Written by Anna Apergi Konstantinidis, Special Advisor Diversity Charter Greece
And yet, in the workplace – where adults spend most of their lives – the right to diversity remains poorly understood, often misunderstood, and in many cases excluded.
What does it mean to see the world differently? Neurodiversity is a natural and valuable aspect of human diversity, which is in no way a disorder or something “broken” that needs to be “fixed” or “normalized.” So let’s stop seeing diversity as a “deficit,” but as an expression of natural human diversity.
So, when a neurodiverse person has difficulty with social “typicalities” or when they have difficulty staying on a consistent 8-hour workday with constant distractions, the question is not “what’s wrong with the working person,” but how the space has been designed without including them.
The workplace as an environment of safety – or exclusion? When we talk about including our neurodiverse fellow human beings in the workplace, we are not just talking about “equal opportunities”, but about safety, justice and emotional care. A neurodiverse person may have experienced years of isolation, but also systematic gaslighting.
A work environment that follows a more affirmative approach:
- He listens to and believes the person himself when he asks for adjustments.
- It fully respects his sensory, cognitive and communication needs.
- It does not try to “correct” his behavior, but rather contributes to building a framework of coexistence and cooperation that will be functional for all individuals.
What can we change today? Instead of playing the expert by teaching “soft skills”, let’s “teach” empathy!
Many employers require neurodiverse individuals to learn what we call “social skills.” Let’s look at it a little differently… Imagine if we started training our teams to understand diversity in communication, and not judge it as something “wrong”?
Let’s start making reasonable adjustments and not pointless “special” treatments! A quiet office, the ability to work remotely, or communicating via e-mail instead of frequent meetings, are simple moves that cost nothing and save energy and dignity.
From tolerance to participation: “Tolerating” diversity is not inclusion. Substantial and real participation means that the individual co-shapes the structure, expresses and brings opinions and does not need to hide any of their identities!
You have to “match” it, it costs a lot! Many neurodiverse working people consume enormous energy (mental and physical) to “fit” in spaces that were not created for them. This constant adaptation leads to burnout, anxiety, stress, and in some cases even to leaving the job market. It is not the individual who fails. It is the system that does not adapt!
The world of work is vast, diverse and inherently different. So, it requires all ways of thinking! If we truly pursue innovation, creativity, and resilience, we also need different ways of thinking. Neurodiverse individuals are not a “problem to be managed.” They are working human resources to be liberated.
So let’s build an inclusive and sustainable future , where all working people will not have to hide or be afraid. A future where diversity will not be the “problem”, but the solution to the problem!
