Neurodivergence in the Workplace: The Importance of Early Support

This guest blog post by David Birrell, Regional Secretary AA Section, forms part of a new blog series comprised of advice articles and op-eds aimed at spreading awareness around neurodivergence in the workplace and elsewhere.

In workplaces, we are often very good at responding when something has gone wrong. A colleague is struggling, attendance has become an issue, performance has changed, a misunderstanding has developed into conflict, someone finds themselves facing an investigation or formal process.

That’s often when the conversation about support begins.

But I’ve increasingly found myself asking a much simpler question: Why did we wait until then?

From reactive to proactive

For someone who is neurodivergent, disabled, experiencing difficulties with their mental health, or simply struggling with something happening in their life, the signs that they need support may have been there long before a problem reached that stage.

Sometimes they haven’t recognised those signs themselves. Sometimes they are afraid to speak up. Sometimes they don’t know who to ask. And sometimes they have spent years developing ways of hiding the difficulties they experience.

By the time somebody finally says “I need help,” they may already be exhausted.

Early support doesn’t have to mean complicated interventions or formal processes.

Sometimes it starts with something as simple as: “How are you getting on?” And then actually taking the time to listen to the answer.

It might mean explaining what support is available, discussing a reasonable adjustment, signposting someone towards specialist help, providing some additional guidance or simply giving them the confidence to have a conversation they have been avoiding.

None of us need to be an expert in everything. We don’t need to diagnose people, and we shouldn’t try to. What we can do is listen, recognise when someone might need support and help them find the right route forward.

As trade union representatives, much of our traditional role involves helping members when something has already gone wrong. That work will always be important. But I believe we also have an opportunity to become involved much earlier.

Imagine if a conversation with a representative helped someone obtain an adjustment before their performance was affected.

Imagine if somebody understood why they were struggling before it damaged their confidence.

Imagine if a manager and employee had the right conversation before a misunderstanding became a grievance or disciplinary matter.

Not every problem can be prevented. But some undoubtedly can.

And preventing a problem is better for the individual, their colleagues, their employer and the union.

Creating a culture where asking for help is normal

There is another barrier we need to challenge. People can sometimes see asking for support as an admission of weakness. It isn’t.

Recognising that something isn’t working and looking for a better way forward can take considerable courage. Our workplaces should be environments where someone can say: “I’m struggling with this” without immediately worrying about how they will be judged.

That requires trust. And trust isn’t created by a policy sitting on a computer system. It is created through everyday conversations and by what happens when somebody does ask for help.

If their first experience is positive, they are more likely to speak up again — and perhaps encourage somebody else to do the same.

Support starts before the crisis

For me, this is ultimately about changing the point at which we think support should begin. We should absolutely be there when somebody is facing a difficult meeting, grievance, disciplinary process or workplace crisis.

But I’d like us to be there before that as well. Helping people understand their options. Helping remove barriers. Helping people develop confidence. And sometimes simply listening.

Because the best outcome isn’t always winning the case after something has gone wrong. Sometimes the best outcome is helping ensure there never needed to be a case in the first place.