Last Updated on: 27th July 2025, 09:52 am
James O’Halloran, a Bristol-based coach, is offering no-nonsense advice to help both neurodiverse founders and business leaders better support neurodivergent team members.
The newly released Neurodiversity Index 2025 has uncovered that 41% of participants experience challenges related to neurodiversity at work on most days. Even more concerning, over 50% of neurodivergent staff have taken time off as a direct result of inadequate support in their working environment.
In response, James O’Halloran has outlined clear, actionable tips designed to help managers, employers, and business owners better understand and empower neurodivergent individuals. His approach is intended to improve outcomes across all levels of the organisation—from the boardroom to the shop floor.
“These tips,” O’Halloran explains, “are for anyone who wants to build an inclusive workplace culture and get the best from every neurodivergent individual—whether they’re leading the company or part of the team.”
Key Findings (from the Index)
- 51% of neurodivergent employees have taken time off work due to their neurodivergence. Many report burnout, anxiety, or a lack of psychological safety as key reasons, often because they feel unable to ask for the adjustments they need.
- 33% are dissatisfied with the support they currently receive from employers. This includes inadequate line manager understanding, lack of access to workplace assessments, and poor follow-through on promised accommodations.
- Only 34% feel well supported at work. Despite growing awareness of neurodiversity, consistent, meaningful inclusion practices are still the exception rather than the norm.
- 44% of organisations have senior leaders who are neurodivergent or have family experience with it.
“These numbers don’t surprise me,” says James O’Halloran, a coach who works with neurodivergent individuals across the UK. “Often, my clients come to me not because they’re struggling to do their job, but because they’re constantly exhausted by trying to fit into a system that wasn’t designed with them in mind.”
Practical Guidance for Leaders
- Start with empathy. Imagine doing the hardest task such as public speaking or number crunching every single day while others breeze through it. For many neurodivergent people, everyday processes like scheduling, communication or following meeting structures can feel that hard. Approaching with empathy sets the tone for psychological safety and performance.
- Ask, don’t assume. The simplest way to support someone is to ask: “What helps you work best?” This approach works better than guessing or imposing a rigid system. Some people thrive with visual tools like Trello, others prefer verbal check-ins or shared Google Docs. When workflows are co-designed, engagement and output drastically improve.
- Rethink one-to-ones. Agendas should be flexible. Some team members need detailed conversations, others prefer short, sharp check-ins, or even a walk-and-talk for creative thinking. Always close by summarising clear next steps and deadlines so accountability is baked in without adding stress.
- Create psychological safety. Many neurodivergent individuals fear being seen as “difficult” for asking for what they need. Leaders can proactively say: “Sometimes we all need to work differently to do our best, what might that look like for you?” This could mean allowing deep-focus time, muting notifications, or setting firm calendar blocks. When leaders normalise this, performance improves for everyone.
- Leverage strengths. ADHD can bring hyper-focus and high energy, autism often means incredible pattern recognition or deep expertise. These are game-changers when harnessed correctly. The challenge is removing friction so these strengths can shine rather than being buried under stress.
- Clarify communication norms. Most tension comes from mismatched expectations about updates or availability. Leaders can be explicit: “How would it be for you if we use Slack for quick updates, email for formal notes, and no expectation to respond after 6pm?” This clarifying conversation reduces anxiety and prevents burnout.
- Normalise transparency. Encourage people to create a simple “user manual” explaining how they work best, whether it’s “don’t call me without notice” or “I prefer voice notes.” Leaders can share their own too. When everyone understands each other’s preferences, collaboration becomes smoother and less stressful.
The Role of Coaching in Supporting Neurodivergence
Through coaching, James helps clients whether running a business or contributing within a team to develop strategies that align with how they naturally work and think rather than how someone else thinks they “should.”
This might look like breaking down big goals into smaller, manageable actions, or creating a different working context that includes body-doubling or minimises distractions. It can also mean addressing foundational elements like sleep, nutrition, exercise, and the environment where work happens. When these are in balance and the right support is in place, neurodivergent individuals don’t just survive, they thrive, leading, creating, and innovating in extraordinary ways.
How to Connect with James
Neurodivergent professionals or managers of neurodiverse individuals can book a discovery call with James to learn more.
About James O’Halloran
James O’Halloran is a certified coach and B Corp based in Bristol, working with individuals and teams to create more individual and collective performance. He specialises in helping people really understand themselves and find joy and balance in their lives. Confidence-building is a by-product of how he works: team development and neurodiverse-friendly coaching. His approach is grounded in compassion, safety, and deep experience having been there. The outcome is lasting transformation.
