by Sarah Burnett & Fiona Crocker | Co-Founders, Dub Dub Data

Your most brilliant data professional just handed in their resignation. On paper, they were exceptional - spotting patterns others missed, producing meticulous analysis, and diving deep into complex problems with laser focus. But over recent months, you've watched them struggle in team meetings, seem overwhelmed by shifting priorities, and withdraw from collaborative sessions. Your exit interview reveals they felt "unsupported" and that the role "wasn't the right fit."

What if we told you this scenario plays out repeatedly across data teams worldwide, and the real issue isn't individual employee performance - it's systematic workplace design that inadvertently excludes some of our most talented neurodivergent individuals?

We explored this exact challenge in our latest unDUBBED podcast episode: Neurodiversity in Business, with Brian Tancock, the Growth Manager at Neurodiverse You. Brian brings a fascinating perspective from his journey through international banking across London, Singapore and Hong Kong to helping mental health professionals, shaped by his personal experience with ADHD and workplace dynamics.

His story reveals uncomfortable truths about how traditional workplace structures can destroy careers and waste exceptional neurodivergent talent. More importantly, it shows us exactly what needs to change to create inclusive workplace environments.

🎧 Want to hear the full episode? Listen to unDUBBED: Neurodiversity in Business with Brian Tancock here.

How Workplace Barriers Fail Neurodivergent Workers in Data Teams

Brian's banking career trajectory reads like a cautionary tale that's repeated across data and analytics teams daily. Starting as a computer operator, he taught himself to code and quickly advanced through increasingly senior roles at major international banks. On the surface, he was succeeding. Underneath, the pressure was building toward an inevitable crash.

The symptoms were there - significant anxiety, workplace stress, and attempts to mask his struggles. Yet nobody in his workplace recognised these as signs of someone struggling with a work environment fundamentally misaligned with how their brain worked.

Brian reflects that he probably took on leadership roles beyond where he was comfortable, leading to overwhelming pressure and stress that ultimately resulted in a spectacular burnout and crash.

This isn't an isolated case. In data teams across the globe, we're watching similar patterns unfold. High-performing neurodivergent employees at all levels - from senior data leaders to junior analysts - are burning out not because they lack capability, but because workplace structures demand they operate in ways that drain rather than energise their cognitive resources. The best organisations recognise that supporting neurodivergent talent requires systematic workplace adjustments.

Understanding Neurodiversity: The Hidden 15% of Your Workforce

Here's a statistic that should reshape how you think about team management: approximately 15% of your workforce is neurodivergent. In data and analytics, that percentage is likely higher. The logical structures, pattern recognition requirements, and deep focus demanded by data work naturally attract neurodivergent professionals.

Yet most of these neurodivergent individuals remain undiagnosed or undisclosed. In the UK, wait times for ADHD assessments through the NHS can reach 10 years. Some regions have stopped accepting referrals entirely. Unless someone can afford a private evaluation, which can still take up to a year, they simply cannot access a formal diagnosis.

This means you likely have multiple team members struggling silently, attributing their challenges to personal failures rather than recognising they're operating in workplace environments designed for different cognitive styles. They're experiencing feelings of inadequacy without understanding the underlying causes.

Consider the implications: your most analytically gifted team members - whether they're senior managers, mid-level employees, or junior analysts - might be spending enormous mental energy just trying to function in standard workplace conditions, leaving less capacity for the brilliant insights you hired them to generate. Creating an inclusive workplace that supports neurodivergent workers is essential for talent retention and organisational productivity.

Workplace Trauma: The Hidden Cost of Unsupportive Environments

Brian's experience reveals how workplace cultures can create lasting psychological damage for neurodivergent employees. He describes developing what amounts to workplace trauma - becoming paralysed by fear of rejection after working under a boss who consistently dismissed quality work as part of their management strategy.

He explains how this conditioning led to over-analysing every piece of work, struggling to produce anything due to fear of the response, and spending enormous mental energy trying to anticipate and prevent criticism, even when the work met exceptionally high standards.

This psychological conditioning doesn't disappear when someone changes roles. It follows them, affecting their confidence and performance across their career. For data professionals, this can be particularly devastating - the very attention to detail and perfectionism that makes them exceptional at analysis can become weaponised against them by poor management practice.

Multiply this across your organisation. How many talented data professionals - from directors to analysts - are operating below their potential because previous workplace experiences have taught them to expect criticism, rejection, or dismissal of their contributions? The best approach involves creating supportive workplace cultures that recognise neurodiversity at work as a valuable asset.

Neurodivergent Masking: When High-Performing Workers Struggle

One of the most misunderstood aspects of neurodiversity is masking - the exhausting process of constantly adapting behaviour to fit neurotypical expectations.

