By Charlotte Dean, founder of P3 People Management

In 22 years of supporting small and medium sized businesses, I have lost count of the number of leaders who want to build an inclusive team but are not sure where to start with neurodiversity. It is one of the people management issues I am asked about most, and one that, done well, genuinely changes a business for the better.

Around 10% of the UK population has some form of dyslexia, and at least 700,000 adults in the UK are autistic, roughly one in 100 people. Many will not have a formal diagnosis. That means almost every SME in the North West already employs people who experience the world differently, whether you know it or not. Both dyslexia and autism are protected under the Equality Act 2010, and an employee does not need a formal diagnosis to be entitled to reasonable adjustments. This is not just a compliance issue. It is an opportunity to build the kind of business where people and performance go hand in hand.

Know the signs, but do not rely on a checklist

Dyslexia can affect reading, writing, memory, organisation and concentration. Look out for persistent spelling errors, difficulty with written tasks such as reports or performance reviews, memory lapses, low self-esteem, anxiety, or a colleague avoiding tasks they find challenging.

Autism affects communication, sensory processing, and behaviours and interests. Signs may include discomfort in social situations, sensitivity to noise, light, smell or touch, a preference for routine, and direct communication that can be misread as blunt. In my experience, the biggest mistake managers make is trying to match an employee to a textbook list of traits. Every individual experiences these conditions differently, so use these signs as prompts to ask questions – do not attempt to diagnose.

Listen before you label anything

If you notice signs that a team member may need support, talk to them and share what you have observed. Ask if they are experiencing challenges and whether they would like help. As a manager, you should not diagnose, make assumptions, or push anyone towards an assessment. My advice is always the same – remove distractions, really listen, and try to understand the problem from their point of view before you try to solve it.

Respect the right to privacy

Not everyone who receives a diagnosis, formal or self-identified, wants to share it with colleagues. Some people are open about it, others prefer to keep it private and, either way, they remain legally protected. If someone does confide in you, only discuss further support if they are willing, and always respect their wishes about what is shared with the wider team.

Understand it is a spectrum, not one experience

Autism, in particular, is not a straight line. Some autistic people need very little support; others also have a learning disability. Related conditions you may come across in your team include dyspraxia, which affects coordination, ADHD, which affects concentration and impulsivity, and dyscalculia, which affects working with numbers. Dyslexia is commonly associated with autism too. Understanding this overlap has helped me coach managers to stop looking for a single “type” of neurodiverse employee and instead build a genuinely individual approach.

Make reasonable adjustments

This is where the practical difference gets made. Small, low-cost changes make a big impact.

• Communicate clearly – Follow up verbal instructions with written or audio notes, keep messages short, and check the person’s understanding.
• Adapt written materials – Use accessible fonts, print on coloured paper or adjust screen backgrounds, and pick out key messages in bold or colour.
• Support writing tasks – Offer speech to text software, spelling and grammar tools, and allow extra time for tasks that involve processing thoughts onto the page.
• Help with organisation – Encourage shared electronic diaries, colour coding, alarm reminders and online checklists.
• Manage the sensory environment – Offer quiet spaces, noise cancelling headphones, anti-glare screen filters and natural light for colleagues sensitive to sensory overload.
• Offer flexibility – Hybrid or home working can help colleagues manage sensory overload or find their most productive pattern.
• Consider a buddy or mentor – Someone an autistic employee can confide in and ask for advice can make a real difference when navigating new situations or setbacks.

Watch for masking and burnout

One thing I always flag to leadership teams is masking, where an autistic person suppresses their true feelings to fit in socially, for example mirroring a colleague’s body language or tolerating a hug that makes them uncomfortable. Controlling emotions this tightly is exhausting, and if it happens often it can lead to significant stress, anxiety and eventual burnout. The same is true for employees with dyslexia who have masked their struggles for years, often since childhood, without a diagnosis. Explaining masking to the wider team helps everyone stay alert and supportive.

Focus on strengths

It would be easy to focus only on the challenges, but that is only half the story. Research by Made By Dyslexia points to an £86.8 billion gap in untapped dyslexic thinking potential in the UK, with common strengths including creative and visual thinking, curiosity, pattern spotting and building strong human connections.

Autistic employees often bring strong memory skills, attention to detail, technical problem solving, persistence, and an honesty many workplaces need. Understanding where each individual naturally excels is one of the most valuable things a manager can do, both for the person and the business.

Train your managers and check in regularly

Only 30% of people with dyslexia feel empowered at work, and 51% of neurodiverse employees say they do not receive consistent support when they ask for it. That tells me manager training is not optional. Every line manager needs a working knowledge of company policy, the Equality Act, and their responsibilities around reasonable adjustments, alongside the confidence to have honest, regular one to one conversations about wellbeing. Frequent check-ins remain one of the simplest and most effective tools available to any manager building a neurodiverse team.

A final word

Traditional workplaces were not designed with neurodiverse employees in mind, so building an inclusive culture takes patience, honesty and a willingness to learn. I have seen first-hand how much stronger a business becomes when it gets this right, in the wellbeing of its people and in its performance. If you are unsure where to start, or have a specific people problem you need help solving, that is exactly what my team and I are here for. Get in touch, we would be glad to help.