Invisible Threads: Understanding Undiagnosed Neurodivergence and Stress in the Modern Workplace.

In many UK workplaces, wellbeing has become a central focus. Yet one group remains largely invisible: adults who are neurodivergent but undiagnosed. As we approach National Stress Awareness Week 2025 (3–7 November), with its theme “Optimising Employee Wellbeing through Strategic Stress Management”, it is essential to shine a light on their experiences. Strategic stress management is not about encouraging individuals to simply “cope better”. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE, 2024) defines it as a whole-organisation approach that identifies, mitigates and prevents work-related stressors through job design, policy and culture. This shifts responsibility away from the individual and toward systems and leadership practices that reduce avoidable stress. 

The Hidden Workforce

NHS Employers estimate that around one in seven people in the UK (over 15 per cent) are neurodivergent (NHS Employers, 2024). This includes autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and other cognitive differences. Many adults, particularly women, remain undiagnosed after being overlooked in childhood. Undiagnosed neurodivergence can make the workplace a daily source of strain. People may appear inconsistent, withdrawn or underperforming when in fact they are expending huge amounts of mental energy to mask traits and meet unspoken expectations. Over time, this leads to fatigue, anxiety and burnout.

Strategic Stress Management for Neuro-Inclusive Workplaces

To optimise wellbeing, organisations must move beyond individual stress management and address structural causes of pressure. Policies and practices should adapt to support neurodivergent employees, diagnosed or not.

Recognise and normalise neurodiversity.

Language matters. NHS Employers emphasise that workplaces should embrace neurodiversity rather than expect conformity (NHS Employers, 2022). ACAS (2025) reminds employers that neurodivergent conditions can amount to a disability under the Equality Act 2010, even without formal diagnosis.

Prioritise flexibility.

Rigid systems create barriers. Flexible working hours, hybrid arrangements and autonomy over workflow support everyone, particularly neurodivergent colleagues. The Equality Act 2010 requires employers to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled person faces a substantial disadvantage (Government Equalities Office, 2025).

Simplify communication and systems.

Complex or unpredictable systems create unnecessary stress. NHS Dorset guidance notes that neurodivergent employees benefit from clarity, predictability and choice in communication styles (NHS Dorset, 2025). Written instructions, advance notice of changes and quieter working spaces are small but significant adjustments.

Provide tailored wellbeing support.

Employee assistance programmes should include counsellors trained in neurodiversity and trauma-informed practice. Peer networks, mentoring and coaching can help staff share strategies and feel understood. ACAS recommends focusing on strengths and adapting environments, not people (ACAS, 2025).

Statutory Support: Reasonable Adjustments and Access to Work.

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and applicants. ACAS explains that employers must act when workplace practices place a disabled person at a disadvantage (ACAS, 2024).

The Access to Work scheme, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), provides financial and practical help for people with disabilities or long-term health conditions to start or stay in work (GOV.UK, 2025a).

Support can include job coaching, communication support, assistive technology or adjustments to the workspace. For employers, Access to Work offers advice and funding contributions, complementing their legal duty to make reasonable adjustments. It can also fund awareness training for teams—an investment that reduces misunderstanding and stress (GOV.UK, 2025b).

Organisations that use the scheme effectively report improved retention, reduced absenteeism and stronger wellbeing outcomes, illustrating that inclusion is both ethical and practical.

Inclusive Design Benefits Everyone.

Research from NHS Employers (2024) and the CIPD (2025) shows that inclusive practices introduced for neurodivergent employees—such as flexible hours, sensory-aware spaces, or simplified communication—often benefit the wider workforce. Reducing environmental and cognitive stressors increases concentration, lowers absenteeism and boosts creativity.When leaders view inclusion as a form of strategic stress prevention, they create conditions where employees feel safe to communicate needs early. This proactive design not only reduces risk but also enhances engagement and retention. Optimising wellbeing, therefore, becomes a measurable business advantage as well as a moral imperative.

Simple  Strategies

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP, 2024) notes that stress management should focus on causes, not just symptoms. Supporting undiagnosed neurodivergent staff requires a combination of structural and interpersonal strategies.

For Employers:

- Provide neurodiversity and trauma-informed awareness training for managers and HR teams.

- Encourage open dialogue about sensory needs and communication preferences in supervision.

- Offer proactive adjustments such as quiet zones, noise-cancelling tools or written meeting notes.

- Embed flexibility into performance expectations, focusing on outcomes rather than rigid processes (CIPD, 2025).

- Create staff networks and mentoring schemes to foster connection and belonging.

For Employees:

- Reflect on your strengths and stress triggers, and communicate them early.- Remember that a formal diagnosis isn’t required to ask for reasonable adjustments.

- Manage workload and sensory input by scheduling breaks, using planning aids, and setting boundaries.

- Explore Access to Work for additional support (GOV.UK, 2025a).

- Seek counselling or coaching from practitioners who are neuro-affirming and trauma-informed.

Reframing the Narrative

Neurodivergent employees bring innovation, focus and new ways of thinking. Yet when systems are built for one “typical” brain, the stress of constant adaptation becomes invisible. Strategic stress management means addressing these systemic barriers. It’s about moving from a culture of coping to one of belonging. As NHS Employers (2024) highlight, when organisations normalise neurodiversity, psychological safety improves for everyone. As we mark National Stress Awareness Week 2025, it is time to see undiagnosed neurodivergence not as an individual challenge but as an organisational opportunity. By embedding flexibility, compassion and neuro-affirming practice, employers can truly optimise employee wellbeing through strategic stress management.

References

·         ACAS (2024) Reasonable adjustments at work. Available at: https://www.acas.org.uk/reasonable-adjustments (Accessed: 30 October 2025).

·         ACAS (2025) Neurodiversity at work. Available at: https://www.acas.org.uk/neurodiversity-at-work (Accessed: 30 October 2025).

·         BACP (2024) Are you working with neurodivergent burnout? BACP Workplace Journal, April 2024. Available at: https://www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journals/bacp-workplace/2024/april/are-you-working-with-neurodivergent-burnout/ (Accessed: 30 October 2025).

·         CIPD (2025) Managing and supporting neurodiverse talent. Available at: https://www.cipd.org/en/about/press-releases/manage-support-neurodiverse-talent/ (Accessed: 30 October 2025).

·         GOV.UK (2025a) Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work (Accessed: 30 October 2025).

·         GOV.UK (2025b) Employing disabled people and people with health conditions. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employing-disabled-people-and-people-with-health-conditions (Accessed: 30 October 2025).

·         Government Equalities Office (2025) The Equality Act 2010: guidance for employers. London: Cabinet Office.

·         NHS Dorset (2025) Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Guidance for Employers. Available at: https://nhsdorset.nhs.uk/neurodiversity/living/work/ (Accessed: 30 October 2025).

·         NHS Employers (2022) Embracing Difference: Neurodiversity in the Workplace. Available at: https://www.nhsemployers.org/system/files/2022-10/embracing_difference_neurodiversity_in_the_workplace_session.pdf (Accessed: 30 October 2025).

·         NHS Employers (2024) Embracing neurodiversity in the workplace. Available at: https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/embracing-neurodiversity-workplace (Accessed: 30 October 2025).

·         HSE (2024) Managing the causes of work-related stress. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress (Accessed: 30 October 2025).

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