Challenges and Solutions in the Workplace 

Shared from over 40 ADHD Autistic Professionals

In today's diverse workforce, it's crucial for organizations to create inclusive environments that value and support all individuals. We gathered insights from over 40 ADHD, Autistic, Dyslexic Professionals and their years of experiences in finding, working and keeping jobs. From these responses, several common themes and challenges emerged that can provide valuable insights for managers, human resource professionals, and neurodivergent professionals themselves. Let's delve into the challenges they shared and explore the possible solutions they suggested to foster a more inclusive workplace.

Understanding the Challenges:

External Challenges

Work Environment and Accommodations:

Many individuals emphasized the importance of accommodating the work environment. Providing options like private offices or the ability to work from home can significantly improve the work experience for neurodistinct* individuals. 

(*Neurodistinct is a term coined by Tim Goldstein and is our chosen term to identify everyone under the “neurodivergent” umbrella in a more linguistically inclusive way.)

“Needing to plan but having difficulty with that if there are external distractions present.”

“...small talk, office politics, interpreting tone especially by email/message”

“...lack of knowledge about neurodiversity, lack of accommodations, lack of inclusive training for different learning styles, rules that nobody follows but you, not having a peer group or representation.”

Transportation:

The commute to work, especially via public transportation, can be a significant challenge. Crowded conditions and long wait times were noted as particularly distressing.

“Having to spend a long time commuting on public transport, including waiting for it to arrive, when it's usually late. Being around strangers in close quarters on said transport. If working late, lack of public transport/traveling home in the dark…. clothes being damp with sweat or rain from the commute.”

Social and Sensory Overload:

In-person work environments can be overwhelming due to social and sensory overload. These challenges can make it difficult for ADHD and Autistic humans to perform at their best.

“I’ve also had (Management) get frustrated with me for having sensory overload and claim I was making up symptoms to excuse responsibilities. This has happened to me when a customer is being rude and I didn’t tell a manager right away because I was having a panic attack due the sensory overload.”

Interview Process:

The interview process was mentioned as a particularly challenging aspect of finding a job. Neurodistinct individuals often feel the need to mask their traits to meet neuro-dominant* expectations. 

(*Neuro-Dominant is a term coined by Carole Jean Whittington to describe the dominating “neuro type norm” as determined by those who have “written the history” to date.)

“Interviews....having to do the secret right answer, not the actual authentic answer dance is exhausting. That on top of trying to find how much eye contact is enough then add on controlling the ADHD word vomit enthusiasm now that I have my masters degree and am passionate about working in one of my special interest areas....it's a minefield. I've had a singular good interview in a year, and that's because it was with a bunch of other scientists.”

“For me the biggest barrier is the interview process; it brings out my biggest masking tendencies and I burn out before I even start!”

“The reality is that I’ll never come off as charismatic and funny but I’m really f**king good at what I do if I’m given the chance.”

Discrimination and Stereotyping:

Discrimination and stereotypes play a negative role in the workplace. These biases can lead to demotions and misunderstandings, hindering career progression. This specific aspect was recalled by a large majority of those responding to this research query.

“Not being allowed to work from home for absolutely no reason. Not being supported into a job I wanted and expected instead to do a job I had no interest in”

“My biggest barrier has been discrimination and stereotypes. I recently requested accommodations and my company thought that my autism means I can only do super easy tasks and decided to demote me.”

Internal Challenges

Energy Levels and Burnout:

Fluctuations in energy levels, burnout, and the need for breaks were recurring themes. Managing energy effectively is essential for long-term success along with the structure in the work environment to support sustainable practices.

“I overfunction when I’m new to a job because I tend to get excited about learning the ins and outs but it runs down my energy and people continue to expect the same level from me. It’s difficult to explain my fluctuations in energy and ability.”

“The need to work less! I can actually get 8 hours of work done in 4-6 hours, I just can't keep up that pace for 8 hours!”

Communication and Social Interaction:

Challenges related to communication, understanding unspoken rules, and navigating social interactions were common issues mentioned by respondents.

