Rethinking diversity at work: cognitive inclusion, culture, and research delivery
Published on 30 October 2024 • Written by Dr Lisa Colledge
This article was originally published as Rethinking Diversity at Work, in the University of Oxford’s Linacre College’s alumni newsletter.
Lisa Colledge (1995) is a thought leader in neurodiversity inclusion. She completed a DPhil in Medicine at Linacre and has become an expert in change management. In this article, she shares how personal and professional experiences have shaped her discovery that cognitively inclusive workplaces are not only happier and healthier, but also more successful and resilient.
Why culture has become an operational issue for research leaders
Since writing this piece, I’ve continued to have many conversations with UK research office leaders who recognise these cultural dynamics not as abstract values, but as practical delivery risks. As research becomes more collaborative, mission-driven, and outcome-oriented, the ability to enable different strengths to work together has become more than a cultural aspiration — it is an operational constraint.
➡️ Test whether you recognise the signals: When research ambition outruns the system.
Universal EDI* through cognitive inclusion: rethinking diversity at work
*EDI: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
A few years ago, we discovered that the challenges our son faced at daycare stemmed from autism with learning difficulties. This marked the start of an incredible journey for our family. We had to adopt new habits to create an environment in which he could thrive. The changes have been astonishing, including now being able to speak. He loves learning, and though his process is different from his sister’s, his creativity and problem-solving skills are improving. We are eager to see how learning to read and write will further open up his world.
I started sharing my experiences at work, and what happened next surprised me. A huge volume of people connected with what I was sharing – colleagues who were neurodivergent themselves, those caring for neurodivergent family members, and others who simply wanted to understand more.
As Chief of Staff and leader of the disability-inclusion employee resource group, I decided to experiment and apply the habits my family was learning to the workplace. I wondered what impact raising awareness about neurodivergence and learning inclusive behaviours would have on our teams.
The results were remarkable. Just by making a few behavioural changes, business outcomes started to improve, and our teams became more engaged. I have yet to find another initiative with such a profound, positive impact across all aspects of an organization.
The success of these efforts inspired me to start my own business, dedicated to designing workplace cultures inspired by neurodivergence inclusion. Taking inspiration from people like my son has shown me that cognitively inclusive workplaces are not only happier and healthier but also more successful and resilient.
Moving beyond traditional diversity programs
“Surely we already have enough diversity dimensions to focus on?” It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed by the idea of adding another diversity category — especially when EDI initiatives tend to focus on isolated dimensions, like gender or ethnicity, and aim for percentage targets.
However, current diversity initiatives often fail to reflect the complexity of real people. Most individuals aren’t defined by a single characteristic; they’re multifaceted, often identifying with multiple dimensions, such as age, sexuality, or disability.
They are also inherently unfair: recruiting a woman or person of colour might count as success for your diversity program, but it doesn’t set that person up to succeed. And these programs, while well-intentioned, replace one kind of discrimination with another, leaving many people out of the picture altogether.
Build cultures that empower everyone
We obviously need to do something as imbalances persist in businesses. Companies have a responsibility to use their powerful position to lead society toward greater inclusivity but need to do this in a way that benefits their customers and owners, as well as their employees. Their EDI initiatives should drive business success while ensuring that every employee has an equal opportunity to thrive.
That brings me back to neurodiversity. What excites me most about neurodivergence inclusion is that everyone benefits. Traits associated with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other forms of neurodivergence exist throughout the population. We diagnose someone as “neurodivergent” when these traits cause significant challenges, but the diversity of cognitive styles is universal.
Designing a culture that considers the needs of those at the extremes of cognitive diversity creates an environment where everyone can thrive, regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, or sexual orientation. Cognitive inclusion is effectively the “universal design” of EDI – a model that makes workplaces more inclusive for all.
Creating a safe, inclusive culture without labels
A common question I hear is whether people need to disclose their neurodivergence to benefit from a cognitively inclusive culture. The answer is no. In a cognitively inclusive workplace, diverse thinking styles are valued, and team norms are established to accommodate all members. It’s not about changing individuals but about creating an environment where everyone feels valued and can be their authentic selves.
In such a culture, most of the accommodations that neurodivergent employees currently request are no longer needed – the supportive environment is already in place. This approach removes the burden of disclosure and accommodates those awaiting a diagnosis or unaware of their neurodivergence.
Yes, it works!
68% higher well-being.
17% higher productivity.
51% lower employee turnover.
19% higher innovation revenue.
More than 40% larger talent pool to draw from.
Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) from -33 to 1 in a year.
We’ve all felt it – those moments when we’re working with a team and everything just clicks. We produce work that none of us could have done alone, and it feels like we’re “flying” or “on fire”. That is cognitive inclusion. Our goal is to make that feeling the norm. It won’t happen on its own; we need to design and nurture a culture that delivers these outcomes consistently.
If you’re a UK research office leader grappling with how collaboration, outcomes, and delivery expectations are colliding with systems designed for a different research era, I’ve written a short reflection to help you assess whether this pattern matches your reality.
➡️ Test whether you recognise the signals: When research ambition outruns the system.
The path to cultural success
Cognitive diversity already exists in your organization, but if you haven’t shaped the working culture to ensure that everyone can contribute their best, you’re missing out on valuable potential. The key is to prioritise building an inclusive culture that leverages this diversity.
Successful cultural transformations share several features. First, they are driven by leadership. Leaders must model desired behaviours, communicate openly about the initiative, and create safe feedback loops.
Secondly, everyone in the organization needs to play a role in bringing the vision to life. Training helps employees learn how to communicate and collaborate in a cognitively inclusive way. By tailoring leadership’s cultural vision to their specific teams, it becomes relevant and meaningful in everyday work.
Finally, it’s essential to reinforce the right habits through your processes and policies. Recognising and embedding cognitively inclusive behaviour in everyday business ensures the transformation is sustained even after the formal program ends.
From culture to operating reality
This article has explored why cognitively inclusive cultures improve outcomes — and why they matter in complex, high-pressure environments.
Since publishing it, my discussions with UK research office leaders have clearly shown me that the challenge is rarely whether inclusion or collaboration matters, but whether the systems they operate within make it possible to deliver collaborative, mission-oriented research at scale.
If you’re responsible for enabling research delivery and are noticing growing friction between ambition and execution, I’ve written a short reflection to help you assess whether this pattern matches your reality.
➡️ Test whether you recognise the signals: When research ambition outruns the system.
