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What will the future be like for neurodiverse people in the workplace?

Tears_before_bedtime

There are around 15-20% people globally who have some form of neurodiversity with the most common being1:

  • Dyslexia up to 10%,

  • Dyspraxia up to 6%,

  • ADHD up to 5%, and;

  • Autism (<1–1.6%).

Looking at the younger generation 53% of US Gen Zs identify as either ‘somewhat’ (31%) or ‘definitely’ (22%) neurodiverse2. Obviously Autism is still a minority of this (apparent) majority, but diagnoses have been on the rise for decades3 (what sits behind this is not certain, but increased reporting, recognition and changes to legal responsibilities and diagnostic criteria are probably the biggest factors).

Will the prevalence (self-identified or otherwise) of neurodiversity in the latest generation to join the workforce mean:

  1. things are going to change for the better in terms of widespread changes to the work environment and greater employer flexibility without the need for as many individual or official requests for adjustments.

  2. Requests for ‘individual’ adjustments will become more common and therefore more acceptable to employers and easier to obtain

  3. Neurodiverse conditions will become so commonly identified that ‘individual’ adjustments will become more difficult to obtain because “everyone is a little neurodivergent”.

  4. It will become even harder for those with moderate or severe needs to gain employment, as they do not demonstrate the same functionality as the new perceived ‘norm’ for neurodiverse given the volume of higher functioning or 'incorrectly' self-identified people4 now being included (e.g. in targets on inclusivity, or other reasons).

  5. Something else (please elaborate in comments)

Basically: is the increase in diagnosis and self-identification of neuridiverse conditions in the new generation going to be positive or detrimental in relation to work opportunities?

1) pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.../

2) source ZenBusiness survey of over 1000 respondents ijn the US aged 18-25

3) acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/.../jcpp.13505

4) by ‘incorrectly self-identified’ I mean those whose differences are sub-clinical or caused by other conditions, not that people deliberately falsely claim to have a neurodiverse condition when they don’t and there is no insult intended to those who self-identify.

  • As we will all be working from home, it will be great! 

  • in reply to Martin

    I agree, and in the UK, Labour’s unusual choices around disability (eg benefits) are designed to appeal to thiose who might decide to vote Reform or Conservative. Will they target the Civil Service next?

  • in reply to Martin

    ...and who are not disabled (don't have to look as far away as Trump to see problems there)

  • If the march of Right Wing, allegedly 'populist', authoritarian thuggery - think Trump - continues, I think the future is bleak for all classes of people who are not neurotypical, white, heterosexual males.