Neurodiversity and workplace bullying

Neurodivergent people are significantly more at risk of workplace bullying than their neurotypical peers. Types of neurodiversity include autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, ADD), dyspraxia/developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), dyslexia, and Tourette’s syndrome (Acas, 2025).

However, all of these conditions contain multiple subtypes, with many neurodivergent people having significant overlap, with co-occurring different types of neurodivergent diagnoses, particularly in relation to dyspraxia and DCD. Therefore, no two neurodivergent people will present with the same set of symptoms or difficulties.

Neurodivergent conditions affect between 10-20%  (CIPD, 2025) of the population, with between 2-5% being affected severely. This means that in any workplace, at any given time, employers are likely to have a neurodivergent person working for them. 

Recent findings suggest that 1 in 5 neurodivergent people have experienced bullying and discrimination at work (CIPD, 2025). Simply put, they may “stand out” as being “different” in the workplace, making them an easy target for bullies. 

People bully and discriminate for a number of reasons. Often the root cause is their own deep lack of underlying self-esteem. They tend to choose their victims carefully so that they can elevate their own “status” within a workplace setting. There is often something deep-rooted within the bully which drives them to enact power, control, and intimidation over their victims.

Unfortunately, bullies do not seem to respond well to change, not unless they gain insight into the impact of their actions on others, which is accompanied by remorse, shame, and compassion towards other people. Therefore, the school bully is unlikely to grow up into a kind, empathetic, and inclusive member of any workplace setting. 

Neurodivergent people have many positive traits and unique individual talents, which are an asset to any employer. For example, energy, innovation, creativity, and task hyperfocus. They may often be able to find innovative solutions to previously unsolvable problems or challenges, which neurotypical people cannot. They may be able to create and generate ideas which give employers a competitive edge over rivals.

Neurodivergent people often view the world from a different perspective, and it is this perspective that proves to be a real asset to companies, businesses and work settings in general. An inclusive workplace will seek to harness and nurture these talents, whilst accommodating the needs of the person. However, for bullies, it is ironically these unique talents that they will seek to undermine and criticise, which is often driven by their own underlying jealousy and insecurity.

Despite their many talents and strengths, neurodivergent people sometimes have difficulty navigating and making sense of the world around them. For example, they may struggle with organisation, planning, time management, overstimulation (i.e. sensory overload), overwhelm, and fatigue, which can place them at increased risk of burnout. They may also have some difficulty interpreting subtle social cues (such as facial expressions) within the workplace, or even the socialisation aspect.

However, neurodivergent people are often extremely aware that they are “different” from their neurotypical peers, and there is frequently a strong need just to “fit in”. One adaptive (or frequently maladaptive) way neurodivergent people do this is by “masking” their behaviour. Masking is a way in which they deliberately try to be like those around them, so that they do not “stand out” and they are able to both fit in and go “unnoticed” by others. It takes a great deal of conscious effort to do so, and most neurodivergent people find masking extremely energy-consuming, which leads to both fatigue and overwhelm. Frequently, therapists may hear neurodivergent people use phrases about their masking behavioural challenges, such as “I just want to be accepted”, “I don’t want to stand out”, “I just want to be normal”, etc. 

Neurodivergent people have often experienced significant childhood trauma around school bullying. For example, name-calling, social exclusion, and direct focus on the things they could not do (by teachers and peers) made them feel exposed and vulnerable. Therefore, the need to just “fit in” is often strong, due to adverse childhood experiences occurring as a result of being neurodivergent; hence, the need to mask. They may carry shame and stigma as a result of their trauma, which makes them more susceptible to co-occurring anxiety and depression.

In the first instance, employers need to know what creates a hostile, toxic workplace culture, in which bullies can thrive, and then seek to develop a more inclusive culture where all people can feel safe to be themselves. Secondly, employers need to educate themselves about neurodiversity. Learning how to harness the unique talents of neurodivergent employees, whilst accommodating the things they find challenging. This can often be a massive "win" all round. A place where people can both thrive and excel.

