Why the Future of Work Belongs to Neuroinclusive Organisations

It’s been a discouraging week for neurominorities, especially the autistic community. Leaders on the global stage have recklessly spread misinformation to advance culture wars, drawing attention away from the remarkable contributions neurodiverse people make to our world.

The latest ‘Tylenol causes autism’ nonsense is of the same calibre as ‘drinking bleach cures COVID’ and ‘they’re eating the cats and dogs’. It would be amusing if it didn’t distract focus from the supports autistic people need and deserve to live healthy lives in a society that too often excludes them. Against this backdrop, the need for neuroinclusive workplaces has never been clearer.

Across every industry, leaders are grappling with a formidable set of workplace challenges in 2025: AI transformation, skills shortages, ageing demographics, leadership capacity, fragile trust, productivity pressures, rising psychosocial risk obligations, and more. These forces are reshaping how we work, who we work with, and what organisations must do to survive and thrive.

One golden thread runs through all ten of the top workplace issues identified by global research: neuroinclusion. Accelerating the transition to workplaces where people of all neurotypes thrive is not just an equity imperative. It is one of the most pragmatic and overlooked strategies for tackling the defining workplace issues of our time.

Let’s explore why.

1. AI Transformation

AI is the single biggest force reshaping the world of work. The EY Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025 found neurodivergent professionals report high proficiency across 10 of the fastest-growing skills identified by the World Economic Forum, skills critical in the AI era. They are also 55% more likely to use AI tools, improving quality and accelerating access to information.

Yet, only a quarter of neurodivergent professionals feel truly included at work. The research is clear: inclusion boosts skill proficiency by around 10%. Neuroinclusive workplaces unlock this potential, combining the complementary skills of neurodivergent and neurotypical professionals into high-performing, AI-ready teams.

2. Skills Crunch and Ageing Demographics

Talent shortages are intensifying as technological change outpaces skill supply, while ageing populations shrink labour pools. Neurodivergent workers remain one of the most under-utilised sources of talent.

In Australia, the unemployment rate for autistic adults is more than double that of all people with disability, and around six times that of people without disability. Among those in work, barriers to progression are widespread: 91% of neurodivergent professionals report at least one barrier to career advancement (EY, 2025).

Harnessing this untapped talent is not optional; it is a strategic necessity.

3. Leadership and Middle Manager Effectiveness

CHROs consistently rank leadership and management capability as their top priority. In my work with organisations, I’ve seen how managers who consistently practise neuroinclusive behaviours become stronger leaders overall. They communicate more clearly, foster psychological safety, and build resilient teams capable of navigating complexity and change.

Put simply, neuroinclusive leadership is better leadership. It strengthens the very capabilities needed to orchestrate successful transformation.

4. Trust, Ethics and Governance

Public trust is fragile, and governance demands are mounting, particularly around AI and data. Many neurodivergent professionals bring distinctive strengths here: strong moral compasses, attention to detail, and systems thinking capabilities that allow them to identify misalignments between commitments and practice.

Embedding neurodiverse voices into governance processes improves both ethical rigour and stakeholder confidence.

5. Productivity and Work Design

Global productivity pressures make redesigning workflows and reducing “digital debt” essential. Neurodivergent professionals often excel at lateral thinking, workflow optimisation, and spotting inefficiencies others overlook.

But to contribute fully, they need flexible and inclusive work design. A grown-up approach to hybrid and remote work, particularly for employees with sensory differences, is essential. Organisations that ignore this risk missing out on valuable productivity gains.

6. Mental Health, Wellbeing and Psychosocial Risk

Between 10% and 20% of people in most workforces are neurodivergent. Yet few employers fully understand how psychosocial hazards manifest differently for these employees, or how to design safe work that meets regulatory standards.

Failing to address this is not just a wellbeing issue; it’s a compliance risk. As legal frameworks expand, organisations that neglect neurodivergent perspectives in psychosocial risk management are exposing themselves to liability, reputational harm, and avoidable turnover.

7. Inclusion, Equity and Belonging

Inclusive work cultures directly address three urgent needs: expanding talent pools, reducing friction during transformation, and protecting reputation in a low trust environment. Organisations that build genuine capability in neuroinclusion also find it easier to extend that capability to other marginalised groups.

In polarised times, inclusion is not a “nice-to-have.” It is a hedge against fragmentation, a magnet for scarce skills, and a reputational safeguard.

8. Climate Transition and the Green Skills Gap

Across global labour markets, demand for green skills is growing faster than supply, as climate transition plans accelerate. Shortages in advanced economies are manifold, from environmental risk and protection to decarbonisation and sustainable sourcing. Many of these domains align with neurodivergent strengths in analysis, deep focus, in-depth knowledge, and critical thinking.

And yet, participation rates remain low in educational pathways to skilled green jobs. Only 5.2% of autistic Australians had a bachelor degree or higher in 2022, compared with 35.3% of the general population (ABS, 2022). Meanwhile, people with ADHD, 1.2 million Australians, have employment rates 10% lower than average. This represents wasted potential at a time when green skills are desperately needed.

9. Cybersecurity and Insider Risk

The cybersecurity workforce gap remains enormous. At the same time, AI-enabled deception and insider threats are rising. Neurodivergent professionals, with their analytical rigour, persistence, and common aptitude for averting crises, are often exceptional candidates for cybersecurity roles. But systemic barriers mean too many are overlooked.

Outdated but all too common recruitment and selection practices frequently discriminate against neurodivergent candidates. Job descriptions are often peppered with requirements not truly needed in the role, such as “excellent communicator.” Interview environments can be full of sensory assaults. Interviewers may use “team fit” as a fig leaf for likeability. These practices exclude exactly the kinds of candidates who could strengthen cybersecurity resilience.

Tapping into neurodiverse talent pools is one of the most practical ways to close critical gaps.

10. Geopolitics and Volatility

C-suite leaders surveyed by The Conference Board in 2025 expect a tough, shifting operating environment that includes trade tensions, conflict, mis- and disinformation, and fast-moving regulatory shifts.

In volatile environments, creativity, interconnected reasoning, and ethical rigour are prized capabilities. These are precisely the strengths that many neurodivergent workers bring.

Neuroinclusive organisations are better equipped to sense, interpret, and adapt to fast-moving external shocks.

The Case for Acceleration

The business case is clear. Neuroinclusive workplaces unlock under-utilised talent, fuel innovation, strengthen leadership, improve governance, drive productivity, and reduce legal and reputational risk.

But progress remains slow. EY’s 2025 study found only one in four neurodivergent professionals feels truly included at work. That means every organisation today is sitting on untapped capability.

The path forward is not complicated, but it does require commitment. Building neuroinclusive organisations means:

• Equipping managers with the behaviours that drive inclusion.

• Redesigning work so all employees can thrive.

• Embedding neurodiverse perspectives into governance, risk, and transformation.

• Measuring progress with the same seriousness as financial performance.

Inclusion as Strategy: Neurodiversity’s Role in Tackling the Biggest Workplace Issues

Every one of the top ten workplace challenges of 2025 is amplified by exclusion, and every one is eased by inclusion.

Organisations that act now to accelerate neuroinclusion will not just be doing right by their people. They will be positioning themselves to thrive in the AI era, weather demographic and geopolitical shocks, and capture the opportunities of the climate transition.

The future belongs to those who can harness the full spectrum of human talent. Neuroinclusive workplaces are not a side project. They are a central strategy for resilience, performance, and long-term success.