Episode 13 - Neurodiversity at work: Understood.org's Nathan Friedman on what leaders get wrong about 70 million employees

Leading Yourself (Guts)Strategy and Planning (Head)

Apr 21

One in five Americans has a learning or thinking difference, and 53% of Gen Z identifies as neurodivergent — which means neurodivergent employees are already on your teams whether they've disclosed it or not. Nathan Friedman, Co-President and CMO of Understood.org, argues that the organizations best positioned to engage this talent aren't just the ones with the most progressive DEI policies. They're the ones that have quietly redesigned how work actually gets done — and they have the business results to prove it actually serves them.

What does "neurodiversity at work" actually mean for managers?

Here's a statistic we need to get real about: 53% of Gen Z identifies as neurodivergent. Combine that with the estimated 70 million Americans who have learning and thinking differences across all generations, and the math becomes hard to ignore – neurodivergent employees are already on your team. That means the question isn't whether to prepare for that reality, it's whether you already have (or haven’t).

When many managers hear "neurodiversity," they picture a formal accommodation process: HR paperwork, a doctor's note, a specific diagnosis. But that framing is part of the problem.

"Not everybody either can be seen to have that difference, or they may not know they have it. There's a lot of people who are subclinical, undiagnosed, or who simply cannot get diagnosed."

– Nathan Friedman, Co-President and Chief Marketing Officer of Understood.org

The practical implication is clear: you can't build neuroinclusive teams by waiting for people to self-identify. You have to build the conditions first.

What do neuroinclusive workplaces actually look like in practice?

The practices that support neurodivergent employees are largely identical to the practices that make anyone's work better. And they won’t impact your bottom line much.

"Most accommodations cost less than $200. A majority cost less than $100." – Nathan Friedman

Send an agenda before the meeting. Share questions in advance rather than springing them on people. Use AI-generated transcripts so that employees who struggle to simultaneously listen, contribute, and take notes don't have to choose which one to drop. Create office spaces with varied lighting, quiet zones, and soundproofing. Write job postings that list what's actually required, not a wishlist of 30 high-level must-haves that exclude many qualified candidates before the first conversation.

These aren't exotic interventions; they're basic conditions for clear thinking. The reason they disproportionately matter for neurodivergent employees is because without them, the cognitive load of navigating an environment not designed for their brains consumes capacity that could otherwise be going toward their actual work.

And even if you’re not neurodivergent, these accommodations are good news for you, too. Outdated hiring culture premiums placed on things like "great eye contact," a "firm handshake," or the ability to think fluently under surprise questioning can unintentionally screen out neurodivergent candidates – and these things typically have nothing to do with job performance.

Why is neurodivergent inclusion a business issue, not just a values issue?

The organizations that have figured this out aren't just generous (but I’m happy to share my Venmo @ with you if you want to be even moreso!). They're leading with results.

Companies that effectively engage neurodivergent talent see measurable improvements across the metrics that matter to any senior leader: more innovative problem-solving, better identification of new market segments, lower employee turnover, higher productivity, and stronger employee satisfaction scores.

"What senior leader or CEO wouldn't say yes, I want opportunities to increase top-line growth while [Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization] remains in line or increases as well?" – Nathan Friedman

The catch is that most organizations won't see those results if they rely on disclosure to identify who needs support. More than half of neurodivergent employees don't want to disclose their diagnosis out of fear of stigma or retaliation – and a significant number who do report facing one or both. That means the business case only materializes if neuroinclusive practices are built into the default operating system of the organization, not offered as exceptions for the people willing to raise their hand.

The model Nathan recommends is borrowed from a disability inclusive framework called universal design – what helps the most marginalized populations helps everybody. A curb built for wheelchair users also helps someone hauling a suitcase or pushing a stroller. A pre-read built for someone with ADHD also helps the executive who didn't have time to prep. So when you design for folks on the margins, you’ll see the whole system – very likely including your profit margins – improve.

What to do this week:

Consider your most recent team meeting with universal design in mind. If someone on your team had ADHD, dyslexia, or an auditory processing difference, would it have worked for them? If the honest answer is no, you've just found your starting point.

For your next team meeting, engage in the following practices:

Send the agenda and any discussion questions at least 24 hours in advance
After the meeting, enable an AI transcript and share it with the team

For managers who want to go further, Understood.org has free workplace resources including tools for both employees navigating learning and thinking differences and the managers who work alongside them.

Related Episodes

– The High Line and Beyond with Robbie Hammond

– Lead Like a Learner with Helen Tupper

– Judgment at Work with Sir Andrew Likierman