 For data professionals, this might look like forcing themselves to participate actively in open office environments when they need quiet for deep analysis, pretending to follow rapid-fire verbal instructions when they need information written down, appearing engaged in large group meetings when they're overwhelmed by sensory input, or delivering immediate responses to complex questions when they need processing time to formulate thoughtful answers.

Brian emphasises that symptoms often don't appear until neurodivergent people are under pressure, potentially emerging during stressful periods or major life changes, including menopause.

This explains why previously high-performing team members might suddenly seem to struggle. They haven't lost their abilities - they've reached the limits of their masking capacity. The cognitive load required to constantly adapt to misaligned work environments exceeds their resources. Understanding this pattern is crucial for helping neurodivergent employees maintain their productivity and wellbeing.

Hiring Barriers: How We Exclude Neurodivergent Talent

Brian shares a particularly revealing example of unconscious bias in hiring - his tendency to dismiss candidates based on minor formatting inconsistencies in their resumes, such as bullets being slightly misaligned or inconsistent fonts and spacing.

His reasoning seemed logical at the time - viewing the resume as the most crucial report a candidate would ever write, and assuming that formatting errors indicated an inability to produce quality work.

The flaw in this logic becomes clear when we understand neurodiversity. Someone might struggle with formatting consistency due to dyslexia, ADHD, or visual processing differences, while simultaneously being capable of extraordinary analytical insights. By filtering candidates based on resume formatting, we're systematically excluding neurodivergent individuals who might revolutionise our data strategies.

This extends beyond hiring into daily work. How many brilliant analyses are dismissed because the formatting doesn't meet arbitrary standards? How many innovative approaches are overlooked because they don't follow established presentation templates? Creating inclusive workplace practices requires recognising that neurodivergent talent often excels in problem-solving while struggling with conventional formatting requirements.

Rethinking Performance: Supporting Neurodivergent Workers Beyond Memory Tests

Traditional workplace assessments often function as memory tests rather than capability evaluations. Brian's insight is particularly relevant for data teams - conventional assessments frequently test memory rather than actual knowledge, subject expertise, or intelligence. Even simple conversations can become memory challenges when someone is expected to recall and respond to questions asked minutes earlier.

Consider how this plays out in typical data team interactions: sprint retrospectives where team members are expected to recall detailed project challenges from memory, stakeholder meetings where analysts must instantly process complex data displayed on screens and provide immediate insights, performance reviews based on recollection of accomplishments rather than documented outcomes, and training assessments that prioritise memorisation over practical application.

These approaches systematically disadvantage neurodivergent professionals who might have exceptional analytical capabilities but struggle with working memory or rapid information processing under pressure.

The irony is profound: we're evaluating data professionals, whose job is to create systems that don't rely on human memory, using methods that prioritise memory over insight generation.

Workplace Accommodations: Helping Neurodivergent People Achieve Productivity

The power of appropriate accommodations becomes clear through Brian's examples. Simple adjustments can unlock tremendous potential:

How to Hire Neurodivergent Workers: Interview Examples

When conducting interviews for neurodivergent candidates, Brian's organisation puts questions on screen, allowing candidates to refer back to them. This eliminates the memory component and focuses on actual capabilities.

Creating Inclusive Work Environments for Autism and ADHD

Providing noise-cancelling headphones, adjustable lighting, or quieter workspaces can dramatically improve focus and productivity. These changes often benefit the entire team, not just neurodivergent members.

Supporting Neurodivergent Workers Through Flexible Communication

Some team members need information written down in bullet points, others prefer verbal explanations, and still others need time to process before responding. Accommodating these differences improves communication effectiveness across the board.

Helping Neurodivergent People Excel Beyond Traditional Presentations

Not everyone thrives in high-pressure presentation environments. Allowing brilliant analytical work to be shared through detailed reports, collaborative discussions, or supported presentations can showcase insights more effectively than forcing everyone into identical formats.

The key insight: these accommodations aren't about lowering standards. They're about removing barriers that prevent exceptional minds from demonstrating their true capabilities.

Building Trust: Why Neurodivergent Workers Don't Request Support

Understanding why neurodivergent team members often don't request support reveals systemic trust issues within many organisations. Brian emphasises that the primary barrier preventing people from asking for what they need is trust - many neurodivergent individuals simply don't feel comfortable sharing their diagnosis with employers, whether with managers, HR, or even diversity and inclusion colleagues.

