Neurodiversity in the Workplace: How to create an inclusive and safe environment

by Alice Hewson

Have you hoped for a more understanding and supportive workplace?

Neurodiversity in the Workplace: How to create an inclusive and safe environment contributes to the growing conversation around neurodiversity and inclusion. Debut author, Alice Hewson, walks you through how to promote systemic inclusion, cultivate community and create an open dialogue to help ensure the workplace is a positive place that you want to be in and most importantly, be yourself in.

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2024

About the author

From a young age, I have always felt different and that I didn’t quite fit in. I always longed for a sense of belonging, to be included and valued. I was diagnosed with dyspraxia at the age of seven, and since my teenage years, have experienced periods of anxiety and poor mental health. It wasn’t until my 30s when I was diagnosed with ADHD and finally started putting the pieces of my unsolvable puzzle together. I am a a writer, author and youth worker based in Gateshead (the opposite side of the river from Newcastle!), and currently work as Communications and Digital Officer at Dartington Service Design Lab, who are a research and service design charity aimed at improving outcomes for children, young people and families.

After developing my career, following numerous bouts of mental health relapses, and trying to understand where my neurodivergent brain can fit in, I have turned my attention to exploring in greater depth inclusion in the workplace. This thinking was inspired by now being in an environment that is supportive of growth whatever someone’s differences, identity or challenges.

I have previously worked for Time to Change as Northeast Children and Young People’s Coordinator, where I was involved in the national campaign to challenge the stigma and discrimination of mental illness. I have also appeared on Radio 5 Live’s The Emma Barnett Show, BBC Radio Sheffield and BBC Radio London, discussing ADHD, dyspraxia and neurodiversity.

I hope that my now more positive experience of work will provide hope for others for the future, and act as a starting point for conversations, to challenge the expect norms around inclusion at work and throughout the systems and services we are part of an access. My writing draws on the challenging, complex and often difficult to talk about topics, to tackle stigma, normalise difference and being vulnerable, and to raise awareness of the issues people face.

Reviews

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and full of useful and applicable ideas in case one is in the right work environment, open to change and inclusiveness. Preface necessary because sometimes the author seemed a bit too idealistic to me, but certainly you have to start somewhere to change things.

Molto interessante e pieno di utili ed applicabili idee in caso ci si trovi nel giusto contesto lavorativo, aperto a cambiamenti e inclusivitá. Premessa necessaria perché a volte l'autrice mi é sembrata un po' troppo idealista, ma certamente da qualche parte bisogna pur cominciare a cambiare le cose.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a neurodivergent this was a super interesting read. Alice the author is neurodivergent which definitely adds to the book by including her personal experience. I highly recommend any neurodivergent struggling in the workplace to read this. I love the fact that there was so many useful tips . I have made highlights to read again and will definitely read certain chapters again.
Thank you to Alice , Literally PR and Net Galley for allowing me to read this.

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice Hewson achieved what she set out to achieve, demonstrating from her own lived experience what it feels like to work for a fully inclusive and supportive employer, and how workplaces can achieve this. I highlighted lots of helpful stuff and it's got my cogs turning in the sense that it challenges what I already knew about "reasonable adjustments" and the law etc - that workplaces (and educational spaces too) need to go beyond that, to universal design and inclusion. The only thing I would say is that at times the book does ramble and repeat itself and could have benefited from some cutting back, helping to give it a clearer structure, especially given it is written with employers in mind (as opposed to just being a memoir or something like that). That said, I think Hewson is definitely a voice that needs to be heard.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a pretty great read on how to operate as a neurodivergent in the workplace, and even more how to manage people with neurodiversity. The author, Alice Hewson, shares a lot of her personal stories from her life and work environment, making it easier to understand and connect to the advice she is giving.
I loved the overall approach of the book: explaining how neurodiversity manifests in the workplace, pointing out that not all neurodivergent people are the same, but in fact, all are different, indicating that quite some questions and approaches will be great not only for ND people but for neurotypical as well, and describing how to create a safe environment for all. I did have my takeaways from the book to apply in real life with my team, which maybe weren't directly expressed, but made me think of them while reading.
For me, 4/5 stars. I would love it better if the book had fewer anecdotal stories, as I wanted more focus on approaches and less repetition of some parts, and I would love to see clearer structure when it comes to action points.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Cherish Editions, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neurodiverse employees deserve to be appreciated and supported appropriately in their jobs. (As do all employees.) This book is written from the heart, using the author’s personal neurodiverse employment experience, both good and bad. It is a must read for all managers. There are lots of ideas to make you consider how to go about creating structures and a positive environment in the workplace where neurodiverse employees can give their best. I’m a teacher, and I can see so many things that my school managers and Authority managers could learn from this book. Also, although written for life beyond school, it’s given me ideas for use in trying to support pupils in school. Thank you to Cherish Editions and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

[Ell · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Neurodiversity in the Workplace" is written by a neurodivergent author who makes the case for improved inclusion and belonging accommodations for neurodivergent employees. This is a topic that warrants far more examination than it is currently receiving. I applaud the author for writing this book and sharing her own anecdotal experience. This book is useful to neurotypical and atypical alike. I wish there was more factual evidence over anecdotal conversation in the book, but it is a great start to address this important issue.

[Lecy Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fantastic book helps the neurodiverse who are looking to generate a more inclusive work environment as well as employers who want to see their neurodivergent employees for their strengths instead of just the stereotypical weaknesses. There is a lot of helpful information in this book but it is a bit idealistic, at least in America, where many corporate workspaces don’t focus on individuals and instead on quotas. Still, as an autistic reader, I was intrigued by the ideas the author shares. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[TheLisaD · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book it home so much and I wish my employer and all job had you read this, it’s very hard for use to shine at a job when the employer doesn’t know how to properly “handle” us. This would also be great for Teacher as well because I remember so many times that I had issues in school but was just shrugged off when I just needed them to explain it to me in another way.