Have we mistaken workplace preferences for performance? 

As organisations continue to invest in workplace wellbeing, inclusion and employee experience, neurodiversity is prompting employers to rethink some of their most established workplace assumptions. 

From communication styles and productivity measures to leadership behaviours and definitions of professionalism, many accepted workplace norms may not be as objective as organisations assume. 

The Well Crowd caught up with Mark Woodward, Head of Assessments & Innovation at neurobox, to discuss whether neurodiversity is exposing hidden barriers to talent, what psychological safety really means in practice and how employers can create workplaces that allow different thinking styles to thrive. 

One of the biggest shifts, according to Woodward, is a growing recognition that people process information, communicate and perform in different ways. 

“Neurodiversity has helped shine a light on something that has always been true: people think, process and perform differently,” he says. “What’s changed is our growing understanding and language around those differences.” 

He believes many workplace norms have developed around a relatively narrow range of thinking styles, often without organisations consciously realising it. “Certain ways of working can be favoured over others and organisations may overlook or constrain talent that doesn’t fit that mould.” 

The implications extend beyond neurodiversity. As employers face ongoing productivity challenges and skills shortages, Woodward argues that many organisations are still assessing people against preferred behaviours rather than actual outcomes. 

“Many so-called high-performing behaviours are, in reality, preferences for how work gets done rather than what gets achieved.” 

He points to examples such as constant communication, rapid responses or highly visible activity, which are often associated with strong performance but may simply reflect one particular way of working. “When organisations focus too heavily on visible behaviours, they can unintentionally exclude people who work differently but deliver strong outcomes.” 

The conversation also touches on psychological safety, a workplace wellbeing concept that has become increasingly prominent in recent years. For neurodivergent employees, Woodward believes genuine psychological safety goes beyond encouraging people to speak up. 

“It means people feel able to share how they work best without fear of judgement or negative consequences.” 

In practice, that requires managers to move beyond awareness and develop the confidence to respond effectively when employees discuss their needs or request adjustments. While many organisations are making positive progress, Woodward suggests implementation remains a common challenge. “Many organisations talk positively about psychological safety, but they often fall short in equipping people managers and team leaders with the confidence and capability to respond effectively.” 

Looking ahead, emerging technologies could create both opportunities and risks for workplace inclusion. Woodward sees significant potential in AI, hybrid working and digital tools to remove barriers and give individuals greater flexibility over how they work. 

“There’s real potential for greater inclusion, but it’s not guaranteed.” 

While technology can increase flexibility and reduce environmental barriers, he warns that organisations must be careful not to create new forms of exclusion through unequal access, lack of training or expectations around constant digital availability.  “The challenge for organisations is to stay intentional and ensure that as new ways of working are introduced, they are designed inclusively from the outset.” 

Ultimately, Woodward believes the next phase of workplace inclusion will be defined by whether organisations move beyond supporting neurodivergent employees and start designing workplaces where they can genuinely thrive. Success, he argues, will not be measured by awareness campaigns alone but by meaningful outcomes such as retention, progression and performance.