In a new report by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, they revealed that neurodivergent professionals bring immense value to the accountancy profession, although the success depends on a fundamental shift in how employers approach inclusion.
ACCA describes neurodivergence as the natural variation among all human brains in how they are ‘wired’ and function. Most cognitive variation falls within a certain range considered typical, but the concept of neurodiversity acknowledges that all brains are different.
For this matter, organisations, according to ACCA, are beginning to recognise the significant strengths of neurodivergent individuals and the contributions they make to the workplace.
With an estimation of neurodivergent people being part of a significant proportion of the workforce, between 15% and 20% of the population, neurodivergent professionals themselves are found to be reclaiming their own stories, reshaping expectations of what workplaces should provide, and proving that when the environment changes rather than the person, everyone benefits.
The report found that moving from awareness to action requires work at both organisational and individual levels, with neither alone being sufficient, and the question does not boil down to whether workplaces will become more neuroinclusive, but on how quickly, and which organisations will lead and which will fall behind.
Further, the ACCA study recommends that employers and individuals look into five strategic areas that are emerging:
- Systemic organisational change: the foundational shifts in management, processes and culture that create environments where neurodivergent professionals can contribute effectively.
- Individual empowerment: the strategies, tools and approaches that enable individuals to navigate their careers strategically, regardless of organisational readiness.
- Leveraging cognitive strengths: reframing attitudes from deficit-based accommodation to recognising genuine competitive advantages.
- Recognising diverse career paths: expanding what success looks like beyond traditional progression routes.
- Cultural context: acknowledging that neurodiversity acceptance varies dramatically across regions and culture.
The professional accounting body further suggests that organisations must dive deeper into how the talent is there, with the business case clear and the tools existing, and that what is needed now is commitment to genuine transformation, not performative pretences of inclusion.
