Blumenthal commissions study into workplace neurodiversity

Fear of stigma and reprisals is preventing neurodiverse business leaders from openly discussing their diagnoses, 64% of FTSE 350 board directors and HR professionals say. 

Research by chef-restaurateur Heston Blumenthal OBE, covering 100 FTSE 350 companies, reveals that 82% of respondents would like to see more senior high-profile business leaders who are neurodiverse talk openly and positively about how communicating has helped them. 

Blumenthal – whose restaurants include the three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck, the Michelin-starred Hind's Head and two Michelin star Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and the Perfectionists' Café – recently announced his own diagnoses of bipolar and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The chef wants to raise awareness of the importance of including those with mental illness and neurodiverse individuals in the workplace. 

Neuroinclusive workplaces

Eighty-four percent of respondents say that it is either extremely or quite important that the company they work for is more neuroinclusive in both the general workplace and senior management. 

When asked what percentage of their own senior management team is neurodiverse, 21% of respondents think less than 5%, 31% say between 5% and 10%, over a quarter (26%) say between 10% and 15%, 7% say between 20% and 25%, and 4% think between 25% and 30% of senior management is neurodiverse. 

"Being open about neurodiversity is crucial in ending the stigma," says Blumenthal. "I have found that being open about my bipolar and ADHD not only helps me, but has been useful in supporting my colleagues and staff with their own diagnoses. Senior management has an opportunity to demonstrate that being neurodiverse is not by any means a hindrance and in fact can open doors to successful, long-term careers."

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