However, bullies operate on every level in society, and even the most “well-meaning” of employers will have individuals who will intimidate, persecute and discriminate against others for being "different to themselves". The types of bullying that neurodivergent people are particularly susceptible to include:

• Hypercritical focus on the things they find challenging, whilst at the same time ignoring their achievements and strengths. This then leads to an erosion of their self-esteem and sense of self-efficacy (i.e. in the things they do well, and task mastery/accomplishment).
• Micromanagement often leads to the point where the neurodivergent person falls into overwhelm, exhaustion, leading to depression and anxiety (often referred to as “workplace stress”).
• Name-calling and the use of discriminatory language (often within the context of the unique features of their neurodivergent traits). For example, calling a person  “lazy”, “useless” or using phrases like “Why can’t you just do it like everyone else?”,  “You’ll just have to cope”, etc.
• Defamation of character and undermining of their ability to colleagues. For example, “Don’t bother asking them, they can’t do it”, or “Don’t listen to them, they don’t know what they’re talking about”, etc. This is often within a toxic workplace culture where gossip, isolation, and undermining thrive.
• Setting unrealistic tasks or expectations, with deliberate knowledge that they will either struggle or fail. For example, excessively high workloads or impossible targets to meet within tight deadlines.
• Competitive tasks. For example, task timing, by pitching highly competitive, “capable” colleagues against neurodivergent people in a deliberate attempt to humiliate them, because they know they will be slower and struggle.
• Deliberate isolation. For example, excluding a neurodivergent from meetings, emails, minutes, correspondence, or even social events.
• Placing a neurodivergent person on workplace capability assessments, or performance improvement plans (PIPs), whilst they are in a vulnerable state, or at times when they are struggling with overwhelm.
• Microaggressions, such as sighing, rolling the eyes, raising eyebrows, or even laughing, occur when the neurodivergent person is speaking or struggling. All of these subtle signs are discriminatory and intimidating.
• Being “managed out” of their job, so that the environment at work becomes so impossible that they feel that their only option is to resign. This is often classed as constructive dismissal, and neurodivergent people are at a particularly high risk of this.

The impact of workplace bullying is far-reaching beyond the domains of work. It can seriously impact a neurodivergent person’s wider social, emotional, and behavioural life outside work. They may become socially withdrawn, find little pleasure in previously enjoyable things (i.e. hobbies, socialising with friends, family, etc), neglect self-care, have little or no appetite/or conversely, comfort eat to ease the pain. Due to the constant worry and stress, it is very common for sleep to become disturbed and dysregulated (i.e., sleeping too much, or being unable to either fall or stay asleep). Overall, activities of daily living are seriously impacted when a neurodivergent person experiences workplace bullying.

Neurodivergent people who are experiencing workplace bullying and discrimination often fail to speak out. This can be due to the sense of shame and stigma they feel, especially if there has been previous childhood bullying, or it has occurred in earlier places of work, college or university.

Bullying is highly traumatic for any person, especially if there have been earlier adverse events. This can make a neurodivergent person particularly susceptible to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (including nightmares, flashbacks, dissociation, panic attacks, anxiety and depression). In some cases, the helplessness the person feels can even lead to serious suicidal ideation and intent, as they see no way out of the situation they are in. 

4 tips for neurodivergent people experiencing workplace bullying

So, what can neurodivergent people do who are experiencing workplace bullying? The following are helpful:

1. Do not keep it to yourself

Speak out. Find a trusted colleague to confide in. This will help a person to feel less isolated. If HR are receptive, seek their advice (this is wholly dependent upon the workplace culture, and whether there is a tendency to “side with the bully”, or if a person has been placed on workplace capability or PIP, they may be distrustful of HR). But the most important thing is to tell someone who is trusted.

2. Document everything

Document everything, including events, dates, times, places, people present and what occurred. Not only will this provide an accurate record if a formal grievance is raised, but the documenting will also help a neurodivergent person process and make sense of what is going on for them, and crucially, validate their feelings. Seek the advice of Acas (2025), who has lots of advice on this.

3. Ask to be referred to occupational health

An occupational health assessment can often help to identify the root cause of the problem, providing much-needed external validation. They can also make suggestions in terms of more inclusive workplace practices and reasonable adjustments (i.e. flexible working, mediation, referral to counselling, direct implementation of the adjustments, and follow-up to assess mental health and the effectiveness of implementations, etc.).

Many neurodivergent people fall under the protection of the Equality Act 2010, especially if aspects of their disability significantly impact them in terms of their ability to carry out activities of daily living. Therefore, there is a legal requirement for employers to provide a safe working environment for employees and to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the needs of neurodivergent people. Failure to act, or to deliberately ignore an occupational health assessment (or hide its existence during complaints processes), can mean that employers are acting unlawfully.

4. Raise a formal grievance

You can request the complaints policy directly from your line manager or HR. It is vital to speak out against bullies. However, more crucially, whilst enduring bullying, a person mustn't lose their sense of self or their worth. Every person is worthy of speaking out against injustice. An employer has the right to ensure a person feels safe to raise a grievance. They should make reasonable adjustments at both the complaint stage and during the investigative process to ensure a neurodivergent person does not experience further bullying or harassment, or an escalation in discrimination (i.e. by moving departments, changing line manager, flexible working/working from home, etc.). Expecting a person to “continue to work as normal” without making reasonable adjustments may mean they are in breach of the law in terms of the Equality Act 2010.

