Half of Lithuanian managers do not know whether they have neurodivergent employees on their teams

Nearly 60% of Lithuanian managers have heard of the term neurodiversity – the highest figure among organisations surveyed in Lithuania, Latvia and Denmark. However, a similar share, 59.1%, admit they do not know whether there are neurodivergent people on their own teams – employees with dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum conditions or other neurological differences.

This gap between awareness and practice was explored as part of the international project “Inclusion of Neurodivergent Employees in the Technology Sector.” Partners from Lithuania, Latvia and Denmark surveyed 64 organisations in the technology sector and, based on the findings, developed a practical guide to help company managers and HR professionals create more inclusive workplaces for neurodivergent employees.

“Meeting someone on the street or in the office, it is impossible to tell whether they are neurodivergent – autistic, dyslexic or have ADHD. Our society still struggles to understand invisible disabilities and neurodivergence, which means the challenges these people face often go unaddressed or are simply dismissed as unimportant. Yet workplace accommodations for an autistic person can be just as necessary as they are for someone with a visible physical disability,” says Barbora Suisse, founder of the non-profit organisation Draugiški autizmui and the Mes spektre community, and board member of the Lithuanian Diversity Charter.

Three countries, one goal: greater neuroinclusion in the technology sector

The project was implemented under the Nordplus Adult programme and coordinated by the Latvian Dyslexia Association, which has long advocated for the right of people with dyslexia and other reading difficulties to quality education. Other partners included Danish education company Ordblindetræning, which works with children and adults with dyslexia, and Tech-Park Kaunas, Lithuania’s largest science and technology park.

Together, the partners pursued a common goal: to promote the inclusion of neurodivergent people in the technology sector across the Nordic and Baltic countries by helping IT companies and startups better understand neurodiversity and adopt practical strategies for adapting the workplace.

To achieve this, the partners developed a questionnaire for technology companies, surveyed organisations in all three countries, analysed the collected data and used the findings to prepare a guide with practical recommendations for employers.

Survey findings: fear of stigma and lack of time and funding

The survey of 64 organisations in Lithuania, Latvia and Denmark revealed not only the gap between awareness and practice, but several other notable trends.

While 81.8% of Lithuanian respondents say their organisational culture encourages openness, 54.5% believe employees are still afraid to disclose their neurodivergence because of potential stigma. This gap between a declared culture of openness and employees’ fear of disclosure is one of the more striking findings of the survey.

Some of the Danish companies surveyed are already planning dedicated training on the topic, while Lithuanian companies reported that they currently neither provide nor plan such training.

Lithuanian companies identified lack of time (59.1%) and funding (54.5%) as the biggest barriers. Their greatest needs were practical guides and real-life case studies (63.6%), as well as specialised training for HR professionals and team managers (63.6%).

A practical guide for employers: from action plans to checklists

The project’s final result is a practical guide for company managers and HR professionals, designed to help organisations create workplaces that better accommodate neurodivergent employees.

Its aim is to help remove systemic barriers in the workplace that may arise during recruitment, meetings or everyday communication and prevent employees from reaching their full potential.

The guide includes an action plan to help organisations implement changes step by step, a practical table of low-cost solutions for improving concentration, reducing sensory overload and managing work tasks, clear steps for HR professionals to follow when an employee chooses to disclose their neurodivergence, as well as checklists for everyday management and providing feedback.

“Real inclusion is created through concrete decisions made by organisations. This publication is a practical guide for company managers and HR professionals, offering practical tools ranging from risk management and targeted workplace accommodations to recruitment guidelines and an action plan.

I would like to sincerely thank the Lithuanian Diversity Charter, the non-profit organisation Draugiški autizmui, and Samanta Marcinkevičienė, who holds a Master’s degree in psychology and specialises in cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy, for their expert contribution to this publication. Lithuania has strong organisations offering practical training, consultations and holistic solutions for companies that want to make neurodiversity a natural part of their organisational culture,” says Ieva Verbeck, representative of Tech-Park Kaunas.

The publication is now publicly available: read the guide.