Since school, Alex has felt like the odd one out, and as if their brain is a radio, struggling to lock onto a station. They are waiting for an assessment for ADHD, but suspect they might also be autistic and dyslexic.
Alex works in a 24-hour café in a motorway service station. It’s a hectic working environment. Orders arrive continually – an average of one every 40 seconds. Alarms beep constantly. The manager often sends through rota changes by WhatsApp with 48 hours’ notice or less.
A new rota arrived two days ago and Alex has been stressed about the early morning start ever since.
They are already awake when their alarm goes off – an internal protocol developed from being labelled ‘always late’.
The mental load of getting ready and having breakfast while keeping an eye on the bus app, worrying about being late, then navigating early transport silently drains capacity before the shift begins.
Alex knows they will lose money because they’ve clocked in late, but hopes the supervisor won’t notice.
Unfortunately he does and calls out, “Need a word later, Alex.” Vague summons like this trigger memories of school detentions and past workplace warnings.
Alex’s adrenaline spikes and they forget to check the fryer. That moment of lost concentration adds risk down the line.
Six tickets overlap. Instructions are shouted over one another. Alex hears “no cheese” as “add cheese”. A dairy-intolerant customer is angry and ends up getting a free replacement.
Alex’s stress level soars, and they realise the supervisor will be taking note of the wastage. In tight-margin sectors, small errors add up.
The supervisor takes Alex off food prep and asks them to do a stock check and note down what they need to order in.
The stock sheets are packed with dense blocks of tiny text, which Alex struggles with, due to their dyslexia. Alex panics but hesitates to ask for help – past ridicule lingers.
Meanwhile the queues are growing.
The supervisor notices and takes over the paperwork, sending Alex back to the fryer, even more anxious.
The supervisor finally has that “word”.
He mentions that he noticed that Alex clocked in late, again, and complains about their lack of efficiency. He doesn’t make any proactive suggestions for changes they might make or ask why Alex might be struggling.
Alex takes the criticism, apologises and says they will try to do better, without understanding how. They go back to the fryer, masking their anxiety and wondering if this job will go the same way as the others.
Financial worry sets in.
Let’s rewind and replay the same day with a few neuroinclusive changes in place…
As Alex knew about the new start time two weeks back, they have had time to mentally prepare. They set their alarm at 6am on their days off to get accustomed to the new start time.
They had already checked which bus they would need to take, so only needed to check the app to see if it was on schedule.
They have time to check their social media while having breakfast and get to the bus stop a couple of minutes before the bus arrives.
Alex arrives with ten minutes to spare and has time for a coffee before starting work.
he supervisor reminds Alex to check the fryer before getting started and says he would like a quick meeting at 3pm to check in with how they’re doing.
Alex checks the fryer ready to prepare their first order of the day.
Six tickets overlap but the team works together efficiently.
One of the customers asks for no cheese. It comes up on the order ticket, but the server who took the order also flags it up to Alex, then double-checks before passing the food to the customer.
The supervisor asks a colleague who has done it well before to do the stock check.
The supervisor reminds Alex about their meeting, and they sit down with a tea.
He asks how they’re getting on and is pleased to hear that the changes that were rolled out recently have helped Alex feel more confident. He comments that it shows in their performance.
He tells Alex they’re doing a great job and asks whether they might be interested in a promotion.
The changes made life a bit easier for everyone working in the café, not just for Alex, and improved the overall efficiency of the café. Here’s a quick summary of the impact of each of the changes:
Change | Impact for Alex | How the business benefits |
|---|---|---|
Supervisors getting to know individuals’ strengths and challenges | They don’t feel the need to hide the things they struggle with, so feel more confident at work | Everyone feels they are appreciated as an individual and is able to play to their strengths |
14 days’ notice of new rotas and a ten-minute buffer to start and finish times | Less sleep disruption and pre-shift anxiety, so they arrive at work in a more positive mind-set | Fewer incidents of lateness logged, calmer staff, steadier shift coverage and less absenteeism |
Improved task communication | Fewer fryer checks missed, less worry about being told off and less stress | Improved hygiene, safety and quality control . |
Improved order communication | Improved relationships with colleagues and less worry about letting customers down. | Less waste and faster, more efficient service and happier customers. |
Improved meeting communication | A better relationship with their supervisor, more confidence and improved prospects | Better team dynamic and motivation, leading to a more harmonious working environment and better staff retention. |
As the changes were applied universally, rather than just for Alex, they weren’t singled out and there was no resentment about special treatment. The combined benefits are likely to lead to improved job satisfaction, better staff retention, happier customers, more repeat business and recognition from managers higher up.
65% of neurodivergent employees worry about stigma, which may lead them to mask and discourage them from seeking diagnosis or speaking to their employer about it.
That silence drives preventable mistakes and chips away at performance, staff retention and profit.
Plain language, visual prompts and buffer time are not perks. They’re operational tools.
Changes that help a neurodivergent employee – clear signs, structured feedback, quieter zones – also support new hires, non-native English speakers and team members having a tough day.
This is the curb-cut effect in action.
When we remove stigma and design the working environment for real-world brains, mistakes drop and talent stays and develops.
Inclusion is not an HR luxury – it’s operational insurance.
Alex’s is a fictionalised story, but it was developed by neurodivergent people to exemplify the sort of challenges they face day to day and the difference a more neuroinclusive management approach could make.
Our Neurodiversity in the workplace survey report and quotes from respondents provide a snapshot of the lived experience of real neurodivergent workers.
