Approximately 15% to 20% of the world’s population is neurodivergent, meaning a diagnosis in women is anything but rare. However, it is all too common for women to hide their neurodiversity or have it completely underdiagnosed. And those who identify as neurodivergent may face unique obstacles when seeking to advance their careers.
I recently had a conversation with one of our partners, a neurodivergent woman who shared with me the challenges she faced in getting an official diagnosis. It was through her mother’s unwavering determination that she was able to recognize her strengths and the skills she could maximize. Without this, she could have been overlooked and we would have missed out on a great partner within our firm.
Why women who identify as neurodivergent are overlooked
According to Australian Psychological Society, stereotypes are partly responsible for gender-specific diagnostic gaps. There is a general lack of understanding of how neurodivergent traits present themselves in women (often in more subtle ways, making them easy to overlook). Boys are diagnosed with ADHD in a ratio of three to one compared to girls. The boys are also four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism and twice as likely be diagnosed with dyslexia.
This underrepresentation of women in the workplace is not just a neurodiversity issue. Lean over 2023 Women in the workplace Study shows that despite progress in senior leadership positions, women remain underrepresented at all levels, especially women of color. The study also reveals that women in leadership positions are leaving at a higher rate than in previous years – and significantly more often than their male counterparts. Anecdotal evidence shows that when women – particularly neurodivergent women – do not receive the support they need at work, the number of women in leadership positions is directly affected.
This research is important since we know that the influence of women’s representation in leadership roles remains tangible and significant for revenue, results and organizational culture. A EY An internal DE&I study conducted in 2023 found that teams with a higher percentage of female partners have both higher revenue and margins.
As EY Global Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, I have been part of the EY organization’s ongoing journey towards greater neuro-inclusion and personally want to understand how to help women who identify as neurodivergent to thrive in the workplace. Part of my work includes conversations with professionals of different ranks and identities to help us cultivate a better sense of belonging for all and an environment that supports a wide range of flexibility requirements and work styles. Through these conversations, three common ideas emerged:
The importance of new inclusive policies or tangible updates to existing policies
Reviewing, improving and updating policies and processes can open the door to new perspectives. For example, a traditional hiring process can be taxing for many neurodivergent professionals, especially interviews focused on social skills versus professional or technical skills. Creating recruiting, performance management, and promotion policies that prioritize performance-based metrics, as well as more frequent feedback discussions about performance expectations, can help neurodivergent women be more successful in their career.
Unwavering support from leaders
Since neurodivergent women tend to present differently than men, taking the time to ask questions about how to support them is a good place to start. Then, create accountability around these ideas. The EY organization has decided to standardize executive assessment on inclusive leadership globally to ensure there is a consistent set of standards and an effective means of measurement. A key part of this is also training managers to assess and weigh technical skills versus soft skills in order to assess performance against the demands of a role.
Another idea that can go a long way toward inclusion is a sponsorship program. For women who identify as neurodivergent, having a sponsor who truly advocates for them when they’re not in the room is a game changer. For those who struggle to make connections, sponsors can play a pivotal role in ensuring they are heard as they progress in their careers.
Psychological safety assured
It may seem simple, but awareness goes a long way in creating an environment of psychological safety. Online learning courses, producing toolkits, and hosting company-wide events can help individuals, supervisors, and teams create a more neuro-inclusive environment.
Because most women’s expression of their neurodivergence is not apparent, greater psychological safety can be established by communicating the advantages that cognitively diverse teams possess consistently and with concrete tactics. This type of education can reframe the perception of disability as a strength and offer specific actions or ideas to create more inclusive environments.
Neurodivergent professionals often have sought-after skills and generate compelling results
It’s important to recognize that neurodivergent individuals often see the world differently, leading them to try approaches or find solutions to problems that others might not. These specialized skill sets may include an aptitude for solving complex problems using data and emerging technologies, creativity and innovation.
In today’s talent environment, these are often the most in-demand skills. As organizations invest in technology capabilities, having talent whose skills match the needs of these roles also helps the business.
At EY, through the organization’s 23 Neurodiverse Centers of Excellence (NcoE) around the world, we have seen neurodivergent professionals develop creative solutions resulting in innovative new products, increasing retention rates and saving millions of service delivery hours, saving nearly US$1 billion. in value creation. More importantly, the neurodiversity community (particularly women) has also recognized that having dedicated hiring and career progression strategies has been instrumental in increasing the conversation around self-disclosure and building a culture of greater acceptance and understanding.
Gender representation should not exclude neurodivergent individuals
As organizations continue to strive to balance gender representation in the workplace, thinking about less understood identities like neurodivergence can help advance inclusion and cultivate a sense of belonging for all, without judgment or exclusion.
Through the lens of cognitive diversity, there is a real opportunity to harness the unique differences that allow individuals to think, learn, communicate and socialize differently. Only when women who identify as neurodivergent feel free to be themselves can they realize their full potential in the workplace. Our businesses thrive thanks to the strength of our people. Including neurodivergent women in conversations about gender representation not only improves inclusivity, but also adds meaningful impact.
Karyn Twaronite is EY Global Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The views reflected in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the global EY organization or its member firms.
More essential comments published by Fortune:
The opinions expressed in comments on Fortune.com are solely the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
