Neurodiversity refers to the unique differences in the ways every brain thinks. While everyone’s brain develops similarly, no two brains function the same. Neurodivergence refers to the ways in which certain brains works differently from what is considered the average or “neurotypical” brain functioning. As comms and event professionals, we have a responsibility to properly understand our audiences and their individual needs. Despite increasing awareness, everyone is still figuring things out when it comes to neurodiversity (even the medical community) – so we’re on a mission to guide our clients through the uncertainty.

Curious to find out what other common misconceptions are out there? Read on to uncover five more that we’ve debunked.

1. NEURODIVERGENCE IS A RARE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION.
In actual fact: Neurodivergent thinkers aren’t uncommon and often face mental health challenges, due to a lack of understanding and the need to mask their differences – but it’s actually not a mental health condition.

Examples of neurodivergence include:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Auditory Processing
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Developmental Co-ordinated Disorder
Developmental Speech Disorders
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Dyslexia
Dysnomia
Dyspraxia
Intellectual Disability
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Sensory Integration Disorder
Tourette Syndrome

Around 1 in 7 people in the UK are neurodivergent. Almost 2x the amount who are left-handed.

70% of neurodivergent employees experience mental health issues.

Common issues include:
92% struggle with concentration & memory
83% find self-organisation challenging
78% have a lack of time management
91% of people don’t know how common neurodivergence is

2. PEOPLE WITH DYSLEXIA CAN’T READ, WRITE OR SPELL PROPERLY.

In actual fact: There’s a lot more to it than this. Dyslexia is actually more about issues with information processing and working memory – so dyslexic people often struggle with a wide range of things which have nothing to do with reading, writing or spelling.

40+ million US adults have dyslexia, but only 2 million of them have a diagnosis

Dyslexic people may prefer:
Lightly coloured paper
12-14 pt sans serif font
Bold text for highlighting

Dyslexic people can dislike:
Glossy & bright white backgrounds
Italics, ALL CAPS, & underlining

Approximately 15% of people have dyslexia but most don’t know it

It’s got nothing to do with intelligence, recognised dyslexics include:
Steven Spielberg, Richard Branson, and Albert Einstein

Approximately 25% of CEOs are dyslexic

3. NEURODIVERGENT INDIVIDUALS ARE BAD FOR BUSINESS.

In actual fact: Neurodivergent thinkers can often offer a competitive advantage when provided with the right working environment. Despite this, they’re more likely to be unemployed than others.

Unemployment for neurodivergent adults is as high as 30-40%. 3x the rate for people with disabilities & 8x the rate of people without.

Employers who embraced neurodivergence saw a 90% increase in employee retention.

Neurodiverse teams are 30% more productive than neurotypical ones and made fewer errors.

Inclusive workplaces are as much as 8x more likely to be innovative and have 2.3x the cashflow per employee as non-inclusive workplaces.

Companies with an inclusive environment for neurodivergent colleagues saw:
28% higher revenue
30% better profit margins
200% greater net income

4. NEURODIVERSITY IS A SUPERPOWER!

In actual fact: Whilst there is a correlation between neurodivergence, creativity and lateral thinking, many neurotypical people also excel in these areas – and not all neurodivergent thinkers will share these traits – so they shouldn’t be subjected to “super-expectations”. In some instances though, neurodivergence can offer compelling advantages.

Did you know? Kim Peek, the inspiration behind Dustin Hoffman’s character in Rain Man, wasn’t actually autistic.

18% of employees in advertising, marketing and media have one or more neurodiverse traits.

Individuals with ADHD outperform others when thinking creatively and autistic traits often provide an advantage with ideas and verbal creativity.

Neurodivergence across all creative industries is almost twice that of the general public.

Great innovators throughout history were neurodivergent including:
Steve Jobs
Agatha Christie
Mozart
Pablo Picasso
Stanley Kubrick

5. MOST ORGANISATIONS HAVE A NEURODIVERSITY STRATEGY IN PLACE.

In actual fact: Despite the growing awareness surrounding neurodiversity, very few businesses have any real understanding or awareness of their teams’ individual needs.

1/3 of people feel they can’t disclose their neurodivergence in the workplace, with 10% having bad experiences once they have done so

75% of creative industry em plotters foo not have policies ion place to support neurodivergent staff

77% of creative industry employers said adapting to be more neurodiversity-friendly is not a priority

Figures vary: in the tech industry, non-disclosure is 40%. Others report figures as high as 73%

82% of workplaces approach neurodiversity in the same way as they do disability

Only 17% of employers know how many ND individuals are in their organisation

More positively, almost half of organisations included in the research (49%) have neurodiversity champions or mentors, serving as advocates and allies and raising awareness of neurodiversity within the workplace

The top three barriers to setting up a neurodiversity strategy are:
Lack of experienced mentors / managers
Awareness and understanding
Time and other priorities

References:
Health Education England NHS, Neurodiversity Support British Dyslexia Association / The Reading Well Universal Music UL, 2020.
World Economic Forum, 2023. Employers now see neurodiversity as a strength in the workplace. Here’s why
Campaign UK, 2021. Great minds don’t think alike: How to tap the neurodivergent talent pool
Forbes, 2022. Neurodiversity And The Workplace
Harvard Business Review, 2017. Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage MyDisabilityJobs, 2023. Neurodiversity in the Workplace | Statistics | Update 2023 City & Guilds Foundation and Do-IT Solutions, 2023. Neurodiversity Index Report 2023

It’s time to think differently about different thinkers.
Get in touch to discuss your brand’s comms strategy.