It isn’t easy to be neurodivergent at work. But it can become more manageable with the right supports and accommodations. 

But what should you ask for, and how should you approach the conversation with your employer? That daunting feeling comes from knowing that your reputation and livelihood could be on the line, depending on how things play out.

Workplace accommodations is one of the most asked about topics in our online support community, Neurodivergent Careers & Job Hunting. That’s why Atypical Careers teamed up with Inclusion by Design for our recent Office Hours Q&A. 

During this live virtual event, our experts answered questions from neurodivergent professionals about workplace accommodations and disclosing your diagnosis to your employer.

About the Experts

Veronica Yao (she/her) is a career coach and owner of Atypical Careers, specializing in supporting neurodivergent professionals. She helps her clients build sustainable work lives, break free from burnout, and advocate for themselves in their professional environments.

Denise Malone-Cash (she/her) is the founder of Inclusion by Design and author of the Disclosure Workbook. As an HR professional and a late-diagnosed autistic individual with a PDA profile, Denise brings a wealth of expertise in advocating for neurodivergent professionals in the workplace.

3 Approaches to Accommodations

When we think of requesting accommodations at work, we usually picture having a meeting with management and HR in an official manner. However, Denise says there is more than one way to get the support you need. 

Formal accommodations

This type of accommodation is the most official of the three, and legally binding. This usually involves having meetings with management and/or HR, and having your conversation documented.

For example: Annie books a meeting with her manager and HR to disclose her ADHD diagnosis, and makes a request for a virtual note-taking app so she can better concentrate in meetings. HR agrees to budget for this tool to meet Annie’s support needs, and HR keeps a record of this accommodation.

Informal accommodations

This approach involves sharing your support needs with your manager and/or colleagues, with them agreeing to meet those needs. This is not legally binding, and the company doesn’t document anything about it.

For example: During his weekly one-on-one meeting with his manager, Ben shares that he finds it difficult to remember spoken instructions and details, and asks if his manager can share those details with him in writing moving forward. Ben’s manager agrees to do this moving forward. HR is not involved, and no official record of their agreement is made.  

Self-led accommodations

If you are not ready or willing to involve your employer or colleagues, there are things you can do to support your own needs independently. 

For example: Cameron tends to feel overstimulated at work due to the fluorescent lights and people talking around his workspace. He brings his noise cancelling headphones from home and wears tinted glasses to block out the bright lights. 

Accommodations are Deeply Personal

Often, we get people asking “what are the best accommodations for ADHD?” or “What are the best accommodations for autistic people?”

But the answer is not so straightforward. Every individual, regardless of their neurotype, has different strengths, challenges, and motivations. Which means even if two people struggle with the same problem, the solution could be different for each of them.

“Accommodations are not one-size-fits-all,” says Denise. “It all depends on the essential functions of your job, and what you need help with to perform those functions.

“There is no blanket list of appropriate accommodations for neurodivergent people because we’re all so different,” adds Veronica.

RELATED READING: Accommodation Ideas for Neurodivergent Professionals

A Legal Obligation, Not a Favour

Sometimes, neurodivergent folks will refrain from requesting accommodations because it feels like they are asking for a favour or special treatment. But from a legal standpoint, that is far from the truth.

“Once accommodation is approved, it becomes a formal and legal obligation for the employer,” says Denise. “It’s not a favour. It’s not, “we’re just doing it because you asked for it. It’s a legal obligation.”

While the law is clear, that doesn’t mean all businesses are on the same page. And if your employer isn’t fulfilling their legal obligation and you are having to fight for your access needs to be met, it may be worth transitioning to a different work environment. 

“It’s actually in the employer’s best interest to make sure you are supported and able to do your job,” says Veronica. “When you are supported, you can perform your job more efficiently, which ultimately benefits the entire organization.”

Protect Yourself with Documentation

What happens if your formal accommodations aren't being met? Both Denise and Veronica agree, it’s important to gather the things you need to protect yourself. 

“If the manager is not following through [on your approved accommodations], I would recommend one, document everything, and two, follow up with HR.”

Documenting everything basically means saving conversations with timestamps and storing them in a safe place. Try to get as much information in writing as possible, and save it to a personal device or account so you can access it outside of your work. 

Watch the full Office Hours Q&A: