Neurodiversity in UK Construction

A Call to Rethink How People Are Expected to Work

Construction relies on standards. We work to drawings, regulations, programmes and agreed methods because consistency matters when you are building something that has to be safe.

The problem comes when we start expecting people to be standardised too.

Two electricians can be equally capable while learning in completely different ways. One may understand a verbal instruction immediately, while another needs to see it written down or marked on a drawing. One person can focus in the middle of a noisy site while somebody else finds the same environment mentally exhausting. Neither response tells us who cares more about the job. It tells us that people process the world differently.

That is the basic idea behind neurodiversity. Acas describes neurodiversity as the natural differences in how people’s brains behave and process information. We all think, learn and act differently, although the word neurodivergent is commonly used for people with conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia.

The language is still developing, and people do not all describe themselves in the same way. I was diagnosed with ADHD and OCD later in life. ADHD is commonly discussed as a form of neurodivergence, while OCD is usually described as a mental health condition. For me, the useful question is not which box each condition belongs in, but how they affect me and what helps me function well. Construction needs to become better at asking that question.

The industry is already worried about attracting and retaining enough skilled people. The latest CITB Construction Workforce Outlook estimates that around 206,000 additional workers will be needed between 2026 and 2030. If we are serious about closing that gap, we cannot keep designing workplaces that only suit one type of mind and then wonder why capable people struggle or leave.

My Experience of ADHD and OCD in Construction

This subject is personal to me because I spent years working in construction without fully understanding why some parts of everyday working life felt so difficult.

I could do the practical work. I could learn the trade, solve problems and care deeply about the standard I delivered. The struggle was often fitting into a system that expected everybody to organise themselves, communicate and respond to pressure in roughly the same way.

One of my most obvious difficulties was punctuality.

Turning up on time sounds straightforward, especially when briefings need to happen before work begins and other people are relying on you. A team cannot simply ignore whether somebody arrives when expected, yet there were mornings when what looked like carelessness from the outside was connected to something more complicated.

Overcrowded trains could leave me feeling so overwhelmed that I would get off and decide to walk instead. That reduced the immediate sensory pressure, but it also meant I arrived late. On other mornings, my OCD would not let me leave the house until the blinds were sitting perfectly straight. I knew the time. I knew I needed to go. I also felt unable to walk away while something was telling me they were not right.

My ADHD could also keep my mind racing late into the night, leaving me sleeping through alarms or waking as though I had barely rested. Setting more alarms did not always address the underlying problem.

There was also the occasional hangover. I have to own that one. Not every late arrival was caused by ADHD or OCD, and neurodivergence should never become an explanation for every mistake somebody makes.

That honesty matters because inclusion is not about removing responsibility. It is about understanding a repeated difficulty so the person and employer can find a fair response. Looking back, a better conversation would have explored what made mornings difficult, what I could control and whether any support would help me meet the start time. The answer was not necessarily allowing me to arrive whenever I wanted. It was understanding the problem before deciding I was lazy, unreliable or did not care.

The Challenges Were Not Limited to Timekeeping

ADHD and OCD affected other parts of my working day too.

In meetings, I could speak over people because a thought entered my head and I felt an urgent need to say it before it disappeared. To somebody else, that could look rude or as if I believed my opinion mattered more. In my mind, I was trying to hold on to the idea while also following the conversation.

Large or vaguely explained tasks could become overwhelming. “Get that area finished” may sound clear, but my brain could immediately pull in every possible detail. Where should I start? What is the priority? What if another trade is not ready? The more questions appeared, the harder it became to begin.

When work was broken into clear stages, I could focus far more effectively. The job itself had not changed. The way it had been communicated had.

Structure also helped. Familiar tools, a consistent place for equipment and a clear routine reduced the amount of mental energy spent trying to organise the basics. If somebody moved things without telling me or plans changed suddenly, it could take longer than expected to settle back into the task.

None of this meant I lacked ability. It meant that the conditions around the work could either help me use that ability or make me spend most of my energy trying to appear as if I was coping.

That experience is one reason I created Onward Shift. People should not have to reach adulthood believing they are difficult, lazy or broken simply because nobody has helped them understand how they work.

Why Construction Can Be Both a Good and Difficult Fit

We should not assume construction is automatically a bad environment for neurodivergent people. For some, practical work can be an excellent fit.

There can be satisfaction in working with your hands, seeing a clear result and solving a problem in front of you. Some roles provide routine and technical depth, while variety may keep an ADHD mind engaged. Detailed drawings and precise standards may suit people who enjoy accuracy and order.

At the same time, the industry can create real barriers.

Sites are noisy, busy and constantly changing, with drills, alarms, radios, vehicles and several conversations happening at once. Instructions may be given quickly while the person receiving them is already concentrating. Programmes change, teams move and workers regularly face unfamiliar people and expectations.

The social side matters too. Banter can create connection, but it may be confusing or intimidating for somebody who interprets language literally or struggles to read social cues. They may stay quiet rather than risk saying the wrong thing, then be judged for not joining in.

The industry also relies heavily on informal knowledge. “You know how we do it” may be enough for somebody who has worked with the same supervisor for years, but it excludes the person who needs the expectation stated clearly. Asking for clarification can be treated as incompetence even when it is the safest and most responsible thing to do.

These problems are not always caused by deliberate discrimination. Often, people repeat the working culture they entered because nobody has asked whether it could be improved.

Neurodivergent Strengths Are Individual, Not Guaranteed

There has been a welcome move away from discussing neurodivergence only in terms of deficits. However, we can go too far in the other direction and turn every condition into a list of guaranteed strengths.

Not every autistic person has exceptional attention to detail. Not every dyslexic person is a visual thinker. Not everybody with ADHD is endlessly creative or able to hyperfocus on demand. These descriptions may feel positive, but they can become another expectation that an individual has to meet.

A more honest approach recognises potential without stereotyping.

Some neurodivergent workers may identify patterns, develop practical solutions, question inefficient processes or concentrate deeply on subjects that interest them. Others may bring persistence, technical knowledge or a perspective the team has missed. The same person may access their strengths in one environment and struggle in another.

My ADHD has helped me think quickly, make unusual connections and become deeply absorbed in work I care about. It has also made organisation, sleep and completing less interesting tasks more difficult. Both can be true at the same time.

The aim of inclusion is not to prove that every challenge is secretly an advantage. It is to understand the whole person, reduce unnecessary barriers and create the conditions in which their actual strengths can be used.

Reasonable Adjustments in Plain English

The legal position is often misunderstood.

Someone is considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if they have a physical or mental impairment with a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. A neurodivergent person may meet that definition, but the label alone does not automatically answer the question in every case.

Where the Act applies, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled workers so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage. What is reasonable depends on the person, the role, whether the change is practical, the cost and any effect on health and safety.

A formal diagnosis is not always necessary before support can be discussed. Acas guidance on neurodiversity adjustments advises employers to support workers whether or not they have a diagnosis and to recognise that two people with the same condition may need completely different adjustments.

Waiting lists, private assessment costs and stigma may prevent people from obtaining or sharing a diagnosis. A manager does not need to become a medical expert. They need to listen, avoid assumptions and review whether agreed support helps.

Support should also not begin and end with the words “reasonable adjustment”. Many changes are simply good management and can benefit the whole team, including people who are neurodivergent but have not disclosed it.

What Practical Support Can Look Like on Site

Clear communication is one of the simplest places to start.

An instruction can be explained verbally and followed with a short written message, marked drawing or photograph. A larger task can be separated into stages with the priority made clear. Asking the worker to repeat the key points can confirm the message has landed without turning it into a test.

Construction will always involve change, but giving early notice where possible helps somebody process it. Even a brief warning that tomorrow’s location, team or task will be different can reduce unnecessary anxiety.

Sensory support needs to be considered alongside safety. Noise-cancelling headphones may help during paperwork or in a welfare area, but they could be dangerous where somebody needs to hear alarms, vehicles or instructions. The adjustment should fit the risk. That might mean a quieter space for completing documents, suitable hearing protection for the work zone, shorter breaks away from intense noise or arranging focused tasks at less busy times.

Organisation can be supported through labelled storage, checklists, visual schedules and a consistent place for equipment. These are not expensive changes, and they may reduce lost time and mistakes for everyone.

Flexibility around hours can help where the role allows it, but construction cannot pretend every start time is optional. Some work depends on a full team being present for a briefing, possession or safety-critical operation. In those situations, the conversation might focus on predictable shifts, travel planning, a different route, changes to non-essential morning duties or support with sleep and routine rather than moving the start.

The government’s Access to Work scheme may also help eligible people with practical support such as specialist equipment, assistive software, a job coach or some travel costs. It does not remove an employer’s own responsibilities, but it is a useful route that many workers and smaller businesses do not know about.

Adjustments should be reviewed because something useful on paper may not work on a changing site. Agree a trial, ask what difference it made and adapt it where needed.

Accountability Still Matters

Some managers worry that supporting neurodivergence means they can no longer address mistakes, lateness or performance. That is not the case.

People still need clear expectations, and construction still needs safe, competent work. What changes is the route taken before assuming somebody does not care.

Acas guidance on performance and neurodiversity recommends making sure reasonable support has been explored before moving into a formal performance or capability process. That protects the worker, but it also gives the employer a better chance of solving the actual problem.

If I was repeatedly late because of difficulties connected with ADHD, OCD or sleep, the answer would not have been to ignore it forever. I needed to be involved in finding a workable solution and take responsibility for the parts I could control. The employer’s responsibility was to listen, consider support and judge me on more than the easiest explanation.

Compassion and standards can exist together.

Why People Do Not Always Speak Up

Adjustments are difficult to discuss when workers do not feel safe enough to explain what they need.

An Acas survey of 1,650 line managers found that 72% saw employees not disclosing a need as a barrier to making adjustments. Forty-five per cent identified a lack of organisational knowledge, while 39% said managers found the conversation difficult.

Those figures are not construction-specific, but the problem will feel familiar. A worker may fear losing opportunities or becoming the subject of site banter. Someone without a diagnosis may feel they have no right to ask, while another person may not know how to describe what would help.

Trust is built through what happens after somebody speaks. If the information is shared around the site, turned into a joke or immediately used against them, others will notice and remain silent. If the conversation stays respectful and leads to practical support, people are more likely to come forward earlier.

Managers do not need a perfect script. A useful starting point is: “What part of the work is creating the difficulty, and what could help you do it well?”

Recruitment and Apprenticeships Need Attention Too

Neuroinclusive working should begin before somebody is hired.

Job adverts can be clearer about the essential parts of the role instead of asking for vague qualities that have little to do with the work. Interview questions can be shared in advance where appropriate, and candidates can be given time to process before answering. Practical assessments may show ability more accurately than expecting someone to sell themselves confidently across a table.

Apprentices need particular care because they are learning the trade and learning how workplaces operate at the same time. A young person who asks repeated questions may be trying to understand, not refusing to listen. Somebody who struggles with written work may still be excellent practically. Training providers, employers and supervisors need to communicate so that support does not disappear when an apprentice moves from the classroom to site.

This does not mean lowering the competence required to work safely. It means removing barriers that are unrelated to competence so people have a fair opportunity to demonstrate it.

Onward Shift and Neurodiversity in Construction

At Onward Shift, this conversation begins with lived experience. I know what it is like to spend years wondering why ordinary expectations feel more difficult than they appear to be for everybody else. I also know what can happen when somebody finally understands themselves and receives the right support.

Onward Shift helps construction companies start more honest conversations through our support for companies, which includes lived-experience speakers, toolbox talks, workplace wellbeing support and free resources. The aim is to help leaders understand people without turning the subject into another policy that nobody on site connects with.

For individuals, Onward Shift coaching includes access to specialist neurodiversity coaches who can help people understand their patterns, develop practical strategies and work towards goals in a way that suits them. Coaching is not a diagnosis or medical treatment, but it can provide useful space for somebody who wants help turning self-awareness into everyday action.

You can also read more about my own experience in My Battle with ADHD.

Building an Industry That Makes Room for Different Minds

Construction does not need everybody to think in the same way. It needs people who can work safely, learn, solve problems, communicate and care about what they build.

Neurodivergent workers are already part of the industry. Some have diagnoses, many do not and others may never use the language. The question is whether our workplaces help them contribute or make them use so much energy hiding that they burn out or leave.

Creating a more inclusive industry does not require every company to redesign every role. It starts with clearer communication, fewer assumptions and the willingness to ask what somebody needs before deciding what they lack.

For me, being diagnosed did not suddenly remove the difficulties I had experienced. It gave them context. It helped me understand that I still had responsibilities, but I did not have to keep treating every struggle as a personal failure.

That is the shift I want construction to make.

See the person. Understand the barrier. Protect the standards that genuinely matter, and be flexible about the habits that exist only because “that’s how we’ve always done it”.

If we can do that, we will not only retain more skilled people. We will build an industry where different minds are given a fair chance to do good work and feel that they belong.

If your company wants help opening this conversation, contact Onward Shift and let’s discuss what practical neuroinclusive support could look like for your workforce.