Our Neurodiversity Consultancy Service
At Exceptional Individuals, we know that even with the best will in the world, it can be difficult to be a truly inclusive employer. That is why we support organisations through our neurodiversity consultancy services, offering advice and guidance on drafting and implementing inclusive policies, HR guides, and creating a culture of open communication.
We support employers in becoming more neurodiversity friendly, and then provide more bespoke consultancy services such as neurodiversity audits and training. Our specialist services help to ensure that being inclusive is not treated as a one-time engagement, but a progressive attempt at genuinely improving the inclusivity of your workplace.
What is a neurodiversity consultant?
A neurodiversity consultant is an individual who specialises in supporting businesses in creating a more neuro-inclusive environment for employees who are neurodiverse. This may include carrying out neurodiversity audits to measure neuro-inclusion within the organisation and then developing initiatives from this data to improve the inclusiveness of the workplace. Neurodiversity consultants can help businesses create a more supportive environment for all employees while also tapping into the unique perspectives and skillsets of those who are neurodivergent.Interested in using our Consultancy service? Give us a call on 0208 133 6046.
What are the benefits of working with a neurodiversity consultant?
Some of the key benefits of working with a neurodiversity consultant include:
- Access to specialised knowledge and expertise.
Neurodiversity consultants have extensive experience in neurodiversity employee support, and can provide expert guidance on issues such as workplace culture and reasonable adjustments.
- Improved understanding of neurodiversity.
Working with a neurodiversity consultant can help you gain a deeper understanding of neurodivergent individuals, their experiences, and how to best support them in the workplace.
- Greater awareness of existing resources and supports.
A good neurodiversity consultant will also be familiar with existing resources and supports that can benefit your employees, which can further enhance your ability to create a neuro-inclusive environment.
By working with a neurodiversity consultant, you can gain the knowledge and expertise needed to create a more neuro-inclusive and welcoming workplace for neurodiverse employees. This can help foster an environment where you not only attract employees who are neuro distinct but also help them to advance in their careers so that you encompass a truly inclusive culture.
How can our consultancy services help to improve neurodiversity and inclusion within your workplace?
It’s a good question, so we thought the best people to answer were our clients.Our relationship with EI has supported both new candidates and existing staff. The training sessions have been insightful, engaging, well-received by all those who attended and have given our staff and team leaders confidence in supporting neurodiverse individuals
The session they presented was fantastic. Exceptional Individuals are all amazing people, they are engaging and inspiring, and extremely humorous!
This has translated into increased sales and diversity in their stores nationwide. Our partnership with Ryman continues to increase awareness of the untapped potential of the UK’s neurodiverse population, and we are thrilled to be contributing new talent and dyslexic-friendly resources to Ryman.
If you want to see key results like our clients then get in touch with us today.
Our Neurodiversity Consultancy offering includes
Policy Advice:
Exceptional Individuals provides specialist consultancy to help organisations develop robust, practical, and inclusive policies that address neurodiversity in the workplace. Our approach is collaborative; we work closely with you to ensure that your policies stand up legally, and contain best-practice inclusion strategies.
Through the policy development process, Exceptional Individuals can:
- Advise on the structure and content of your policies, ensuring they’re clear, compliant, and straightforward to implement
- Review and provide feedback on draft policies, helping to tweak language and remove unintentional bias
- Highlight sector-specific considerations, keeping your policies relevant to your industry and workforce
- Supply example policies and templates to save time in creating strong, compliant policies
By working together, we can create policies for your business that not only tick the right boxes, but actively foster an environment where neurodivergent employees can thrive.
HR Guides:
We provide tailored human resources guides that equip employers with everything they need to handle workplace situations concerning neurodivergent employees in a fair, respectful, and effective way. These guides offer step-by-step advice, practical examples, and communication tips to ensure inclusivity is embedded every day in your management practices.
Example guide topics include:
- Managing neurodivergent individuals, from onboarding to day-to-day supervision
- Navigating performance reviews, including how to structure appraisals, how to give constructive feedback, and when to make reasonable adjustments
- Creating an inclusive workplace culture that encourages inclusive language, behaviour, and processes across teams
- Assistive technology considerations, such as software, tools, and equipment that support productivity and accessibility
Our guides can be customised for the policies and culture within your organisation, so they stay relevant and, most importantly, actionable for your teams.
