts. Mirroring this, the investment bank JP Morgan launched its Autism at Work programme in 2015 as a four-person pilot, the program rapidly expanded to more than 150 employees in eight countries. Within six months, the pilot program revealed autistic employees being 48% faster and almost 92% more productive than neurotypical colleagues.
Unique strengths: Neurodivergent individuals often possess unique strengths and capabilities such as attention to detail, consistent performance, and the ability to hyper-focus. For example, employees with ADHD who harness their hyper-focus can outperform their peers in completing tasks and driving innovation.
Performance: SAP’s Autism at Work program has found that neurodiverse teams exceed expectations in speed and accuracy, particularly in software testing. Similarly, Specialisterne has demonstrated how neurodivergent employees excel in data and quality assurance roles, outperforming neurotypical employees in both speed and accuracy.
Problem-solving abilities: Vicky from Specialisterne, a company that specialises in placing neurodivergent jobseekers in industries, shared a story about one of its employees. “Three months in, after he was settled, the individual was able to solve a system problem that had been sitting around for 5 years,” she said. This ability to approach problems from a different perspective helped solve an issue that had been a significant challenge for the business and external vendors.
Diverse teams outperform: A report from McKinsey & Company found that diverse teams outperformed homogenous ones in profitability by 36%.

2. Drive innovation and creativity

Companies that are inclusive and diverse are shown to be more innovative and creative. Neurodivergent employees contribute unique perspectives and problem-solving approaches that help foster a culture of innovation, allowing companies to stay competitive in a rapidly changing market.

Enhanced innovation: In 2018, Deloitte reported that companies with inclusive and diverse cultures are six times more likely to be innovative and agile and twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets. Additionally, diversity of thinking enhances innovation by about 20% and helps identify risks, reducing them by up to 30%.
Unique perspectives: Neurodivergent individuals bring fresh ideas and approaches, often seeing patterns and connections that others might miss. This diversity in thought ensures challenges are approached from multiple angles, leading to more robust solutions. The Korn Ferry Institute found that firms focusing on neurodiversity experience increased innovation, better communication, and enhanced psychological safety.
Creative solutions: The distinct cognitive processes of neurodivergent employees lead to out-of-the-box thinking. Those on the autism spectrum, for example, excel in identifying inefficiencies, while individuals with ADHD contribute high levels of creativity and energy to brainstorming sessions. A study completed by Harvard Business Review found that teams comprising neuro minorities, such as ADHD or dyslexia, had a stronger potential to create unique ideas and groundbreaking solutions to problems.
Diverse approaches: Varied cognitive styles enhance a company’s ability to tackle complex problems. By embracing neurodiversity, companies can enrich their problem-solving strategies with a wide range of ideas and approaches, helping them maintain a competitive edge in the market.

3. Create positive workplace culture and staff retention

Workplaces that value neurodiversity tend to have a stronger company culture and higher staff morale. This inclusive environment leads to more engaged and satisfied employees and enhances loyalty and retention, helping businesses address staff shortages and skill gaps.

Inclusive environment: Hiring neurodivergent individuals fosters a more supportive workplace culture, benefiting all staff and encouraging openness and acceptance. The Korn Ferry Institute found that firms focusing on neurodiversity experience increased innovation, better communication, and enhanced psychological safety.
Enhanced morale: When employees see that their company values diversity and inclusion, it can lead to increased job satisfaction and loyalty.
Reduced turnover: Neurodivergent employees who feel supported are more likely to stay long-term, reducing recruitment and training costs associated with high turnover. In 2013, SAP launched its Autism at Work initiative to make use of the power of neurodivergent talent in increasing global innovation and productivity. This has led to a 94% retention rate of neurodiverse individuals.
Broader impact: Embracing neurodiversity can lead to positive changes in company policies and practices, making the organisation more adaptable and responsive to the needs of all employees. According to a Deloitte report, companies with inclusive cultures are twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets.

Leveraging the unique strengths of neurodivergent individuals can significantly enhance productivity and performance within an organisation. By recognising and accommodating the distinct abilities of neurodivergent employees, companies can achieve substantial productivity gains, foster a more innovative workplace, and drive superior business outcomes. Embracing neurodiversity is not just a moral choice but a strategic advantage that can lead to operational excellence and sustained success.

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Case studies

“Hiring a neurodivergent person was the best thing I have done in my career”

International not-for-profit Specialisterne shares successes from their journey.

View all case studies

“As an employer I believe and have seen that supporting neurodiversity isn’t just about being inclusive, it’s good for business. It attracts a wider talent pool, boosts innovation, improves employee well-being, and reduces costs. In short, it strengthens your employer brand and builds a successful work environment.”

“As a small business we create policies and procedures collaboratively with staff, making sure that the policies are designed for them by them”.

“When you’re in an inclusive workplace people identify and understand the strengths you bring and accommodate work to focus on your strength areas”

“In an inclusive workplace neurodivergent employees should feel that they are understood by staff.”

“Inclusive onboarding for me really enhanced the comfort. Your first day can be really scary as you don’t know what to do, who to meet. At one place started at they told me what the plan was, who I was to meet and gave me clear instructions of where to go which helped me have a plan until the person who was collecting me arrived which made the whole thing a little bit less stressful.”

“I found work tours really helpful when they are part of the interview. It helped me sell myself during the interview as you can look at the types of equipment you will be using and get a better idea of what they want from you and the employer gets to see how you react to the environment”

“Feeling understood by my manager meant that I felt valued by the workplace, and that my unique perspective was valuable. When managers have understood me and my strengths, I have definitely felt more motivated to do my best for the business or company as a result.”

“I’ve noticed that in workplaces I’ve been in positive changes have been really successful when they come from the top down.”

“In the business I work in, to show job seekers that we are inclusive we have inclusivity statements on our website and our job ads. We also offer adjustments and accommodations as part of the recruitment process”

“The advice that I would give to businesses wanting to be inclusive is you have to start somewhere, even with something small. Be open to new ways of thinking and get input from staff to start making inclusive changes. Get it going, get it moving and let’s start doing something.”

“Your workforce needs to reflect your customer base. It really allows your customer base to feel more welcome and like they belong. I have found also that diversity of thought, skills background and knowledge also reduces bias and group think within an organisation, that’s one of the key things I have found”.

‘In an organisational setting, inclusion is seen as a means to improve performance and employee satisfaction. It improves employee loyalty, creative problem solving and teamwork.

“In my previous role I did not disclose this information because I was already having difficulties with colleagues. In my current role I have disclosed to team members I am comfortable with.”

Autism SA completed a National Survey in 2023, where 72 neurodivergent people were asked if they had disclosed during the recruitment process or in a workplace. 33% shared that they had not disclosed, 40% said that they had disclosed their diagnosis, while 26% partly disclosed.

“I love sharing my experience of being on the spectrum with people. It’s all about awareness”

“The number one thing that neurodivergent jobseekers look for when determining if an organisation is inclusive, is inclusive statements and language”

“Inclusive workplaces enhance teamwork and collaboration by valuing diverse contributions and perspectives.”

“Neurodiverse workplaces better reflect and understand the needs and preferences of diverse groups of people. This helps to expand the market and customer base and provide a wider range of products and services.”

“A diverse workforce is able to tackle a wide range of work challenges, thereby increasing overall efficiency and productivity.”

“This diversity can promote innovation and creativity, as different ways of thinking can lead to different perspectives and approaches to problem solving.”

“As an autistic employee, feeling valued motivates me to do my best”

“Inclusive recruitment has allowed us to build a diverse talent pipeline, ensuring our organisation’s long-term success.”

Gain a competitive advantage

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