What else can help?

Crucially, neurodivergent people need to know that there are other tools and strategies they can use which will help them psychologically and emotionally, whilst they are experiencing bullying:

1. “Job like a student” (Foulder-Hughes, 2023)

What this means is to switch the psychological focus of your job towards a means of purely making money to do the things you need, outside of work (much like a student does when undertaking part time work to fund their studies. The focus is purely a means of making money to supplement their true passion, which is passing their exams).

Learning how to “Job like a student”  significantly helps people who feel trapped in jobs, especially if they are facing workplace bullying or distress. The term was first coined by Foulder-Hughes in 2023 in her book “REMIND The Prescription of Happiness, Success, and Fulfilment in Life”.

2. Connect with friends and relatives

Connect with friends and relatives you enjoy spending time with, outside of work. This helps to provide a sense of wider social connection and to alleviate the isolation caused by workplace bullying.

3. Keep to a regular sleep routine

Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, and use appropriate sleep hygiene and relaxation methods which promote restful sleep. Being rested will help a person better deal with the emotional distress at work

4. Get lots of exercise

Try to stick to a regular daily exercise routine, which will reduce stress, increase mental clarity, and promote better sleep.

5. Practice relaxation techniques 

Learn to practice relaxation techniques (i.e. progressive muscle relaxation, the body scan technique, etc.). Practice mindfulness by focusing your attention on what you are doing in the present moment rather than worrying about the future or past events at work. Learn to meditate – particularly chanting or humming meditation, which can stimulate the vocal cords of the vagus nerve, which can induce a sense of calm, from an overstimulated nervous system.

6. Invest in self-care and self-nurture

Dress in your favourite clothes and take soothing showers or baths, which will pamper you and make you feel worthy.

7. Get outside in nature every day

This will not only improve your sense of well-being but also your connectedness to the wider world – vital when being bullied and feeling as though the work situation is your "whole world".

8. Eat regular meals

Eat regular meals and learn how to eat in a mindful, focused way.

9. Make time for your hobbies

Make time to participate in your hobbies and the things you enjoy. One simple way to bring more joy into your life is to build in pleasurable activities every day. These can be structured into your daily routine. That way, you know when things get difficult at work, you always have something positive and enjoyable to look forward to, no matter how difficult things become

10)  Seek professional help

Seek help from your GP and via counselling or psychotherapy. This could be a workplace counselling scheme, a charity, or private. Due to the likely trauma triggering earlier similar experiences of bullying, neurodivergent people may be at increased risk of developing PTSD symptoms. Therefore, professionals working with neurodivergent people, experiencing workplace bullying trauma should be adequately trained in trauma-informed approaches (i.e. EMDR, Flash Technique, trauma-focused CBT, etc.) and work in a more holistic and integrative way. In doing so, this will best meet the unique needs that neurodivergent people face both whilst being bullied and in recovering from trauma. This will enable a person to develop resilience and move forward in their life in a positive and hopeful way; whilst maintaining their sense of self-worth, esteem, efficacy, dignity, and crucially their identity.

Crucially, employers have a legal duty of care under the Equality Act (2010) to prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination of neurodivergent people. By fostering more caring and inclusive workplace practices, whilst educating staff about neurodiversity, all employees will benefit, leading to greater workplace productivity.

Pay attention to your inner wisdom by asking yourself a “Wise mind” question, such as, “Am I content to spend the rest of my life in this workplace?”. “How is the current situation at work serving me?”. “What are my options?”. Pay careful attention to your inner wisdom. Remember that gut feelings are often there for a reason. If something does not feel right inside of you, it probably isn’t. Seek help, get support and always know your worth. You have rights as a neurodivergent person, and your employer has a legal duty of care to make reasonable adjustments to maintain your safety and dignity, whilst striving to encourage your unique gifts in life. Keep going and never give up!

References:

• Acas (2025) Neurodiversity at work. Available at: https://www.acas.org.uk/neurodiversity-at-work
• CIPD (2025) One in five employees have experienced harassment or discrimination at work. CIPD. Available at: https://www.cipd.org/uk/about/press-releases/one-in-five-neurodivergent-employees-experienced-harassment-or-discrimination-at-work/
• Equality Act (2010). Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents
• Foulder-Hughes, L. (2023) REMIND The Prescription of Happiness, Success, and Fulfilment in Life. Austin Macauley Publishers. London. Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Remind-Prescription-Happiness-Success-Fulfilment/dp/1398490083