Helpline:
By choosing our consultancy service, your business gains direct access to our dedicated neurodiversity helpline, available throughout the working day, Monday to Friday. This service connects you to a team of specialists for:
- Real time advice on specific employee situations, adjustments, or policy queries
- Guidance on complex cases that require extra sensitivity
- Support in planning future initiatives to ensure neurodivergent employees are considered and included
Think of our helpline as a connection to expert insight, so you can respond quickly, confidently, and inclusively to any challenge or opportunity within your organisation.
An example of our consultancy in action
How neurodiversity can impact an employer and employee
Employer
As an employer, it’s important to understand the positive impact that neurodiversity can have on the business.
- Neurodiverse employees can bring unique perspectives and problem-solving skills. For example, those with autism may excel in detail-orientated tasks.
- A neurodiverse team can create a more inclusive and empathetic culture, leading to a stronger workforce.
- You tap into a broader talent pool and may find some exceptional individuals to add to your team.
- Creating a diverse environment and ensuring the space is inclusive of neurodivergent people can improve job satisfaction leading to increased staff retention.
Although there are many benefits to employing neurodivergent individuals, it’s important to understand the challenges that may come if your workplace has not yet taken steps to become fully inclusive. For example, there may be communication barriers, misunderstandings, and a higher risk of burnout.
Neurodivergent individuals have needs that are different from many other people in the workplace. It is therefore important to consider accommodations such as flexible schedules, quiet workspaces, more time to digest information, and adapting to different communication styles. This is where neurodiversity training can be beneficial to the entire team.
Embracing neurodiversity in the workplace as an employer is a journey, but even making small adjustments can unlock the full potential of your neurodivergent employees and improve team synergy and efficiency.
Employee
As a neurodivergent employee, being productive in the workplace can present additional challenges and there can be certain obstacles they have to face every day that those who are neurotypical may not. For example:
- Sensory challenges such as bright lights, noises, and interruptions
- Difficulty staying organised and focused
- Inconsistency managing workload
- Misunderstandings between other team members
- Difficulty navigating social interactions
- Neurodivergent individuals may require different tools, equipment, and resources to work with in order to perform fluently. E.g. noise cancelling headphones, text-to-speech software, visual learning tools etc.
A neurodiversity consultant can help to identify these types of issues and make recommendations to help employees feel more comfortable and included in the company.
The benefits of our neurodiversity consultancy
Some of the key benefits of working with a neurodiversity consultant include:
Access to specialised knowledge and expertise
Neurodiversity consultants have extensive experience in neurodiversity employee support and can provide expert guidance on issues such as workplace culture, recruitment, and reasonable adjustments.
Improved understanding of neurodiversity
Working with a neurodiversity consultant can help managers gain a deeper understanding of neurodivergent individuals, their experiences, and how to best support them in the workplace to achieve their full potential and best support the business.
Greater awareness of existing resources and supports
A good neurodiversity consultant will also be familiar with existing resources and supports that can benefit your employees, which can further support a neuro-inclusive workplace.
A more inclusive workplace
A neurodiversity consultant can help make recommendations on how to create a culture that supports all types of learners.
Helps support all learners
By working with a neurodiversity consultant, your organisation can help support all types of learners by considering situations that might make it more difficult to learn or progress. Neurodivergent individuals may have different triggers, styles, concerns, and needs for learning. Consultancy can provide insights that can be rolled out across management to provide more inclusive and consistent approaches.
Makes all employees feel valued
Making the effort to hire a neurodiversity consultant shows your employees that everyone’s contributions to the team are valued. Employees will therefore feel more engaged and productive which can also encourage disclosure.
By working with a neurodiversity consultant, you can gain the knowledge and expertise needed to create a more neuro-inclusive and welcoming workplace for neurodiverse employees. This can help create a culture that attracts neuro-distinct employees, but also a truly inclusive environment in which their careers can advance.
The difference between neurodiversity consultancy and training
Neurodiversity consultancy and training go hand in hand to create a more supportive, engaging, and inclusive workforce. A neurodiversity consultancy helps to analyse your workplace and culture and offer advice. It can include a range of areas within the business, such as recruitment, internal processes, and neuro-inclusive initiatives.
On the other hand, neurodiversity training has the goal of creating an inclusive culture and environment for individuals with neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD and autism. Training is provided to employers and employees to educate them on the benefits of a neurodiverse workforce, and how everyone within the business can create a more accommodating space.
