Neurodiversity should now be treated as a core component of workplace value, according to a construction industry expert.
Melani King of ADP Consulting used a comment piece on Building, an information website for the construction industry, to make the point that overlooking how environments support the way our brains work risks becoming a costly mistake for anyone designing offices of the future.
Melani wrote that employers increasingly recognise that productivity, wellbeing and inclusion do not look the same for everyone, yet office design has been slow to reflect this reality.
She added that, in a market where employers are competing for talent, attendance and performance, this disconnect is becoming harder to ignore.
Melani noted that neurodiversity is discussed more openly today than it was even a few years ago, but when it comes to office design, that conversation is often diluted.
She suggested that the focus is too narrow and rarely extends beyond sectors where neurodivergent talent is perceived to be more prevalent, such as tech, finance and engineering.
Melani wrote: “In reality, neurodivergence cuts across all industries. In the UK, around 15% of the adult population is estimated to be neurodivergent, encompassing conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
“As awareness and diagnosis improve, this figure is widely expected to rise, not because neurodivergence itself is increasing, but because more people are being recognised and supported in the workforce.
“Neurodiversity is often acknowledged in principle, but rarely embedded meaningfully into design decisions. The gap between intent and delivery is becoming increasingly difficult to justify
“Recent data reinforces just how wide that gap remains. A 2024 report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found that while 53% of employees believe their organisation has an open and supportive climate for discussing neurodiversity, three in ten have not disclosed their neurodivergence to their line manager or HR.
“At the same time, nine in 10 employers only become aware of a hire’s neurodivergence after employment has begun, suggesting that workplaces are still not designed with these needs in mind from the outset.”