By Simon Akers, regular NDA columnist, Media consultant and co-founder of NDIM
We are in 2025, or should I say, a quarter of the way into the 21st century. We are rife with DE&I initiatives (well, most of us anyway!). Yet somehow, and it is potentially down to human bias, we are yet to wholly tune in to the fact that our colleagues’ brains are wired differently to each other’s anyway. And of that, up to 20% are likely neurodivergent.
Neurodiversity is recognising that there are a myriad of brains in this world. To be neurodivergent, that could mean a specific what I like to call operating system. ADHD, ASD (Autism), Dyslexia, Tourettes, Dyspraxia, Dyscalcula, Asbergers. OCD and BiPolar are sometimes considered part of this set too. And combined versions, like AuDHD. So thousands of minds in the media and ad tech industries running on a different platform if you like.
I cofounded Neurodiversity in Media (NDIM), along with ND industry champions, with a call to arms, or manifesto, for industry companies to embrace their ND talent. This is with the vision and belief that, by adjusting and making certain workplace accommodations, you create a hive that is good for all the bees. Since launching in October with our 4S’ to consider in the manifesto (of Systems, Spaces, Safety & Support) we have seen really positive feedback, implementation and championing, amplification, and most importantly normalising of the subject. So far so good.
But along with the embracing part we have also realised a bigger challenge than perhaps we envisaged, the understanding one. Understanding neurodiversity is a long haul challenge and one that requires nuance, and longer to some than others. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the systemic attitudes to talent, where more than half of working adults feel they have to conceal their ND condition in recruitment processes.
The challenge is, that we’ve all been fed either end of the pendulum on LinkedIn of them being both a disability (i.e. a challenge) and a superpower (i.e. a positive). The latter giving rise to the people speaking up, conflated as popularity, driving the ‘everyone has something these days’ brigade thinking.
In the spirit of thinking about the operating system, most neurodivergent conditions are a bit of both. Pros & cons. And manifest in others differently. For example, my co-founder Jaz & I both have ADHD, but they manifest very differently in each other too. So pithily shortcutting that ADHD is this, or Autism is that, is at best unhelpful. We are used to making snap brain shortcuts and putting people in different cohorts or minority groups, usually by the way someone physically shows up.
But Neurodiversity isn’t one size fits all, it is not always known, it is not always revealed, and even less understood. Therefore simply put, thinking in global terms of our people being different from each other, working out what key opens which lock, is the duty of good leadership and ultimately leads to more engaged employees, whatever their operating system. And therein lies the opportunity. If you are struggling with the education piece, just know that 15-20% of your workforce are likely neurodivergent, so by enabling us to do our best work, it is a win all around. Think of Systems you have, Spaces for those to work, Safety for those to be themselves and Support when needed. Don’t we all, ND or not, deserve this?
Simon Akers is a regular NDA columnist, Media consultant and co-founder of NDIM . Neurodiversity is a non-profit initiative, set up by the neurodivergent for the neurodivergent. If you want to support us, you can subscribe to our newsletter and join our community and Substack here, where you can download our 4S User guide for your business, including contact details for us if you wish to get involved with content, events and more.