“I was told to eat lunch in the staff room rather than my classroom or my colleagues would think I was rude and it was up to me to make sure my colleagues ‘like me’.”

Executive Functioning:

Difficulties with executive functioning, including planning, decision-making, and processing information, were significant barriers to success at work due to a lack of support and tools needed.

“...replying to emails probably takes me the most time because I have to make sure it sounds professional but also that I sound like a person and come across right.”

Additional Challenges

Expectations and Overstimulation:

The pressure to meet expectations that were unclear or never clearly stated, suppress stims (self soothing actions such as pen clicking, leg tapping etc), and manage overstimulation was a recurring concern.

“At the beginning of my current job, I struggled at the beginning because there were no written policies for the monthly close process.”

“I had one job where there was no written rules, all the rules were taught to me verbally and I was expected to remember and enforce all of them, plus other staff were inconsistent about whether they stuck to the rule or not.”

Lack of Understanding:

Many individuals reported a lack of understanding and support from colleagues and managers regarding neurodistinct needs.

“..my supervisor would throw clean laundry on my desk while I was inputting patient data, another coworker would stand behind me and click her pen or walk by saying "distraction" over and over, a few girls would rearrange my desk daily to mess with me because they knew I was particular about where my things went (mainly so I didn't lose stuff).”

“I’m a young professional still learning what my struggles and my strengths are, and a lot of times it’s hard to know what I need help or just grace with, and my boss and/or HR doesn’t know how to help me.”

Workload and Efficiency:

Some individuals expressed that they could complete their work efficiently but struggled with the expectation of working full hours.

“If I can get a normal amount of work done in half the time, why do I still have to sit around to fill 8 hours?”

“Working 9-5; 5 days a week and all the hidden aspects of work such as commuting and packing my lunch and equipment beforehand.”

Stress and Mental Health:

Managing work-related stressors, including sensory overload and social interactions without understanding and support, took a toll on mental health.

“I was once told by a colleague it was ‘good to see me fall off my pedestal’ after an argument with my boss. It actually wasn’t an argument, it was me having a meltdown because a day off for staff had been canceled without explanation. I had asked the boss why and was told off and humiliated in front of everyone.  I was called ungrateful, rude, spoiled and so many other things. He told me that was no way to behave when he’d gone out of his way to give me a job. I believed it all.”

Lack of Clarity and Instructions:

Respondents highlighted the need for clear instructions and policies in the workplace to alleviate confusion.

“Lots of workplaces are confusing with mixed messaging, trying to follow rules learned in training while no one else follows them.”

“I am very open to training and learning in the beginning, but struggle when new responsibilities are added somewhere down the line (especially on the fly). I want/need to be able to ask many questions so I understand what is expected of me, but once I’m not “the new girl” anymore it is a different dynamic.”

Suggested Improvements from Neurodistinct Professionals:

Accommodations/Success Enablers:

Offering appropriate success enablers, such as flexible work hours and work-from-home options, can significantly ease the challenges of commuting, overstimulation in “in office” environments” and creating a culture of asking what form of communication works best for the individual from slack to voice clips etc.

“Having my own private office or being able to work from home has made a massive difference in my current job.”

Clear Expectations:

Establishing clear and consistent expectations and instructions in the workplace can reduce ambiguity and help neurodistinct employees thrive.

Inclusiveness and Training:

Providing more neuro inclusive training to better share different learning styles, communication styles and foster a better understanding of neurotypes among colleagues and management are essential.

Flexible Work Hours:

Part-time work and flexibility in work hours were mentioned as desirable by many respondents.  This is a powerful place needing change in our current work structure for better neuro inclusion, where pay is not strictly based on hours worked.

Support:

Access to support workers or resources to bridge skill gaps and provide assistance can be a game-changer for neurodistinct professionals.

Many respondents highlighted they learned quickly, then needed time to process and apply what they learned but were not given a slower pace or support to do so after the initial training segment.

Awareness and Advocacy:

Raising awareness about neuro inclusion and advocating for change in workplace culture and policies was emphasized as a way to promote inclusivity.

