Many managers on my virtual workshop have no idea they are bound by law to support someone who may be neurodivergent and not know it.

Mis-judging symptoms as behaviours can ultimately lead to an Employment Tribunal.

Currently, in the UK 1 in 10 cases waiting to be head at an ET involve a neurodivergence challenge according to City & Guilds 2025 Index.

Yet, becoming neuro inclusive isn’t hard.

What Managers Will Learn

The handbook transforms awareness into practical action. Managers learn how to:

• Understand ADHD and neurodivergent thinking in the workplace
• Recognise behaviours linked to executive functioning differences
• Replace assumptions with informed observation
• Hold compassionate, supportive conversations
• Implement practical workplace adjustments
• Build action plans that help employees thrive
• Reduce conflict and build team allyship

The guide includes conversation scripts, observation frameworks, troubleshooting guidance, adjustment menus and action planning tools managers can use immediately.

If you are a manager, can you afford not to have this guide?

Find out more about this booklet on Amazon – click the link below:

https://amzn.eu/d/0bXaLQMt

I uploaded two booklets this morning to Amazon Kindle to fill the gap of neurodivergent awareness in the workplace.

Here’s the first – ‘How to be an Ally to your neurodivergent colleague’ with simple steps and tools to bring clarity to what you might see and do.

Neurodivergence impacts 1:7 adults. It’s highly likely you will work with people who may be neurodivergent but never been assessed. Which means they never got the help they need. Instead, many have tried to ‘mask’ – copying others’ behaviours to ‘fit in’ – which is exhausting.

Originally, the concept for this booklet came from the success of the 1.5 hour virtual workshop I delivered to employers across different sectors including corporate, universities and manufacturing throughout 2025.

I spent the early part of 2025 putting this knowledge through assessment by CPD to give confidence the content was valuable and would deliver the transformation desired.

The workshop has an accompanying e-workbook to use during the training and a CPD Certificate of Completion. Feedback for both workshops has exceeded my hopes.

“This session gave me a new perspective. It was well structured, engaging with lots of practical suggestions of how to be an ally. It gave me lots of tips to support my colleagues and also helped me understand the actions of my daughter – waiting neurodivergence assessment” Fi, University Staff.

“I came to this session as a staff member with ADHD and I have learnt that I would immensely benefit if my colleagues and line managers were more aware of the positives and struggles of ADHD.”

This feedback ignited the decision to write a more in-depth booklet which can be referred to as a guide. It also works well as a stand alone tool.

If you invest in this guide – let me know what you think.

See the booklet on Amazon here

💥 We’re almost there! 💥

The final day of the employer 1-2-1 selection stage on Growing Talent‘s 44th programme.

Janet, Michelle, Lanyi and Ching-Fu’s wait is almost over!

Who will be joining Kassim, Madeleine & Michael as we start the Orientation and Holistic Week next week ahead of starting their permanent roles?

Check back later this week to find out!

A sobering thought just struck me for businesses looking to restructure…

In 2025, the Office for National Statistics reported that 75% of the UK adult population is employed. The House of Commons Library equates that to 34.2 million people.

If we accept that 15–20% of adults are neurodivergent, then at 20% that means approximately 6,840,000 working adults in the UK are neurodivergent — diagnosed or undiagnosed.

Statistically, neurodivergence is in every organisation – whether they know it or not.

The question is:

🤔 Is this factored into restructuring decisions?

Restructuring is often seen as a numbers exercise — reduce headcount, cut costs, streamline operations, increase margin.

Surely the logical commercial question is:

‘Are we increasing risk when reducing our headcount?’

Neurodivergent professionals — including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s and other cognitive differences — are frequently high performers because of how their brains are wired.

They often bring a wealth of unique skills including:

• Exceptional pattern recognition
• Deep focus and technical specialism
• Systems thinking
• Creative problem-solving
• Risk sensitivity and anomaly detection

👀 Many are masking, trying to fit in with the behaviours and actions of their colleagues – which is exhausting!

👀 Many are unsupported with managers and teams misinterpreting symptoms as attitude.

👀 Many are invisible when it comes to talent mapping because they find it difficult to self promote and remember their achievements during appraisals etc.