To summarise, training will give an applicable overview of what can be done to be more inclusive and supportive; however direct consultancy identifies the available needs and options specific to the business.
How can you measure the success of our consultancy services?
As with any investment, you’ll no doubt want to know the effect that your partnership with Exceptional Individuals is having on your workplace. While each business will be different in terms of how they track this success, some metrics we would suggest monitoring include:
- Improved employee retention, particularly among neurodivergent employees
- Increased productivity
- Higher employee satisfaction and engagement
- Reduced workplace conflict
How to arrange your neurodiversity consultation for your business
If you’re ready to create a more neuro-inclusive workplace for your employees, we can help. Arrange your neurodiversity consultation by contacting us with your contact details and selecting the ‘Neurodiversity Consultancy’ from our services drop-down menu. Leave us a message with your goals and expectations and our team will reach out to arrange your consultation.
Why choose Exceptional Individuals for your neurodiversity consultancy
At Exceptional Individuals, our mission is to provide employers with the help and advice they need to be able to effectively support their neurodiverse employees. We’re passionate about creating wider employment opportunities for neurodivergent individuals across the UK and beyond, and we aim to inspire people through our own life experiences. Over half of our staff are neurodivergent at any given time, and we see neurodivergence as a strength rather than a weakness! Let us help you create an environment for every person to thrive in.
FAQs
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity refers to the natural range of brain chemistry.
Being neurodivergent means your brain functions differently from what others consider to be ‘typical’. For example, you may learn differently, work differently, and behave differently.
Examples of Nerodivergence include Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, ASD
Why should my organisation become more neuro-inclusive?
Creating a workplace that is neuro-inclusive promotes creativity, innovation, and problem-solving by embracing different cognitive styles. It helps neurodiverse employees feel more comfortable and be able to work to the best of their ability. As an employer, you will also experience your employees’ full potential, and promote a more understanding, accepting, and compatible work culture
Depending on your location and related factors, there can be legal regulations that dictate or encourage neuro inclusive provisions.
Incoming applicants and prospective employees may expect accommodations and a level of understanding from colleagues.
Do you offer neurodiversity training?
Yes, we offer neurodiversity training workshops for employers and employees so everyone can work together to foster a more inclusive environment. Our training also helps the whole workforce understand the different needs of neurodivergent individuals and how you can help them maximise their abilities.
If you wish to develop a bespoke workshop then this can be archived through direct consultancy.
What are some ways I can accommodate neurodivergent employees as an employer?
There are many ways you can accommodate neurodivergent employees, including:
- Quiet spaces
- Flexible working hours
- Remote working options
- Clear and structured instructions on tasks or their responsibilities
- Regular feedback in an appropriate communication style
How long does the consultancy process take?
Scoping sessions to determine the best options for your business take a maximum of an hour.
The Direct consultancy process can take anywhere from one day onwards. The length of the process depends on the needs of your business.
What happens during the consultation?
Direct consultation will involve answering any questions, collecting any required information, conducting any required observations, and developing a plan for any resource development.
What are the next steps following the consultation?
Following the consultation, we will offer feedback and make recommendations for a more inclusive and supportive environment for neurodivergent employees.
Do you offer neurodiversity consultations all over the UK?
Yes, our neurodiversity consultations can be delivered online anywhere in the UK or internationally. Please contact us to arrange your training.
What UK laws protect neurodivergent employees in the workplace?
The main piece of legislation in the UK is the Equality Act 2010, which protects individuals from discrimination, harassment, and victimisation based on ‘protected characteristics’. These include certain disabilities. Many neurodivergent conditions, such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, can be recognised as disabilities under the Equality Act if they have a substantial, long-term effect on day-to-day activities.
For more information, read more about the Equality Act 2010 on the UK Government website, and ACAS’s disability discrimination guidance.
What does your consultancy service cost?
We offer consultancy on day rates or project rates, keeping prices highly competitive.
Costs vary with the complexity of the task. For example, a communications review (analysing all messaging sent to a neurodiverse audience) can be more technical and labour-intensive, so pricing reflects that.
Who delivers your consultancy service?
Ruth-Ellen Danquah, Timothy Lang, and Leroy Willington form our expert team, drawing on their deep expertise in inclusive business design, coaching, and strategic development.