Written by Gabby Daymond, Founder of HerHR
HR Strategist (14+ years experience) | LLB Law Degree | Supporting employees and SMEs across Australia to navigate workplace challenges with clarity and confidence.
Last updated: June 2026
Quick Summary
Many workplaces believe they are measuring performance.
In reality, they may be measuring conformity.
From open-plan offices and constant interruptions to expectations around eye contact, communication styles and “professional” behaviour, workplace systems are often designed around a narrow definition of how people should work.
For neurodivergent employees, these expectations can create unnecessary barriers that have little to do with capability, effort or performance.
This article explores common workplace norms that can disadvantage neurodivergent employees, the hidden cost of masking, and how organisations can create more neuroinclusive workplaces that benefit everyone.
Are We Measuring Performance or Conformity?
Most workplaces don’t intentionally exclude neurodivergent employees.
Yet many workplace systems, processes and cultural norms were built around assumptions about how people should communicate, focus, collaborate and perform.
When someone struggles within that environment, the question often becomes:
“What’s wrong with the employee?”
A better question might be:
“What’s happening in the environment?”
Neurodivergent employees are not a small minority. In the 2025 ABS Employee Census, 13% of ABS employees identified as neurodivergent, while broader estimates suggest neurodivergence may affect around one in five Australians.
Yet many workplaces continue to operate as though everyone learns, communicates and works in the same way.
What Is Neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity recognises that human brains naturally process information differently.
Common forms of neurodivergence include:
- ADHD
- Autism
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- Dyscalculia
- Tourette syndrome
Neurodivergence is not a flaw or deficit.
It is simply a different way of experiencing and interacting with the world.
People experience workplace environments differently depending on how they think, process information and engage with the world.
The workplace can either create unnecessary friction or create the conditions for people to perform at their best.
Why Open-Plan Offices Don’t Work for Everyone
Open-plan offices are often promoted as collaborative, modern and efficient.
For some employees, they are.
For others, they create constant distractions.
Background conversations.
Visual movement.
Phone calls.
Unexpected interruptions.
For many neurodivergent employees, particularly those with ADHD or sensory sensitivities, these factors increase cognitive load and reduce concentration.
The result is often:
- Reduced productivity
- Increased mental fatigue
- More errors
- Greater stress throughout the workday
Ironically, some workplaces view requests for quieter environments as a performance issue rather than a workplace design issue.
The Problem With Using Eye Contact as a Measure of Engagement
Many workplace cultures unconsciously associate eye contact with:
- Confidence
- Trustworthiness
- Honesty
- Engagement
However, not everyone processes information most effectively while maintaining constant eye contact.
Some neurodivergent individuals may focus better while looking away, taking notes or reducing visual input.
Judging engagement based on eye contact rather than contribution can create unnecessary bias during:
- Interviews
- Meetings
- Performance discussions
- Leadership assessments
Engagement should not be assessed solely by eye contact or other communication norms. People can be attentive, thoughtful and highly engaged while communicating or processing information differently.
Why Visible Busyness Is Not the Same as Productivity
Many organisations continue to reward visible activity.
Employees who respond instantly.
Attend every meeting.
Remain constantly available.
Appear busy throughout the day.
These behaviours are often mistaken for productivity.
But activity and value are not the same thing.
The employee who looks busiest is not always the employee creating the most value.
For some neurodivergent employees, peak productivity may not look like constant meetings, instant replies or visible busyness. It may look like uninterrupted focus, structured routines, movement breaks or working differently to achieve the same outcome.
True performance is better measured by:
- Quality of work
- Outcomes achieved
- Innovation
- Problem-solving capability
- Customer impact
- Strategic contribution
When Professionalism Becomes Masking
Many workplace expectations are grouped under the concept of “professionalism.”
However, some expectations may encourage employees to mask aspects of who they are in order to fit workplace norms.
Masking can include:
- Forcing eye contact
- Suppressing movement or stimming
- Hiding sensory sensitivities
- Copying communication styles
- Concealing challenges or support needs
- Spending significant energy appearing calm or unaffected
While masking may help someone fit in, it often comes at a cost.
Over time, sustained masking can contribute to:
- Exhaustion
- Burnout
- Anxiety
- Reduced wellbeing
- Lower psychological safety
Many employees become highly skilled at appearing to cope while privately struggling.
The Hidden Cost to Employers
The impact is not limited to individual employees.
When workplaces unintentionally reward conformity over performance, organisations can experience:
- Reduced engagement
- Lower retention
- Increased absenteeism
- Missed innovation opportunities
- Higher burnout rates
- Loss of diverse perspectives
- Increased people-risk, including complaints relating to disability discrimination, reasonable adjustments or flexible work arrangements
In other words, organisations may be losing value not because people lack capability, but because workplace systems create unnecessary friction.
What Neuroinclusive Workplaces Do Differently
Neuroinclusive workplaces focus less on how work is completed and more on whether outcomes are achieved.
Examples include:
Clear Expectations
Providing:
- Written instructions
- Clear priorities
- Defined deadlines
- Explicit success measures
Flexible Working Arrangements
Where operationally feasible:
- Flexible work locations
- Quiet workspaces
- Reduced interruptions
- Flexible scheduling
Outcome-Based Performance Management
Focusing on:
- Results
- Quality
- Contribution
Rather than appearances.
Psychological Safety
Creating environments where employees feel safe to:
- Ask questions
- Request support
- Raise concerns
- Work differently where appropriate
Many of these changes benefit all employees, not just neurodivergent employees.
The Future of Work Is Neuroinclusive
The goal of neuroinclusion is not to lower standards.
It is to remove unnecessary barriers.
Most employees want the same thing:
Clear expectations.
Meaningful work.
The opportunity to contribute.
And a workplace that allows them to perform at their best.
Neurodivergent employees are not a small minority. In the 2025 ABS Employee Census, 13% of ABS employees identified as neurodivergent, while broader estimates suggest neurodivergence may affect around one in five Australians.
Maybe it’s time we stopped asking people to fit the workplace and started asking whether the workplace fits the people.
Need Support Navigating ADHD or Neurodivergence at Work?
If work feels harder than it needs to be, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
Whether you’re dealing with performance concerns, unclear expectations, workplace overwhelm, adjustment requests or simply trying to work out your options, support is available.
Book a Vent + Clarity Session to confidentially unpack your situation and explore practical options to make work feel more manageable.
Looking to Create a More Neuroinclusive Workplace?
If you’re a business owner, manager or HR leader looking to better support neurodivergent employees, small changes can often have a significant impact on performance, engagement and retention.
Whether you’re responding to a specific employee situation or looking to proactively strengthen your workplace frameworks, HerHR can help.
Book a complimentary HR Discovery Call to discuss your workplace and explore how HerHR can support your team.
