Diversity Lock™ Research: Understanding Structural Barriers for Neurodivergent People at Work
At Diversity Lock™, everything we do is built on evidence.
Our Inclusion Lock™ accreditation framework was developed using a combination of lived experience, qualitative research, and published academic studies into neurodivergent employment barriers.
This page introduces the research that underpins our work and explains why structural change — not awareness campaigns, not vague commitments — is the most effective route to genuine workplace inclusion.
Why We Conducted This Research
Neurodivergent people often report that the biggest challenges they face in employment are not related to capability or willingness to work. Instead, they come from:
unclear recruitment processes
inconsistent support
unpredictable workplace expectations
hidden social rules
a lack of written guidance and structure
While many employers offer “inclusion initiatives,” very few address the structural barriers encoded in their HR documentation, recruitment templates, adjustments processes, and internal communication systems.
The Inclusion Lock™ exists because these structural issues cause real harm — and real exclusion — even in well-intentioned workplaces.
What Our Research Looked At
To develop a framework rooted in authenticity, we examined two key sources:
1. Lived experiences from neurodivergent people
We conducted qualitative analysis of publicly shared discussions, including:
Reddit neurodiversity communities
Posts from autistic and ADHD adults
First-hand accounts of recruitment struggles
Experiences of burnout, discrimination, unclear policies, and failed adjustments
These sources provided unfiltered insight into what actually goes wrong for people at work — not just what organisations believe they offer.
Across hundreds of contributions, we identified consistent patterns:
unclear job adverts
ambiguous interview expectations
inconsistent manager support
lack of written processes
policies that contradict one another
fear of requesting adjustments
burnout caused by unpredictable environments
This lived experience forms the heart of the Inclusion Lock™ design.
2. Published research and legislation
We combined lived experience with peer-reviewed research, including:
UK employment studies on neurodiversity
Reports on autistic and ADHD outcomes in work
Research on structural bias in recruitment
CIPD guidance on inclusive HR practices
The Equality Act 2010
The Autism Act 2009
Academic models of workplace accessibility and cognitive load
These studies consistently show that structure — not awareness alone — is the key factor in improving outcomes for neurodivergent employees.
What Our Research Found
Across both lived experience and academic evidence, one conclusion was clear:
Workplace struggles for neurodivergent people are overwhelmingly structural, not personal.
of neurodivergent contributors described workplace adjustments as inconsistent, difficult to access, or dependent entirely on manager discretion
Almost every participant reported at least one instance of unclear or ambiguous workplace communication that led to misunderstanding, anxiety, or performance concerns.
Across all sources, inconsistent line-management was identified as the single biggest predictor of burnout, conflict, or job loss for neurodivergent employees.
Common problems include:
policies that are too vague
adjustments processes that are unclear
recruitment methods that rely on unwritten expectations
inconsistent manager practice
onboarding that assumes “common sense”
contradictory documents that create confusion
Almost all of these barriers can be fixed through improved documentation, predictable processes, and accessible communication.
This is why the Inclusion Lock™ framework focuses exclusively on structural auditing.
How This Research Shapes the Inclusion Lock™ Framework
Every question in the Inclusion Lock™ audit directly reflects a barrier identified in our research.
For example:
Guaranteed Adjustments was created because neurodivergent people repeatedly described inconsistent or inaccessible adjustments systems.
Structural Clarity exists because unclear policies and hidden expectations caused major anxiety and misunderstandings.
Bias-Resistant Recruitment addresses the widespread problem of unstructured interviews and inconsistent hiring decisions.
Manager Capability reflects research showing that unclear expectations and inconsistent support are top reasons neurodivergent people leave jobs.
Inclusion Lock™ is not a marketing exercise — it is a structural solution built from evidence.
Why This Matters for Employers
Employers who engage with this research gain:
better retention
fewer grievances
more predictable workflows
access to neurodivergent talent
stronger legal compliance
reduced risk of bullying, misunderstanding, or burnout
The Inclusion Lock™ accreditation helps employers transform intention into action by strengthening the systems people rely on every day.
Why This Matters for Neurodivergent People
For neurodivergent employees and jobseekers, our research validates experiences that are often dismissed.
It shows that:
difficulties are not due to “not being resilient enough”
most barriers have simple structural solutions
clarity and predictability are accessibility tools
inclusion must be designed, not assumed
Inclusion Lock™ gives neurodivergent people a measurable signal of structural safety — a workplace where processes are clear, expectations are predictable, and support doesn’t depend on who your manager happens to be.
Our Commitment to Ongoing Research
The research behind Inclusion Lock™ is continuous.
We update our framework based on:
new academic studies
feedback from ND communities
assessor insights
employer outcomes
updated legal guidelines
Structural inclusion evolves — and we evolve with it.