AI as a Reasonable Adjustment for Neurodivergent Employees
Image by AllThatChessNow from Pixabay
Over the last few years there has been an artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Technology offering generative AI and AI-powered solutions have now become commonplace within education, the workplace and the home.
Many industries value having a neurodiverse workforce as they have been shown to be more innovative and superior at problem solving when compared to less diverse work environments. Employers often need to create inclusive environments if they wish to attract and retain neurodivergent talent and are legally required to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that their neurodivergent employees have the same opportunities to excel at work as their peers. We’ve outlined below some ways employers can help to make their workplaces more neuro-inclusive by embracing the use of AI technology.
16 Ways Artificial Intelligence Can Be Used in the Workplace to Make It More Accessible
Image by Jorge Franganillo from Pixabay
Creating more adaptive innovative working environments can help improve retention, engagement and performance among neurodivergent employees. Below are some ways that integrating AI into the workplace may help to reduce communication barriers, sensory differences and increase cognitive accessibility for some neurodivergent employees.
AI can be used to anonymise CVs, removing potential biases during the recruitment process.
AI programs can help to identify the unique strengths of neurodivergent employees and how they fit with the job descriptions.
Including auto-generated closed captions on videos may be helpful for some neurodivergent employees.
Employers can provide recordings of meetings and allow employees access to AI generated transcripts.
Make text-to-speech programs available to make it easier for some employees to access web pages.
Allow the use of speech-to-text software for communicating with colleagues. This may help reduce misunderstandings involving written instructions within emails.
Allow the use of grammar software like Grammarly for those who may find writing and spelling challenging, such as dyslexic individuals.
Allow the use of voice assistants to make it easier for some individuals to carry out different tasks.
Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay
Allow employees to use scheduling assistants for organising their calendars and to-do list.
Software such as Otter.ai and Pymetrics can be incorporated into the recruitment process and the workplace in order to reduce communication barriers and reduce both sensory differences and cognitive overload.
AI chatbots can be used to offer therapeutic support and coping strategies for individuals with depression and anxiety which are conditions which frequently co-occur with neurodivergent conditions.
AI can be used to generate personalised user interfaces for software based on an individual’s specific cognitive and sensory needs.
AI driven apps may help individuals learn a large amount of information without experiencing cognitive overload.
AI can modify both the complexity and tone of text to make the information more accessible for people with cognitive differences.
Research has found that integrating AI into assistive technology has the potential to enhance the social engagement and communication skills of autistic individuals.
AI can be used to personalise learning and development content for employers who are neurodivergent. For example, individuals with ADHD who find it difficult to maintain focus for extended periods of time, may find it helpful to use AI-driven platforms to break content down into digestible chunks which can be accessed in a shorter period of time.
Artificial intelligence is in its infancy and it is by no means a solution to all of the challenges neurodivergent employees may encounter in inaccessible workplaces. It is important to include neurodivergent employees in the development and testing of AI-based assistive technology to ensure that it actually caters to the needs of neurodiverse individuals. Employers must also take into consideration the ethics of using AI technology, including consideration of any potential biases it may have and how it may affect privacy. It is also essential to balance the benefits of the use of AI with the risks of overreliance on it.
Conclusion
AI driven solutions are already changing the landscape within many sectors. The pace of technology is growing at a rapid rate and therefore there is still much room for continued innovation for developing AI technologies which cater to the needs of neurodivergent individuals. We hope that this article has helped to highlight the various ways in which existing AI technology can be used to create workplaces which are more inclusive for neurodivergent individuals and therefore work environments in which they can thrive and reach their potential.
Would you like some support with how to create a more neuro-inclusive environment for your employees? If so, speak to one of our neurodiversity consultants today!
References
AI in creating inclusive work environments for neurodiverse employees:
https://www.emerald.com/aia/article-abstract/doi/10.1108/AIA-05-2025-0046/
Breaking barriers–The intersection of AI and assistive technology in autism care: A narrative review:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10817661/
How generative AI is the neurodiverse learner’s best friend:
https://quantumrise.co.uk/how-generative-ai-is-the-neurodiverse-learners-best-friend/
How AI is improving accessibility:
https://medium.com/the-neuro/how-ai-is-improving-accessibility-510f6c70177c
Artificial intelligence, neurodiversity and trust: An exploratory overview:
Equality Act 2010:
