“Six-S” principles for supporting neurodivergence at work

While neurodiversity refers to all the different and diverse brains in the human population (that includes all of us!), neurodivergence refers to those people whose brains are wired differently from the majority. With differently working brains comes different strengths and, sometimes, different challenges.

Some people with neurodivergence have formal diagnoses such as autism spectrum condition (ASC) or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and many do not. Common areas of difference can (but don’t always!) include difficulty with executive functioning, cognitive flexibility, behaviour regulation, and learning, processing and attention, among others. Common strengths include working effectively in fast-paced environments, being details-focused and/or showing curiosity and creativity, among others.

Research published in 2022 found that almost two-thirds (64%) of neurodivergent New Zealand employees worked for an employer who was not aware that they’re neurodivergent. One-third (32%) believed that being neurodivergent affected their career development opportunities negatively. We have a long way to go to build inclusive environments for all brains to thrive at work, and that starts with equipping leaders with the confidence they need to lead well.

Ultimately, leading neurodivergent people in your teams isn’t a new skillset; it’s the core work of good management, regardless of the strengths and challenges of any brain or neurotype. It relies on knowing your team members well, their strengths, the things that challenge them, and adapting your management style flexibly to bring out the best in them.

When we teach leaders how to support their neurodivergent employees in our workshops, we share the “Six-S” principles. The same is true for neurodivergent employees who want to advocate for their own support needs in the workplace. It all comes down to understanding and adapting to: Social preferences, Support for emotions, Sensory help, Structure, Supervision, and Strengths.

• Social preferences. We all have different preferences when it comes to social interaction (e.g. “small talk,” sharing interests), spoken communication (e.g. receiving instructions, giving feedback), and non-spoken communication (e.g. eye contact, body language, gestures and facial expressions). Neurodivergent staff members might prefer to interact and communicate in different ways (just as we all have different social needs, regardless of neurotype).
• Support for emotions. Neurodivergent or not, when we have strong emotions, it can be hard to communicate how we are feeling. Instead, it helps to recognise your early warning signs of stress or overwhelm, and let your manager and team know as well, so that they know how to support you proactively and what to do to help you calm down.
• Sensory help. People have different sensory needs that help them to focus and stay calm, stimulated and engaged, such as being loud or quiet, tidy or messy. Some people also use movement to help them focus, process or regulate their emotions. Knowing the management strategies that keep your staff at their best is important, as is knowing what works for your staff themselves.
• Structure. We all have different ways of structuring our work and our working environment. Some people like to plan their days in advance and keep to a strict schedule, while other people prefer to keep things loose and flexible. Setting up workdays according to a structure that works maximises the chances of success, especially if planning, prioritising or behaviour regulation is an issue for you or your team members.
• Supervision. In a traditional work environment, a manager’s job is to supervise employee work, check in on how they are doing, and provide practical support. Everyone has unique needs and preferences when it comes to how, and how often, their manager checks in. It’s up to managers to lead flexibly to bring out the best in their team members, and employees to communicate their needs.
• Strengths. Everyone benefits when we help people to do more of the tasks that they enjoy doing and are good at doing at work. These tasks might not always directly relate to someone’s role but are usually still helpful for your team or your organisation, such as rethinking a once-slow standard operating procedure to make it faster and more streamlined. In other cases, you may be able to help employees bring their strengths or passions into social occasions at work, such as organising team events or setting up a hobby group.