This trust deficit isn't irrational. Many neurodivergent employees have experienced career limitations after disclosing their diagnosis, being pigeonholed into narrow roles that don't utilise their full capabilities, having accommodations treated as special favours rather than legitimate workplace adjustments, subtle (or not-so-subtle) discrimination in promotion decisions, and being blamed for team dynamics issues that stem from a lack of understanding.

The result is a workforce where exceptional talent remains hidden, struggling silently rather than risking career consequences by seeking appropriate support.

Inclusive Leadership: Supporting Neurodivergent Teams at Scale

Brian's insight about reaching multiple lives through workplace intervention reveals the true scale of inclusive leadership impact. When organisations make cultural shifts or simply add new questions to their performance evaluation processes, the ripple effects can potentially impact hundreds of thousands of lives - not just the employees themselves, but their family members, friends, and loved ones.

This cascading effect operates both positively and negatively. A single manager who fosters psychologically safe work environments can positively influence dozens of careers. Conversely, one unsupportive manager can cause lasting damage that impacts neurodivergent individuals throughout their entire career trajectory.

For data team leaders, this represents both a tremendous opportunity and a significant responsibility. Your management approach doesn't just affect immediate team performance - it shapes how team members approach their entire professional development and influences their family wellbeing. The best leadership practices recognise that supporting neurodivergent workers creates positive outcomes that extend far beyond the immediate workplace, contributing to better retention and stronger organisational culture.

Work Environment Pressure: When ADHD and Autism Symptoms Emerge

Brian's observation that neurodivergent symptoms often emerge under pressure is particularly relevant for data teams, which frequently operate under tight deadlines and high-stakes conditions. When individuals experience pressure, symptoms that they might otherwise manage or conceal become more evident.

This explains common patterns in data teams: high performers who struggle during crunch periods despite handling routine work excellently, team members who seem fine during steady-state operations but become overwhelmed during major project deliveries, analysts who excel at independent work but struggle during intensive collaborative phases, and technical experts who perform brilliantly until asked to present findings to senior executives.

Traditional performance management approaches often interpret these patterns as inconsistency or lack of resilience. Understanding neurodivergence reframes them as predictable responses to environmental stressors that can be mitigated through appropriate support.

Embracing Neurodiversity: The Innovation Advantage for Teams

The business case for neurodivergent inclusion goes beyond ethical considerations and offers a competitive advantage. Different cognitive processing styles can result in breakthrough insights that conventional approaches often overlook.

Brian emphasises that neurodivergent individuals are often among the most brilliant contributors in technical fields, with higher representation in areas like data analysis, banking mathematics, and engineering. This talent exists at all organisational levels, from technical specialists to senior executives.

For data teams, this translates to:

Pattern Recognition

Different neural pathways can identify relationships in data that others overlook

Deep Focus Capabilities

Sustained attention spans that enable thorough analysis of complex datasets

Systematic Thinking

Methodical approaches that reduce errors and improve quality

Creative Problem-Solving

Non-linear thinking that generates innovative analytical approaches

Attention to Detail

Meticulous examination that catches subtle but critical data quality issues

Teams that successfully harness these cognitive differences often outperform homogeneous groups, particularly on complex analytical challenges that benefit from multiple perspective approaches.

Identifying Barriers: Red Flags in Your Work Environment

Brian's experience enables the identification of specific warning signs that indicate workplace cultures aren't supporting neurodivergent team members effectively:

Workplace Support Examples for Neurodivergent Teams

"Results at any cost" mentalities that ignore how outcomes are achieved Inconsistent application of supportive policies across different managers.

Lack of procedures to address unsupportive management behaviours.

High turnover attributed to "cultural fit" issues Binary performance evaluation systems that don't consider individual working styles.

Supporting Workers with Dyslexia in Data Roles

Previously high-performing team members at any level suddenly struggling with routine tasks. Increased sick leave or stress-related absences without obvious external causes. Team members seem disengaged during collaborative sessions despite strong individual performance. Feedback that established processes feel overwhelming or unnecessarily complex. Talented individuals leaving citing workload or management style concerns.

Creating Productive Environments for ADHD Workers

Employees who seem anxious about asking questions or seeking clarification. Team members who consistently work excessive hours to meet standard deadlines Individuals who avoid speaking up in meetings despite having valuable expertise. Professionals who seem relieved when working independently but stressed during collaborative work.

Recognising these patterns enables proactive intervention before valuable team members reach breaking point.

The Neurodivergent Advantage: What Neurotypical Teams Miss

Organisations that fail to support neurodivergent team members aren't just losing individual contributors - they're missing entire categories of analytical insight. Different cognitive styles notice different patterns, ask different questions, and generate different hypotheses about data relationships.

