New data shows fewer than one in four neurodivergent employees disclose to HR

A recent report from assistive technology provider Brain in Hand paints a detailed picture of what neurodivergent employees are actually experiencing at work: and the gap between that reality and what most employers believe they are providing.

The report, based on original research by Helen Guyatt, head of research, evaluation and insight at Brain in Hand, draws on survey data from autistic and ADHD employees alongside analysis of outcomes for users of Brain in Hand's coaching platform. It covers disclosure, workplace challenges, career development, wellbeing, retention and the financial return on investment from targeted support.

The report draws on Brain in Hand's own user data alongside broader published research.

The disclosure gap

One of the most striking findings concerns who actually knows about an employee's neurodivergence. The research found that 47% of respondents' work friends knew about their neurodivergence. Only 22% reported that HR or the broader management team knew. And 14% reported that no one in their organisation knew at all.

This matters for HR teams in a practical sense. Reasonable adjustments can only be made for needs that are known. Support can only be offered to employees who feel safe enough to ask for it. If fewer than one in four neurodivergent employees have disclosed to HR, the majority are navigating work without any formal support in place, and in many cases, without anyone in a position to offer it.

The research is consistent with a broader pattern identified across multiple data sources: neurodivergent employees are significantly more likely to disclose to trusted peers than to managers or HR professionals. The question for HR teams is what that gap says about the culture of disclosure in their organisation, and what would need to change for that ratio to shift.

What neurodivergent employees are experiencing

The report identifies the three most commonly reported workplace challenges among participants as social anxiety, looking after themselves mentally and concentration. For autistic employees who also have ADHD — a dual diagnosis group the research examines separately — the picture is more acute. Half of this group reported social anxiety as one of their top three challenges, compared with 41% of the overall user group.

On feelings at work, 35% of the overall group reported overwhelm and 31% reported exhaustion. Those with both diagnoses were more likely to feel overwhelmed or exhausted, and less likely to feel enthusiastic. Only 26% of the overall group reported feeling enthusiastic at work.

Career development is another pressure point. More than a third of autistic employees with ADHD felt they had been passed over for development opportunities. The report notes that many participants also reported positive feelings about their career despite this, suggesting that neurodivergent employees are often finding ways to sustain engagement even in environments that are not designed with them in mind. That resilience, however, has limits.

Burnout data cited in the report finds that 50% of neurodivergent employees feel burnt out, compared with 38% of neurotypical workers. Only 25% feel financially secure and emotionally balanced. And 43% intend to leave their role within a year due to difficulties at work.

The retention risk

The retention findings deserve particular attention. The research found that a high proportion of Brain in Hand users reported being likely or very likely to leave their current role within six months. Those in smaller organisations were especially at risk: 73% of those in companies with fewer than 10 employees said they were likely or very likely to leave within six months. The equivalent figure for the UK population overall is 24%.

For HR professionals, this is the point at which the neurodivergent experience becomes a measurable business risk. Recruitment is expensive. Losing experienced employees to environments that failed to accommodate their needs — when relatively straightforward adjustments might have made the difference — represents a significant and largely avoidable cost.

The financial case for support

Brain in Hand's outcome data, drawn from users of its platform, makes a direct case for investment in neurodivergent employee support. The research found that 45% of Brain in Hand users in employment reported at least one positive outcome related to absenteeism, presenteeism or retention.

The financial modelling presents employers with an average saving of £6,804 annually per employee using the platform, with 56% of that figure attributed to improved productivity and 33% to improved retention. The reported return on investment ranges from £4 for every £1 spent when funded by the employer directly, rising to £9 when funded through Access to Work.

The mental health link is particularly notable. Among Brain in Hand users who reported fewer sick days, 97% had also noted improved mental health. Among those who reported better performance, the figure was 90%. Among those who reported better retention, 89%. The data suggests that mental health improvement is not a separate outcome from workplace performance, it is the mechanism through which performance improvement happens.

What HR teams can do

The report's practical recommendations, contributed by people director Lucy Clemas, are worth summarising for HR teams looking for a starting point.

On recruitment: invite applications in multiple formats — written, video and voice note — rather than defaulting to a single method that may disadvantage neurodivergent candidates before they have even joined.

On onboarding: invite new starters to share their needs at the outset, making clear that individual needs are taken seriously in the organisation. The report identifies early adjustment conversations as the single most stable and protective pathway, yet only 14% of neurodivergent employees in the research reported that adjustments had been discussed before their start date.

On job descriptions: consider coding different aspects of a role, such as level of in-person time, need to navigate ambiguity, frequency of video calls, so that candidates can assess for themselves whether the role suits how they work. This benefits neurodivergent and neurotypical candidates alike.

On manager capability: encourage managers to have wellbeing conversations at every one-to-one, not just when a problem surfaces. Provide a checklist of useful questions so that managers who lack confidence in this area have a practical framework to draw on.

On peer support: introduce a buddy system for newly diagnosed colleagues, connecting them with someone in the organisation who has lived experience. Form an internal neurodivergent support group, led by neurodivergent colleagues, with a brief to make design recommendations for the business.

On escalation: when straightforward adjustments are not enough, seek input from an experienced occupational health adviser who can recommend tools, management techniques and specialist organisations.

The report's closing point is one that runs through all of these recommendations: if employees can openly talk about what they need to perform at their best, and be supported by their managers and HR teams to explore that, many of the solutions will be practical, inexpensive and will not require a major organisational project. The barrier is rarely resource. It is culture.

The Neurodivergent Experience in the Workplace is published by Brain in Hand. The full report is available at braininhand.co.uk/work. Brain in Hand is a coaching platform supporting autistic and ADHD employees, available directly or through Access to Work.

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