Divergent Blog

For a long time, digital accessibility has too often been treated like a checklist. Add alt text. Check contrast. Make sure the page technically works with assistive tools. All of that matters. But anyone who has ever tried to navigate a cluttered intranet, an overloaded Teams channel, a confusing booking system or a visually chaotic website knows that true inclusion is about much more than whether a screen can be accessed. It is also about whether the information can be proc

with Alexandra Standley For Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we wanted to explore something a little different from the usual workplace posts. Because sometimes the thing that drains your energy isn’t your workload. It’s the “small” stuff your body has to tolerate all day. That’s why we teamed up with Alexandra Standley for this guest piece on sensory comfort and style: https://www.alexandrastandley.co.uk/post/neurodiversity-style-sensory-comfort If you’ve ever stood in front

For day 2 of Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we teamed up with Jacki Edry for a guest piece on her new “Organizing Minds” series: Organizing Minds: The Hidden Weight of “Keeping It All Together” . Jacki’s framing is the reason this collaboration felt like such a natural fit: the aim isn’t to “fix” people, it’s to reduce the invisible load that piles up when systems assume one default brain. Jacki's book Moving Forward Here’s the heart of the piece (and why it matters at wor

Autism in the workplace is still too often framed as a problem to manage rather than a difference to understand properly. That is one reason so many autistic employees end up spending energy not just on their jobs, but on decoding vague expectations, managing sensory overload, navigating unclear communication and masking their natural way of working. Practical support makes a difference because many workplace difficulties linked to autism are not caused by lack of ability. Th

Apprenticeships offer a fantastic opportunity to learn on the job, build skills, and grow a career. For neurodivergent people, they can be especially rewarding but also cognitively demanding. The variety of tasks, new environments, and social expectations can sometimes feel overwhelming. That’s why understanding neurodiversity in apprenticeship settings matters—not just for apprentices themselves but also for the managers and teams supporting them. In March 2026, we had the p

Neurodiversity is gaining attention in workplaces across the UK, but awareness alone does not create meaningful change. For neurodivergent employees, equity at work means recognising and addressing their unique needs, not just treating everyone the same. This shift from equality to equity is essential to build truly inclusive environments where all individuals can thrive. What the mentAImage Feature Covered Recently, Divergent Thinking’s founder was featured by mentAImage in

From 6 April 2024, the UK made flexible working a day-one right to request . That matters for neuroinclusion: time, place and pace profoundly shape executive function, sensory load and recovery. This post explains what changed, how to use the right effectively, and—critically—how it sits alongside your separate duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act. What changed (in plain English) Employees can now make two statutory requests in any 12 months; employers

A lot of neurodiversity training is well-intentioned and still ineffective. It raises awareness, gives people new language, and then… nothing changes. Meetings stay messy. Priorities stay vague. Adjustments stay inconsistent. Managers stay unsure. If you’re commissioning training, you’re not buying a slideshow. You’re buying behaviour change. This guide is a practical checklist to help you choose training that actually improves day-to-day work—and avoids “awareness theatre”.

Neurodiversity has become a popular topic in workplace inclusion conversations. Many organisations want to embrace it, but often fall into the trap of using buzzwords without creating real change. A recent podcast episode on Conscious Curiosity with Franck Brown sheds light on what happens when companies try to support neurodivergent employees but rely on oversimplified ideas or one-size-fits-all solutions. This post explores key insights from that discussion and offers pract

When people “miss easy things”, it’s rarely motivation. It’s executive function load : initiation, prioritisation, working memory, and switching being over-taxed by the way work is designed. Neuro-inclusive teams don’t wait for willpower; they change the conditions so the brain can get started, stay on track, and finish. Executive function, briefly Executive functions are the brain’s control processes—starting tasks, holding steps in mind, sequencing, resisting distraction,

Neurodiversity often remains an overlooked aspect in many professional environments, especially in Chambers. The fast pace, hierarchical structure, and high-pressure client demands can create hidden barriers for neurodivergent individuals. To address this, a new training module has launched on the ABC training portal, designed specifically for Chambers. This Neurodiversity Foundation Module aims to build a shared understanding and practical skills that improve inclusion and e