Consider a typical data science project investigating customer churn. A neurotypical professional might focus on standard metrics like usage frequency and support ticket volume. A neurodivergent team member - whether they're a senior data scientist or junior analyst - might notice subtle interaction patterns, temporal anomalies, or data quality inconsistencies that point to entirely different causal relationships.

When teams operate with cognitive homogeneity - even unconsciously - they develop analytical blind spots. Important signals in data remain undetected because everyone is looking through similar neural filters.

This isn't theoretical. Brian's banking experience demonstrates how neurodivergent professionals often end up supporting critical systems precisely because they notice details and patterns that others miss. Yet traditional management approaches frequently fail to leverage these strengths systematically. The best workplace environments actively seek out neurodivergent talent and create inclusive conditions where these unique analytical capabilities can flourish, ultimately driving better organisational outcomes and competitive advantage.

ROI of Supporting Neurodivergent Workers: The Business Case

The financial case for neurodivergent accommodation is compelling when properly calculated. Brian emphasises that most necessary accommodations are neither expensive nor complex, often involving simple environmental adjustments like quieter workspaces, adjusted lighting, or reduced air conditioning in specific areas.

He also points out the broader business impact, noting that approaches designed to support neurodivergent employees, characterised by empathy, consideration for individual needs, asking questions, and willingness to adapt, tend to benefit all staff members and can significantly improve overall productivity and reduce costs. Creating an inclusive workplace that values neurodiversity generates measurable returns through improved employee retention, enhanced problem-solving capabilities, and access to previously untapped talent pools. The best organisations track these metrics and demonstrate clear ROI from their neurodiversity initiatives, making the business case even stronger for continued investment in workplace inclusion strategies.

Developing Inclusive Leadership to Support Neurodivergent People

Creating genuinely inclusive data teams requires developing leadership capabilities that go beyond traditional management training. Brian's experience reveals key insights about what leaders need to understand:

Leadership Strategies for Embracing Neurodiversity

Leaders need to recognise that people have complex backstories and that there's often much more happening internally than what's visible on the surface. This requires taking time to ask questions and show genuine curiosity about team members' experiences.

Effective leaders must develop skills in listening, speaking, and communicating in ways that work for different individuals, while respecting both physical and emotional boundaries.

The primary barrier preventing people from asking for support is lack of trust. Leaders must create environments where team members feel safe to discuss their needs without fear of negative consequences.

Leaders need to understand that current workplace structures were designed for specific groups of people and actively work to identify and modify barriers that exclude different cognitive styles.

Conclusion

The statistics are clear: neurodivergent professionals represent significant untapped potential within data teams. The business case is compelling: appropriate support typically costs little but can unlock extraordinary analytical capabilities. The moral case is undeniable: talented individuals are burning out and leaving careers they love because workplace structures fail to accommodate the diverse approaches of brilliant minds.

Yet implementation remains inconsistent across organisations, often because leaders don't understand the practical steps required or the genuine impact of seemingly small changes.

Brian's journey from banking burnout to neurodivergent advocacy demonstrates both the devastating toll of unsupportive environments and the transformative power of inclusive approaches. His experience shows that most essential changes are neither complex nor costly, they simply require understanding, intentionality, and a commitment to creating conditions where exceptional talent can flourish.

The opportunity extends beyond individual careers to organisational competitive advantage. Data teams that successfully harness neurodivergent cognitive diversity often generate insights and solve problems that homogeneous teams entirely overlook. They develop more robust analytical approaches, improve communication practices, and enhance innovation capacity.

For data leaders, this represents a choice: continue operating with structures that inadvertently exclude exceptional talent, or intentionally create environments that enable different types of excellence to flourish. The organisations that choose inclusion won't just be doing the right thing - they'll be positioning themselves at the forefront of analytical innovation.

The transformation doesn't require massive overhauls or revolutionary changes. It requires leaders who understand that brilliant minds work differently and are committed to creating conditions where everyone can contribute their best analytical thinking. It requires recognising that accommodation isn't about lowering standards but about removing barriers that prevent exceptional capabilities from being fully utilised.

Most importantly, it requires understanding that the conversation around neurodivergence in data teams isn't about managing challenges - it's about unleashing potential that traditional approaches leave unrealised.

FAQs

1. How can data team leaders create an environment where everyone feels comfortable asking for support?

   The biggest barrier is trust. Many neurodivergent professionals have faced career limitations after disclosure. Leaders must demonstrate that seeking support is valued by having independent champions, integrating empathy into performance reviews, and consistently emphasising that the manner in which results are achieved is as important as the results themselves. Create multiple pathways for accessing support and ensure conversations remain confidential unless the individual chooses otherwise.

