Exploring discrimination of neurodivergent people in the recruitment practices of the UK private sector

Discrimination means treating someone less favourably than others, for reasons like age, disability, or gender reassignment (ACAS 2023). Neurodivergent individuals, who have cognitive differences like autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), face discrimination in all aspects of their lives, but especially within employment (McDowall et al. 2023).

Approximately 15% of the UK population is neurodivergent (McDowall et al. 2023), so if these biases can be mitigated, more equitable employment opportunities (Walkowiak 2023) and supportive working environments could be fostered. This study therefore seeks to explore the experiences of neurodivergent people in recruitment practices of UK private sector firms, and how more inclusive employment opportunities could be created. Therefore, the objectives are as follows:

To explore the biases that lead to discrimination against neurodivergent individuals in applying for jobs To assess whether discriminatory practices impact upon the employment opportunities of neurodivergent individuals

To examine how the biases against neurodivergent people can be reduced to create more equitable employment opportunities This forms the following research questions:

How inclusive are the recruitment practices of UK private sector organisations when it comes to neurodiverse individuals?

What are the main factors that have the potential to discriminate in the recruitment policies and practices of UK private sector firms against neurodivergent people?

What could UK private sector firms do differently to address discrimination against neurodivergent people in recruitment?