At some of the world’s most forward-looking companies, the understanding of talent is evolving. Neurodivergent professionals, those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences, are contributing to areas that demand precision and pattern recognition. In fields like AI, data analytics, and blockchain, they are leading performance gains.
Ernst & Young (EY) has built one of the clearest frameworks for this. Since opening its first Neurodiverse Center of Excellence in 2016, the firm now operates 23 centres across 10 countries. The impact is measurable:
These outcomes are not exceptions. They reflect what happens when companies are intentional about how they define, recruit, and support talent.
Karyn Twaronite, EY’s Global Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity & Inclusiveness, describes neurodivergent hiring as a long-term investment. Speaking with the BBC, she outlined how the firm treats DEI as a core operational function, measured and accountable, just like client performance or financial growth.
As Gen Z enters the workforce with higher rates of formal diagnoses and self-identification, the need for inclusive systems is growing. These future employees and leaders are not asking for accommodation. They’re expecting structure that reflects the way they think and work.
EY’s model integrates neurodivergent professionals into roles that match their strengths. Teams are built with clarity around communication, coaching, and growth. Development plans are designed with intention and adapted to the individual, without lowering expectations.
The model is expanding globally. SAP, Microsoft, and IBM are among the companies who have adopted similar strategies. A 2023 Deloitte report highlighted that organizations with formal neurodiversity programs report enhanced problem-solving, innovation velocity, and employee morale.
Inclusive infrastructure benefits everyone. As environments become more precise and thoughtful, communication improves, assumptions are challenged, and teams operate with greater awareness.
One of the early lessons from EY’s first hiring cohort was stark: despite open recruitment, no women had applied. Not because the roles were unwelcoming, but because structural barriers were deeply embedded. Diagnosis rates for autism and dyslexia remain skewed toward men. Women often mask traits or go undiagnosed until adulthood. Recruitment language, expectations, and even workplace culture had to be rethought.
Since then, EY has achieved gender parity in subsequent neurodivergent hiring rounds, through intentional shifts in messaging, outreach, and support. As Twaronite notes, “Neurodiverse women are women first.” They bring not only cognitive distinction, but layered lived experience. In the right conditions, that combination becomes an advantage.
For female leaders in particular, many of whom have risen in systems that undervalued difference, this conversation is more than a DEI initiative. It’s a question of legacy. What kind of environments are we building? What kind of intelligence are we recognising?
The future of work isn’t just hybrid or digital, it’s cognitively diverse. Leaders who prepare for that now won’t just retain more talent. They’ll get better ideas, faster cycles, and stronger loyalty.
Sources:
How EY is focusing on neurodiverse talent – and why it benefits everyone by Leah Carroll, 2024
Building the neuroinclusive workplace by Deloitte Center for Integrated Resea
