5 Ways to Cultivate a Supportive Ministry Workplace for Neurodivergent Employees

Every October, CRC congregations acknowledge Disability Awareness Sunday, focusing on accessibility and ensuring that church is a place where everybody belongs and everybody serves. These same efforts can apply to the workplace. Oftentimes, accommodations for neurodivergent employees (defined for this purpose as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and OCD, with acknowledgement of additional diagnostic variations) can slide under the radar, since they frequently don’t present as externally as the need for a wheelchair ramp or assistive device. However, accessibility for non-apparent disabilities still requires intentional design. Here are five ways to start cultivating a workplace environment where all employees have a pathway to success.

1. Create a Sensory-Aware Environment

Some neurodivergent individuals are sensory seeking, meaning that they manage focus and regulation through movement or tactile stimulation. Normalizing behaviors such as fidgeting, doodling, or pacing helps employees regulate energy and stay engaged. Providing small fidget tools, allowing movement during meetings, or offering standing desks can make a big difference.

For others, sensory overwhelm is more of a challenge. Open offices, chatter, uncomfortable office temperatures, or constant noise can drain focus or quickly become exhausting. In these scenarios, offer noise reduction options like quiet work zones, noise-cancelling headphones, enclosed areas for concentrated work, or, when applicable, the option to work from home on high sensory-overwhelm days. 

A culture that permits people to adjust their sensory environment without judgment increases comfort and improves productivity, as well as working wonders to prevent burnout.

2. Communicate Expectations Clearly

Direct communication helps everyone, but it’s especially important for neurodivergent employees whose minds may operate with more rigidity. Provide clearly articulated expectations, advance agendas, and specific deadlines so people know what’s coming and how to prepare. Surprises or vague requests can create stress or confusion for those who rely on structure and predictability.

Defining roles clearly and setting transparent outcome expectations all foster a sense of stability. The more clarity we provide, the easier it is for employees to focus their energy on doing excellent work.

3. Offer Process Accommodations

For many forms of neurodivergence, auditory processing delays and short term memory challenges are a part of daily life. This means that verbal instructions can be more difficult to process or retain once an individual exits a conversation or meeting. To alleviate this, provide written summaries of verbal instructions, take detailed meeting notes and make said notes accessible to all participants, and follow up with written to-do lists. After having a desk or water cooler conversation, send a quick recap via chat if action steps or follow ups are expected.

This is only one example, but these types of accommodations aren’t special favors. They’re good communication practices for everyone to adopt that reduce misunderstandings, improve accountability, and create equity among different working and learning styles.

4. Build Trust and Avoid Micromanaging

Micromanagement can be especially difficult for neurodivergent employees, who may have unique focus patterns or need to structure their workflow differently. Offering flexibility in how work gets done allows people to play to their strengths. Instead of policing every step, focus on outcomes and trust employees to determine the best path to get there. Some may work best in short bursts of deep focus while others may need regular breaks or flexible hours. 

Each individual knows their own workflow needs best. Trust signals respect, and when people feel trusted, they’re more likely to perform at their best.

5. Normalize Diversity and Assume the Best

Access and inclusion thrive in a culture of respect and understanding. Avoid making assumptions about someone’s behavior, whether they’re pacing during a meeting, doodling in a notebook, or declining a group activity. Encourage a mindset of curiosity and empathy: “I may not know why they do that, but I trust they have a reason.” No one should feel pressured to disclose their diagnosis in order to be respected. Honoring comfort levels in social or group settings, allowing different ways of participation, and being non-judgmental all help create psychological safety. 

A neurodivergent-supportive workplace celebrates diverse ways of thinking and working in value and in practice. By building flexibility, clarity, and empathy into our culture, we create space for all employees to bring their best selves to work.