Repost of Neurodiverse Connection blog:

NdC Development Lead Kay Louise Aldred shares nine lessons learned from her past experience working in a non-Neurodivergent-affirming environment.
Working in a non-Neurodivergent-affirming environment can feel like navigating a maze. These workplaces often follow rigid neuronormative expectations that marginalise Neurodivergent individuals, making even day-to-day tasks overwhelming.

Here are some key lessons I learned from navigating such a space: 

01
The importance of proper induction and onboarding
Without a clear induction process, I was left floundering. A proper induction and structured onboarding experience—outlining expectations, workflows, and support systems—is not just a courtesy; it is necessary, especially for Neurodivergent individuals who thrive with clarity and predictability. When this was missing, I realised how critical it is to advocate for myself, even if it meant repeatedly asking for guidance, and escalating when necessary. In future, I would request the induction schedule and onboarding process and procedure in advance of starting a job.

02
Reasonable adjustments are essential, not optional
A lack of reasonable adjustments—whether sensory accommodations, flexible schedules, or tailored communication methods—disables. This experience reinforced the value of understanding my rights and confidently requesting accommodations, even in spaces that resist. I escalated the reasonable adjustment request to the Head of Health and Safety and HR and completed an Adjustment Passport.

03
Neuronormative communication culture feeds misunderstanding
In a workplace where neuronormative communication styles dominate, there is an implicit expectation to “read between the lines”. The absence of directness can lead to frustration, misinterpretation, and burnout. Unfortunately, there was little I could do about this working within a large organisation, so I learned to rely on clarifying questions and written follow-ups, even if they weren’t the norm, to ensure alignment and understanding.

04
Meetings without agendas foster chaos
A meeting without an agenda is like embarking on a journey without directions or a destination. Vague discussions and the absence of structure left me feeling unanchored and unsure of my role in the conversation. I instigated agendas in the meetings I was leading, beforehand, to create structure and verbally clarified action points in other meetings. 

02
Hyperconnectivity disrupts focus
Constant interruptions from Teams messages, often accompanied by sound alerts that triggered startle responses, highlighted the toll of an “always-on” communication culture. This experience taught me the importance of silencing notifications, setting boundaries, and advocating for designated focus times.

06
The absence of coregulation and emotional safety
Without coregulation—empathetic interaction that soothes, supports, and creates emotional and psychological safety—it is easy to feel isolated, ungrounded and anxious. A workplace where everyone is in survival mode leads to a perpetually dysregulated nervous system. I leaned into the power of my well-being and self-regulation practices and nervous system strategies, to maintain my equilibrium. However, due to the need to heavily mask and be constantly ‘on’ during the working day, I did experience two evening ‘meltdowns’, as the survival fight/flight energies that escalated and were held in my nervous system during office hours couldn’t discharge until then. There was no decompression time or coregulation during the day. 

07
Depth in conversations and processes matters
Shallow conversations and vague instructions prevent meaningful collaboration. The lack of explicit processes or opportunities to explore the “why” and purpose behind tasks left me feeling detached and unsure how my job role contributed to the bigger picture. I began documenting my own processes and seeking out informal mentors to fill these gaps.

08
Creativity flourishes in safe spaces
Creativity cannot thrive in an environment devoid of psychological safety. I realised how much the suppression of questions, exploration, and innovation stifles not just individual potential and well-being but also the whole team’s as well. This reaffirmed my desire to seek out or build spaces that celebrate diverse thinking and contributions and is one of the reasons I am delighted to be working at Neurodiverse Connection!

09
Ignoring sensory needs creates burnout
Unacknowledged sensory needs—whether it’s harsh lighting, lack of movement breaks, or constant sound notifications—quickly lead to overstimulation and exhaustion. I do have my sensory toolkit: noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools, and timers for movement breaks but as I saw no one else with these within the organisation (and I interacted with hundreds of people) I found it hard to visibly ‘out’ my Neurodivergence. I realised I had more work to do around internalised ableism, unshaming my Neurodivergence and the ongoing value and need of advocating for systemic change.ndconnection.co.uk/resources/employment

Final thoughts
Surviving in a non-neurodiversity-affirming environment requires constant self-advocacy and adaptation. However, these lessons from my recent experience reinforced the importance of seeking or supporting the creation of workplaces that embrace Neurodivergent differences and strengths.

Every person deserves an environment where their unique needs and strengths are accommodated, recognised, and celebrated. This experience was a poignant reminder of why neurodiversity-affirming cultures are essential and that although change is happening, we still have a long way to go.

Find our more about NdC training here and resources here 

This month, at Neurodiverse Connection we’ve been thinking about jobs (we're also recruiting so check out our website here)

We know that when it comes to employment, the Neurodivergent experience can be far from straight-forward and as NdC Development Lead, I've shared 9 lessons learned from working in a non-Neurodivergent-affirming environment

Over the next 9 days I'll be sharing more about each lesson individually but if you don't want to wait you can read the full blog now here

If you’ve ever felt misunderstood in the workplace, we hope this article brings you some validation and reassurance.

#educateevolveembody #inandthrough #embodimentspirituality #embodiededucation #fleshyknowing #neurodiverseconnection #recruitment #workplace #equality #diversity #inclusion #belonging #employeesuccess #employmentsuccess #neurodivergent #neurodiversityaffirming

Back for 2025 👍

Neurodiverse Connection Neurodivergent Wellbeing Approach (NDWA) Training has three cohorts running this spring/summer.

Cohort A INDIVIDUALS
8 x 90-minute evening sessions
Tuesdays, 6pm
18th March—13th May

Cohort B PROFESSIONALS
4 x half-day sessions
Tuesdays, 9.30am—1pm
13th May—10th June

Cohort C PROFESSIONALS
4 x half-day sessions
Thursdays, 12.30pm—4pm
12th June—10th July

Interested in learning more? Click here

#educateevolveembody #inandthrough #embodimentspirituality #embodiededucation #fleshyknowing #neurodiverseconnection #neurodivergentwellbeingapproach #neurodivergent #wellbeing

I've just completed the first month in my new FT job : Development Lead at Neurodiverse Connection

Who is Neurodiverse Connection?
✅ We are a neurodivergent-led Community Interest Company (CIC) created to improve support and outcomes for neurodivergent people.

Find out more here : https://ndconnection.co.uk/

And what do I do as a Development Lead?
✅ focus on designing and delivering projects, training and resources that benefit the Neurodivergent community
✅ support organisations in creating Neurodivergent-affirming changes
✅ represent Neurodiverse Connection on multiple levels
✅ collaborate with staff and associates to ensure high-quality outcomes
✅ build and maintain connections across various sectors working to secure revenue for Neurodiverse Connection and and look for other opportunities for funding
✅ deliver on commissioned work to achieve change and growth with those we work with

Let's go 2025 and beyond ...

#educateevolveembody #neurodivergent #autism #adhd #audhd #communityinterestcompany #ndconnection #neurodiverseconnection