What if your company’s next big idea doesn’t come from the l o u d e s t voice in the room but instead, from someone whose brain works d i f f e r e n t l y — someone who is neurodivergent? 

If someone had not listened to a different perspective, we would not have iPhones, Teslas, or even Microsoft Teams (aside from Bill Gates, most people may not complain about this one). 

Being different is a struggle and we’ve all been there. To be specific, 70% of people have had at least one moment; whether it’s not getting the joke, bombing a subject in school, or being the only one who thinks mint chocolate chip ice cream isn’t absurd. 

But differences spark innovation and push boundaries. After all, someone liked the taste of toothpaste enough to invent the ice cream flavour. 

What is Neurodiversity? 

It’s the idea that all brains work differently in areas like learning, attention, and social interaction – opening the door to fresh “minty” perspectives and creative ideas that traditional systems often miss. 

One in five people are neurodivergent. This select 20%, is invaluable (if you pay attention) and could revolutionise your business. 

Yet, we’re still stuck with outdated ideas that see these differences as obstacles rather than advantages, leaving 30–40% of neurodiverse adults unemployed — eight times higher than neurotypicals, the majority of the world’s population. 

You didn’t notice that the size of this header differs from the others? 

A neurodivergent individual would spot the change – despite only a 0.5 font-size difference, it bothers me. 

Particularly, those with ADHD, autism, or dyslexia would notice. These individuals often have a unique ability to hyper-focus on tasks and observe specific details. 

Harriet Lewis, fellow neurodivergent from Catch Communications, once said she could “hyperfocus on creative ideas for hours, find solutions to problems without getting weighed down by small details, and zoom out to view the big picture on projects.” 

The science backs it up too; dyslexics have heightened pattern recognition skills, enabling them to pick up on trends and details that others may miss. This stems from different brain-wiring but is also nurtured by having to prepare contingency plans from a young age, to adapt to societal standards. 

For instance, I knew a girl who discovered early on that she communicated more effectively by speaking versus writing. To adapt, she dictated a draft to a computer rather than struggling to organise her thoughts on paper. This “problem-solving” strength is instrumental in the corporate world, where precision and speed are key. 

While traditional workplaces often label neurodivergence as a limitation, forward-thinking companies like the company that created Teams, along with NASA and EY, actively recruit neurodivergent talent to boost innovation. These individuals tend to outshine their peers by spotting errors and solving complex problems that others often overlook; making them indispensable (do you notice the font-size difference now?). 

Under-Appreciated Problem Solving ~ Dyslexic Thinking 

Not exclusive to dyslexics, this form of thinking is a fresh perspective where neurodivergents use pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, lateral thinking and interpersonal communication to assess information and essentially; problem-solve. Hence, finding unexpected solutions that are out of reach for others, dyslexic thinkers tend to approach challenges uniquely. 

This skill is about identifying visual patterns and also extends to recognising trends and systemic issues in data, processes, and even human behaviour.  

Additionally, by seeing things from multiple perspectives, neurodivergent leaders often excel in people-centric roles, offering an ability to understand the needs of various stakeholders, employees, and clients.

 (A simplified conceptual model derived from the World Economic Forum displaying neurodiversity characteristics and the outcomes) 

Maja Pawinska Sims, PR professional from PRovoke Media, says neurodivergents are “a remarkably good fit” for our industry while highlighting creativity, problem-solving, hyper-focus, and spotting links and patterns — all elements that keep clients/journalists very happy. By learning preferences and connecting similar situations together, it pre-empts issues and mitigates error repetition; kind of like a human mind reader. Because it’s not just about putting out fires — it’s about spotting issues before the flame becomes too big to extinguish. 

So, maybe, it’s time the corporate world stops looking for people to fit in and rather embrace the unique ways that peoples’ minds work. 

Want to Revolutionise Your Workplace? 

As more companies embrace neurodiversity, the environment must adapt to truly unlock neurodivergent employees’ full potential. Whether offering flexible work hours, creating sensory-friendly office spaces or cultivating leadership programs that highlight neurodiverse strengths, there needs to be a give and take.  

Despite the Department of Health protecting our rights with the People of Determination laws, it’s not so easy to disclose as we’ve all (including myself) heard comments like, ‘I would have never known.’ While well-intentioned, these remarks can feel invalidating. What truly makes the difference — is creating an environment where people feel safe to be open about their neurodivergence. 

In today’s fast-moving world (yes-rookie ChatGPT phrase), where AI has become everything, the corporate landscape is slowly waking up to the idea that neurodivergent individuals offer exceptional value, not despite their differences but because of them.  

Studies show that companies with diverse teams, including neurodivergent employees, are 35% more likely to outperform their competition. I can’t help but think this is true as my brain is always in overdrive, constantly drawing connections—whether it’s quickly locating a media contact shared in the PR group chat, integrating abstract ideas I’ve overheard into client communications or making a toothpaste ice cream joke— you probably forgot about at this point. 

In this act-quick-move-fast world (advanced-ChatGPT phrase), there is so much untapped potential in neurodivergent employees, meaning; their ability to think outside the box isn’t just a nice-to-have — it can be the “refreshing” flavour to staying ahead (like my unique metaphors).