Without organisation-wide neurodivergent awareness training, restructuring can unintentionally:

– Remove critical expertise
– Score down employees who don’t self-promote
– Disrupt structured knowledge systems
– Increase burnout among those who rely on predictability
– Create legal and compliance exposure

Headcount reduction does not automatically equal risk reduction. In some cases, it amplifies it.

Who is left behind? What support do they have?

Rolling out neurodivergent awareness training for all staff supports

✔ Improving the quality of decisions made
✔ Protecting critical cognitive capital
✔ Increasing team cohesion pre, during and post-change
✔ Strengthening psychological safety (which directly impacts performance)
✔ Reducing attrition risk among remaining teams

If your organisation is restructuring this year, perhaps the real question is:

Are we reducing cost — or are we redesigning risk?

What do you think?

#Neurodiversity #Leadership #Restructuring #RiskManagement

🚀 The Growing Journey Continues…

Yesterday (25.02.26), 24 intrepid heroes stepped forward once again — returning to reconnect with employers at our Slow Dating Employer Event.

Building on the foundations laid at last week’s Getting to Know You session, the atrium of our sponsor’s palatial London office was transformed.

What started as introductions just a week ago had evolved into something far more powerful.

The space was alive with the buzz of “old friends” reconnecting.

The camaraderie was palpable.

Smiles. Laughter. Words of encouragement.

And honestly — what better energy to carry into conversations with employers?

Split across two sessions (both overrunning — a great sign!), the confident conversations simply didn’t want to end. When dialogue flows that naturally, you know something special is happening.

Now, the baton passes to our incredible employers, who face the difficult task of compiling their shortlists.

👀 Who will move to the next stage? Watch this space…

Whatever the outcome, every one of our heroes left feeling:

✨ Enthused

✨ Empowered

✨ Ready for whatever lies ahead

And that’s what real progress looks like.

A huge thank you, as always, to our sponsors, the team at  #JobCentrePlus and our amazing employer partners this time SPS UK & I and  #CIS-Security for making these opportunities possible.

👏 👏 👏 Adrienne Simpson, John Kenny‘s moves team (headed by Mark and his AllStars) and of course, the number 1 cheerleader that makes every challenge disappear Adam Bushell

Rob Matthews (Anna)

#DavidSteeds

#TheGrowingJourney #Opportunity #Employment #Partnership #Confidence #NextStage

There is nothing more empowering as an Instructor than hearing that the training I designed — from the ground up — has truly made a difference.

💥 Not just delivered.
💥 Not just attended.
💥 But memorable and effective.

I recognised a gap in workplace learning around neurodivergent awareness.

Managers were asking:

🤔 How do I even start the conversation?
🤔 What language should I use?
🤔 What if someone doesn’t realise they may be neurodivergent?
🤔 What do “reasonable adjustments” actually look like — especially in non-desk-based teams?
🤔 How can I know the difference between attitude and symptoms?

I created the training I could see organisations were searching for.

As a certified ADHD Coach, Global I-ACT Instructor and Workplace Cohesion Specialist, I developed two CPD-assessed programmes:

🎯 ‘Raising Awareness of ADHD & Other Neurodivergence in the Workplace for Managers’

🎯 ‘How to Be an Ally to Your Neurodivergent Colleague’

Both programmes were rigorously assessed to meet Continuing Professional Development standards — ensuring depth, quality and practical application.

Recently, I’ve delivered both sessions — and the feedback has been incredible!

“Learning about neurodivergence involves shifting perspectives from deficit to difference, celebrating unique, creative and tenacious minds while navigating changes”

“I learnt the importance of listening properly and avoiding assumptions. Small adjustments can make a big difference. The workbook is especially useful – it can be referred to anytime.”

“This training really opened my eyes and helped me understand how I can be a more thoughtful ally. It’s given me practical ways to make a positive difference and create a more inclusive environment.”

“Very informative and presented in a gentle, accessible way without feeling overwhelming”

“This session provided valuable insights into a previously challenging area of understanding to me. I now possess a heightened awareness of conditions and feel more confident to support my whole team”

👉 When awareness turns into understanding…
👉 When understanding turns into action…
👉 That’s when real workplace inclusion begins and risks reduce

If you’re looking to build confidence, clarity and cohesion around neurodiversity in your organisation, let’s connect.