2. What adjustments can be made to support neurodiverse professionals with presenting to stakeholders?

   Move beyond testing presentation skills to showcasing analytical insights. Provide questions in advance, allow preparation time, and offer alternatives like detailed written reports or collaborative discussions. Consider whether brilliant analytical work truly needs to be presented in traditional formats or whether other approaches might be more effective for communicating insights.

3. What are the red flags that suggest workplace culture isn't supporting neurodivergent team members?

   Watch for "results at any cost" cultures, inconsistent application of supportive processes, and lack of procedures to address unsupportive management behaviours. High turnover for "cultural fit" reasons, previously high-performing individuals suddenly struggling, and feedback that processes feel unnecessarily complex are warning signs that require investigation.

4. What does effective neurodivergent support look like in practice?

   Inclusive workplaces value individual uniqueness and build flexibility into their processes. They consider multiple data points for performance evaluation, ensure consistency across all leadership levels, and create reflection opportunities built into people processes. Crucially, they move beyond box-ticking compliance to genuine cultural change that benefits everyone.

5. For someone recently diagnosed as neurodivergent, how should they navigate their career?

   Begin by accepting your uniqueness and understanding how you interact with your work environment. Identify what doesn't feel optimal and develop coping mechanisms. Share your experience when you feel psychologically safe to do so - you'll often find others who relate to your challenges. Remember that diagnosis can bring relief, but also grief for your previous understanding of yourself.

6. Where are the biggest opportunities for improving business approaches to neurodiversity?

   Despite political backlash in some regions, awareness is increasing, and legal frameworks for accommodations are in place. The key opportunity lies in shifting from compliance-driven approaches to recognising neurodivergence as a competitive advantage. Early adopters who genuinely integrate inclusive practices will gain significant benefits in attracting and retaining analytical talent.

7. How should managers handle team members who might be neurodivergent but haven't disclosed or been diagnosed?

    Focus on creating universally supportive environments rather than trying to identify specific individuals. Offer multiple communication channels, flexible working arrangements, and clear context for decisions. If someone is struggling, explore environmental factors before assuming capability issues. Remember that many neurodivergent individuals are undiagnosed due to lengthy wait times for assessment.

8. What's the difference between reasonable accommodations and unfair advantages?

    Accommodations level the playing field by removing barriers that prevent someone from demonstrating their true capabilities. They don't lower standards but ensure everyone can meet the same high standards through methods that work for their cognitive style. The goal is equality of opportunity to contribute excellent work, not equality of method.

 D20 Neurodiversity & ADHD in the Workplace: Insights for Managers & Teams with Brian Tancock 

Connect with Brian and Neurodiverse You

If Brian's insights have resonated with you and you're looking for specialist support for neurodivergent assessment, coaching, or workplace consulting, we highly recommend connecting with the team at Neurodiverse You.

Brian and his colleagues provide gold-standard ADHD and autism assessments with significantly shorter wait times than traditional services, comprehensive coaching support, and expert workplace consulting to help organisations create genuinely inclusive environments.

Whether you're seeking personal assessment, looking for coaching support, or wanting to transform your organisation's approach to neurodiversity, the team at Neurodiverse You combines clinical expertise with real-world business understanding.

Learn more about their services at neurodiverseyou.com

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn

Ready to Unlock Your Team's Hidden Potential?

Creating truly inclusive data teams that harness neurodivergent talent requires more than good intentions. It demands strategic thinking, systematic approaches, and leadership commitment to meaningful cultural change that goes beyond superficial accommodations.

The stakes are higher than individual career satisfaction. Organisations that fail to support neurodivergent talent are missing entire categories of analytical insight, losing competitive advantages, and inadvertently excluding the cognitive diversity that drives breakthrough innovation.

At Dub Dub Data, we understand that exceptional data initiatives depend not just on technical capabilities but on creating work environments where diverse minds can thrive. Whether you're looking to audit your current workplace practices for neurodivergent inclusion, develop leadership capabilities for supporting cognitive diversity, or transform your organisational approach to analytical talent management, we bring both strategic insight and practical implementation experience.

The question isn't whether your data team includes neurodivergent professionals - statistically, they almost certainly do. The critical question is whether your current structures are enabling these neurodivergent individuals to contribute their extraordinary capabilities or inadvertently creating barriers that limit everyone's potential.

Book a 30-minute discovery call today to explore how we can help your organisation harness neurodivergent advantages in your data initiatives. Let's discuss your specific challenges and design an approach that unlocks the full analytical potential within your existing team while positioning you to attract the exceptional talent that will define tomorrow's data landscape.

Book your discovery call here