Autism, ADHD, and Breaking Barriers in the Tech Industry
How Neurodivergent Leaders Are Changing the Tech Industry
From Microsoft to Google and DXC Technology, global tech companies are beginning to recognise the untapped potential of neurodivergent thinking for their workforce. ADHD or Autistic employees can often excel at spotting patterns in data, logical and analytical thinking, or approach problems with a completely different perspective from neurotypical staff.
However, with these improvements to diversity inclusion in hiring, it’s important to keep in mind the unique barriers faced by neurodivergent leaders working in the tech industry. By addressing these challenges, tech professionals can become a valued part of a thriving workforce and organisations can retain their unique thinkers who may not have felt so welcome in traditional workplace settings.
“Workplace norms like small talk and interpreting body language and unspoken rules can feel like a minefield, leading to challenges and miscommunications with the social side of work.”
While all neurodivergent people will bring their own unique perspectives to the fold, there are certain challenges that are more common for Autistic, ADHD or AuDHD people.
The Strengths and Challenges of Autism in the Tech Industry
Autistic people often report finding open-plan offices or busy environments overwhelming, and counterproductive to the kind of spaces they require in order to concentrate on the work at hand. Loud noises, strong smells and crowded areas aren’t going to help productivity for many neurodivergent staff. What’s more, workplace norms like small talk and interpreting body language and unspoken rules can feel like a minefield, leading to challenges and miscommunications with the social side of work.
Autistic people thrive with clear expectations and structured routines, but within the tech industry, the prevalence of start-ups and SMEs can result in ambiguous job roles, a revolving door of staff and last-minute adjustments, all issues that can contribute to rising stress and anxiety as a neurodivergent person. Similarly, teams that use indirect feedback, sarcasm or non-verbal cues are often harder for autistic people to follow, increasing the feelings of isolation that begin to mount when neurodivergence isn’t taken into consideration.
ADHD and Leadership: Thriving in a Fast-Paced Tech Environment
ADHD employees can also face numerous challenges in the workplace, often related to how they process information, focus, and manage their time. ADHD people struggle to maintain their focus on tasks, especially ones that are repetitive, lengthy, or not immediately engaging. On the flip side, they may also experience hyperfocus, where they become intensely absorbed in one task for hours. This can make it hard to switch attention to other priorities that is often the norm in modern professions.
Executive function such as time and task management can be hugely challenging for ADHD individuals: working to meet deadlines, estimating how long tasks will take them, and managing multiple projects can be incredibly difficult, and often leads to procrastination, avoidance of starting a task, and losing sight of smaller details when an overarching strategy isn’t put into place.
ADHD professionals will likely know impulsivity is hard to quash in a work environment: interrupting colleagues’ conversations and reacting quickly without considering all the factors at play can have long-lasting implications on projects and how we’re perceived by neurotypical teammates.
“You might excel at reading unspoken dynamics and anticipating issues, and your experience of feeling different may have fostered empathy and patience, all helping to contribute to an inclusive workplace environment.”
The Hidden Cost of Adaptive Behaviour: Masking in Leadership Roles
In order to succeed in these environments, many neurodivergent leaders create adaptive behaviour in order to conceal our traits and fit into neurotypical settings. This is achieved by keen observation of other people’s actions and attitudes, mimicking social behaviours and internalising social norms, all with the aim of appearing neurotypical to everyone around you.
Understandably, sustaining all of this can lead to emotional and physical fatigue, particularly in demanding leadership positions. You may find yourself feeling inauthentic or experience imposter syndrome, doubting your worthiness of your role. It can also be difficult to argue for necessary accommodations when you appear to manage well without them. What’s more, your unique expression styles can lead to misunderstandings, making you appear reserved or distant.
Despite these challenges, leaders who engage in adaptive behaviour offer valuable skills. You might excel at reading unspoken dynamics and anticipating issues, and your experience of feeling different may have fostered empathy and patience, all helping to contribute to an inclusive workplace environment. The constant adjustments you’ve had to make throughout your career mean that you’re also a flexible and resourceful problem-solver, and you may find yourself excelling in planning and building resilient systems. Your self-awareness provides a grounded approach to leadership, and your need to adapt leads to unique, out-of-the-box solutions.
The Role of Line Managers in Supporting Neurodivergent Leaders
It can feel incredibly daunting to open up to line managers about a diagnosis or concern we have regarding the workplace. For those of us who have been late-diagnosed, it’s likely we’ve faced misconceptions and stereotyping about neurodivergence in the past, and have even seen our careers suffer because of this. While neurodivergent leaders may have worked hard to excel in neurotypical environments, adaptive behaviour and the overwhelm that comes with working in over-stimulating work environments often leads to a negative impact on mental health.
How to Ask for Workplace Adjustments as a Neurodivergent Tech Leader
With all this in mind, it’s vital to create supportive workplaces and cultures for both neurotypical and neurodivergent staff, where teams are able to succeed with structures and expectations that have been carefully considered. Reasonable adjustments can go a long way to reducing stress and improving productivity, focus and motivation for neurodivergent staff. While it may feel daunting to approach a line-manager to discuss these, remember that it can be illegal to refuse reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent people. The Equality Act requires people and organisations to make reasonable adjustments to avoid creating disadvantages for disabled people. So if an employer refuses to make a reasonable adjustment, it could be considered disability discrimination. You can check the Citizens Advice website for more information.
While the industry as a whole is improving, many of us are aware that other team members can hold biases against labels like autism or ADHD, and may be reluctant to share this with their colleagues. If you’re worried about telling your team, as a Divergent Potential client, we can work with you to:
Develop effective communication techniques to help give you confidence and self belief to speak to your team.
Discuss up to date legislation to help you advocate for yourself.
Be a listening ear for debriefing sessions with work, and point you in the right direction for further help if any issues occur.
“Recognising and supporting neurodivergent leaders will transform workplaces, leading to a more inclusive and human-centred leadership style. After all, the tech industry will only improve with diversity of thought. ”
The Future of Tech Leadership: Why Neurodivergence Is an Asset
Neurodivergent leaders who engage in adaptive behaviour bring resilience, adaptability, and creativity to their roles. Recognising and supporting them can transform workplaces, leading to a more inclusive and human-centred leadership style. After all, the tech industry will only improve with diversity of thought. To benefit from this, employers also need to be ready to support their neurodivergent staff. By providing reasonable adjustments and company-wide awareness-training, neurodivergent staff can bring their best selves to work. Instead of concerns about how we will be perceived, or stress from working environments that are counter-intuitive, we can work together to create an industry where everyone can thrive.
Enjoyed this blog? Sign up to our mailing list for more neurodivergent guidance, straight to your inbox - find the link below.