#ADHD
#Workplace
i-act (for positive mental health and wellbeing) training. Mental Health Training

How do we make London better for the people who actually live here?

That was the challenge at the London Challenge – part of Growing Talent’s 

Getting to Know You event earlier this week.

Because who understands London best?

Its residents.

In just one hour, applicants:

💥 Brainstormed bold ideas

💥 Formed new teams

💥 Debated, refined, and sharpened their thinking

💥 Turned raw thoughts into powerful proposals

The flipchart filled fast. The energy was real. The ideas didn’t stop.

And as the innovation flowed, our employers weren’t just listening — they were inspired.

For many, teaming up with strangers and speaking publicly pushed them well outside their comfort zones.

Every single applicant stepped up anyway.

👊 They faced the fear.

👊 They found their voice.

👊 They delivered.

Twenty have chosen to move forward to the next stage — more confident, more empowered, and more connected with employers than ever before.

Huge thanks to Dave, Gina, Mafalda, Tom, Adam and Anna for giving their time, lifting others up, and helping create lasting impact.

Adam Bushell

Rob Matthews (Anna)

CIS Security Limited

SPS UK&I

#NG Bailey

#DavidSteeds and team at JCP

Most neurodivergent employees don’t leave because of their condition.

They leave because of:

• Constant misunderstanding
• Feeling judged instead of supported
• Having to explain themselves over and over
• Watching others get flexibility they’re afraid to ask for

When someone feels they don’t belong, they’ve already left.

Replacing an experienced employee costs far more than most organisations realise — recruitment, onboarding time, lost knowledge, reduced team productivity.

But there’s another risk many employers overlook:

⚖️ Employment Tribunal challenges linked to disability discrimination or failure to make reasonable adjustments.

Managers are not the only ones who influence this risk. Colleagues’ behaviour matters too.

If team culture includes eye-rolling, impatience, exclusion from social dynamics, or dismissive comments about adjustments, that environment can quickly become unsafe.

Ally awareness training teaches staff:

✔ Why behaviours may show up differently (e.g. memory, impulsivity, emotional regulation differences) 
✔ How to respond with curiosity instead of criticism
✔ How to support agreed adjustments socially and practically
✔ How to build psychological safety in everyday interactions

Retention improves when people feel understood.
Risk reduces when teams know how to include colleagues.

Call to Action

If inclusion lives only in HR policies and not in everyday team behaviour, your organisation is exposed.

Train your people — not just your managers — to be allies and create a culture where neurodivergent employees feel safe to stay and succeed.

#Neurodiversity #Leadership #HR #WorkplaceWellbeing #Inclusion #People

Of course every Growing Talent event is. Especially the ‘Getting to Know You’ one.

Unemployed applicants get to know employers before the recruitment stage.

This time employers joining us, getting to know the applicants and empowering them to believe in themselves a little more included:

Gina & Mafalda from CIS Security Limited
David from hashtag#NGBailey
Tom from SPS UK&I

Adam Bushell and Debra Ward, MBA, FIWFM, FRICS dropped in too!

Unemployed people walked into the room, every degree of fear, excitement and laden down by the weight of the ‘labels’ they carry. All holding on to that seed that maybe this time will be their time.

So many walls of silence. So many hurdles to jump trying to secure a role when you are unemployed and confidence is low. Traditional recruitment can be EXHAUSTING! Not to mention suck any remaining confidence and motivation left.

And every time our four hour event is over, those same people walk out of the room, smiling, laughing, chatting with peers who were strangers just a few hours before. Hope back. Confidence rising. Back in the game.

That warm glow I always feel at these events started on seeing Michael again.

Michael joined Growing Talent back in 2016. Life and work had dented his confidence at the time. On completing the programme he joined the Welcome team at Portico based on Growing Talent‘s sponsor sites.

During the 10 years since, Michael has attended as many Growing Talent events as possible to encourage those following him.

He is the King of Encouragement.

Thank you for all you do Michael – you are a superstar!

Pictured with Michael is the dynamo of making things happen Anna from the JCP team and me!

Growing Talent
Portico
Rob Matthews (Anna)
hashtag#JobCentrePlus
CIS Security Limited
hashtag#NGBailey
SPS UK&I