How do we ensure neurodiversity is not just a buzzword?

Hundreds of thousands of people—including me—are heading to Austin, Texas, for the SXSW Conference and Festivals to learn, share, and meet others who are eager to propel business and culture forward.

In perusing the lineup for this year’s conference, I was pleasantly surprised. In addition to Understood.org’s session, the agenda has half a dozen panels or meetups focused on some flavor of neurodiversity—from the science behind neuroinclusive office design to learning to “love your tricky brain.”

As a neurodivergent leader at Understood.org, I often find myself the lone neurodiversity advocate in professional settings—creatively connecting dots to make the business (as well as the moral and ethical) case for why people who learn and think differently shouldn’t be overlooked at work, at school, and in the world.

So, looking at the agenda, I’m thrilled! It’s incredible to see that people plan to proactively discuss people who learn and think differently at such an influential event.

But I’m also cautious. Because I don’t want neurodiversity to get “buzzword treatment.”

We’ve seen it before: The viral business focus or philosophy that dominates headlines and conference agendas for a certain period of time and then—poof! It disappears. “Empathetic leadership” during the COVID-19 pandemic-era. “Fail smart” before that.

We can’t let neurodiversity get labeled as a trend, because it’s not a trend. Neurodiversity is the future, and it’s critical for business growth.

The future is grounded in neurodiversity

Research shows that 53% of Gen Z identify as neurodivergent, and this revelation comes at a critical moment when Gen Z now outnumbers baby boomers in the workplace. This means that more than half of middle managers—including those who will grow into future leaders—learn and think differently. Their neurodivergence may mean they have different expectations around ways of working, sharing information, and flexibility. Today’s business leaders must understand the upcoming generation of talent so that they can unlock their full potential.

This should also be a wake-up call for brands. Every brand leader is trying to better understand and penetrate the Gen Z market. Recognizing that more than half of these consumers identify as neurodivergent can potentially open up new opportunities—from product development to marketing. It’s estimated that neurodivergent consumers boast almost $2 trillion in spending power.

In short, organizations are leaving talent and money on the table if they don’t consider the neurodivergent population.

Accessibility is a competitive advantage

At a moment when there is sensitivity around language related to equity and opportunity, we must make sure “accessibility” remains. Accessibility helps everyone. It’s often the first step toward building environments where people feel included, and it’s also an unlock for business growth. When people can access information easily, they’re enabled to do their best work. This is especially important for neurodivergent talent, who can offer creativity and unique problem-solving skills when granted the right support. In fact, Gartner research has shown that cognitively diverse and inclusive decision-making teams lead to exceeding financial goals for 75% of organizations.

It’s one of the reasons Understood.org leverages the principles of universal design in our operations. Universal design is a simple concept, whether it’s applied to architecture, education, or product design: If you design for the fringes, it benefits everyone. We know that using AI tools to take notes and provide captioning is beneficial to all, and that it’s particularly impactful for people with sensory or processing issues. We understand that using larger text sizes and bullet points in documents increases readability, and that these guidelines are especially helpful for our dyslexic talent. We adopted these practices so that the one-third of Understood employees who identify as neurodivergent don’t need to ask for formal accommodations to do their job. Support is available to everyone and helps everyone.

While language may change, the work to build accessible environments for your workforce or your customers shouldn’t. Employers should view it for what it is: a competitive advantage, because it provides people with the opportunity to participate, engage, and play to their strengths.

Where do we go from here? I’m optimistic about neurodiversity being discussed openly at marquee events. I’m encouraged by the inquiries we receive from leading companies wanting to be more supportive of neurodivergent employees or customers. I look at Google, which helped launch The Neu Project, and Hinge, which conducted in-depth research to improve the dating experience for users with ADHD. These brands get it. 

So, let’s continue talking about neurodiversity at conferences. Let’s continue celebrating the strengths while acknowledging the challenges. And let’s continue to push organizations to embrace neurodiversity—not just with words, but with action. Those that do will reap the benefits to their bottom line and do right in their world.

Nathan Friedman is copresident and chief marketing officer of Understood.org.

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