Solutions from Charles Kransberger:

(Charles was a recent guest on Beyond Autistic Burnout and shares his insights as a leader and ally in neuro inclusion, episode 132)

Flexible Schedule-

Being in the office during non-peak traffic/sensory hours can promote focus/productivity and mitigate burnout.

Aligning work schedule with peak performance times (e.g., ADHDers who take stimulant medication and experience a 3-4 hour optimal performance window).

Uninterrupted Working Hours-

Reduce distractions.

Optimize productivity.

Access unbroken hyperfocus.

Workstation Relocation-

Reduce distractions.

Avoid high-traffic areas (side chats, kitchen, smells, etc).

Identifying alternatives if in an open floor plan.

Sensory Accommodations-

Noise-canceling headphones.

Adjustable lighting.

Fragrance-free workplace policy.

Adjustable lighting.

Noise abatement system.

Access to fidgets.

Neurodiversity Acceptance Training-

Fostering psychological safety.

Promoting understanding from management and peers.

Mitigating distress associated with ND masking/burnout.

On-demand e-learning.

ND speakers/consultants.

Conclusion:

Understanding the challenges faced by neurodistinct individuals in the workplace is a crucial step toward creating a more inclusive work environment. Addressing these challenges and implementing the suggested improvements, as well as Charles Kransberger's insightful solutions, can lead to a more accommodating and supportive workplace for all. For managers, HR professionals, and neurodistinct professionals alike, these insights provide a roadmap toward a more inclusive and successful future.

We invite managers, HR professionals, and company leaders to reach out to Carole Jean Whittington at Mind Your Autistic Brain’s NeuroDrive Workforce Team for strategic help in implementing these suggestions in your work environment through our programs and presentations. Together, we can make our workplaces more inclusive and welcoming for all no matter their neurotype. Join us in fostering an environment where every individual can thrive and contribute their unique talents to your organization. 

Contact Carole Jean Whittington at info@MindYourAutisticBrain.com to embark on this transformative journey.

Thank you to the Mind Your Autistic Brain Community for so generously, vulnerably and thoughtfully sharing your work experiences in order to make this article, research and further transformation of the modern workplace possible.  You are my hero, my big “why” and the reason I wake up every day and diligently work to transform the world into a better place for us all because “What is possible for all of humanity when we have a thriving Neurodistinct population?”-Carole Jean

Carole Jean Whittington is a trailblazer in the neurodiversity space, dedicated to empowering ADHD/Autistic professionals and fostering sustainable energy in their lives. She is the author of, Unleashing Sustainable Energy: A Strategic Approach to Transforming Spicy Burnout for ADHD/Autistic Professionals. 

As the Founder of Mind Your Autistic Brain, her company stands out as one of the largest and only Autistic/ADHD owned and staffed consulting firms globally, focusing on Burnout Restoration, Accessibility, and Neurodiversity.  With her vast expertise, Carole Jean hosts the popular weekly talk show, Beyond Autistic Burnout, where she engages in insightful discussions with influential figures in the Autistic online community and beyond. This show reaches over 93 countries, with more than 550,000 avid listeners and watchers. In 2022, Spotify ranked Beyond Autistic Burnout in the top 5% of podcasts in the Self-Help category.

As a Burnout Restoration Strategist, Carole Jean employs her signature solutions, The UnVeiling Method and The Neurodiverse Communication Ecosystem, to empower companies, teams, and individuals of all cognitive profiles to authentically connect and thrive. Her dedication to making the world more accessible and embracing neurodiversity is truly her heart and passion.

Thank you to Charles Kransberger for his contribution to success enablers in this article.  

Charles is a proven neurodiversity practitioner with experience creating value for enterprises and neurodistinct populations within the technology, government, and higher education sectors. Charles is passionate about helping businesses embrace authentic neuroinclusion by elevating and amplifying neurodistinct perspectives. In his current role, Charles works with a global network of stakeholders to foster awareness, acceptance, and advancement of neurodistinct people in the workplace. Charles envisions and is actively constructing a future of work where scalable, authentic neuroinclusion propagates within company cultures, human capital strategies, and technology solutions.