Good management is inclusive management
Most of what helps neurodivergent staff is simply good management: clear expectations, regular feedback and treating people as individuals. Get it right, and people spend less energy working around barriers and more doing their job well.
The aim isn’t to lower the bar. It’s to remove the obstacles that stop people reaching it.
Set clear expectations
- Explain what good looks like, in specific, observable terms.
- Put key tasks, deadlines and priorities in writing.
- Say which tasks matter most when there’s too much to do.
- Explain unwritten “rules”: how things are really done on this ship or in this office, who to ask about what, and what’s expected socially.
Vague
- ”Take more ownership."
- "Be more proactive."
- "Get the paperwork sorted."
Clear
- "Plan and lead the weekly fire drill from next month."
- "If you spot a defect, raise it in the system the same day."
- "Complete the oil record book entries by 1800 each day.”
Check in regularly
Short, frequent check-ins are better than occasional long reviews. They let issues surface and be solved while they’re still small, and they build trust.
- Agree how often: daily for ten minutes during a new role, perhaps weekly once settled.
- Keep to it, even when things are busy.
- Use the same simple structure each time: what’s going well, what’s difficult, what’s next.
Give feedback well
Be specific
Describe what happened, not personality. "The handover notes were missing the fuel figures" rather than "you're careless".
Explain why it matters
Connect it to safety, the team or the job.
Say what to do instead
Be concrete about what good looks like next time.
Balance it
Say what is going well, too, and mean it.
Do it privately and promptly
Not in front of others, and not weeks later.
Many neurodivergent people prefer direct feedback and may miss hints. Many have also had years of criticism and bullying, so feedback that’s clear, fair and kind builds trust quickly.
Appraisals and promotion
- Share the appraisal format and questions in advance.
- Assess what people achieve, not how they present.
- Don’t mark people down for differences in social style, eye contact or communication that don’t affect their work.
- Make sure training courses, assessment centres and promotion exams are accessible, with adjustments where needed.
- Actively encourage neurodivergent staff to apply for promotion. Many underestimate themselves.
Managing performance
If there are concerns about performance:
- Check adjustments first. Are agreed adjustments in place, and working?
- Consider the link. Could the issue be connected to the person’s neurodivergence?
- Talk openly and supportively before starting any formal process.
- Adjust the formal process itself: give notice of meetings, explain what will happen, provide information in writing, allow extra time and a companion.
Failing to do this can make a performance process unfair, and may be discriminatory.
Look after the whole team
If other staff ask why a colleague has adjustments, don’t share personal details. Explain that you support everyone to do their best work. Training the whole team in neurodiversity awareness helps prevent misunderstandings before they start, and often surfaces other people who’d benefit from support too.