In any workplace, it’s not uncommon for a manager or colleague to notice behaviours or patterns that suggest a team member might be neurodivergent. But what happens when nothing has been disclosed, and the person hasn’t asked for support?
Should you raise your observations? Should you implement support anyway? Or is it better to leave things alone?
These are sensitive questions, but important ones. At the heart of this conversation is a simple principle: support should be needs-led, not diagnosis-led.
What do we mean by “Needs-Led”?
A needs-led approach focuses on skillsets, strengths and challenges and needs, someone has in the workplace, rather than on whether they’ve received a formal diagnosis. With NHS England (2025) reporting 224,382 open referrals for suspected autism and over 500,000 waiting for ADHD assessment, needs-led is the only logical route due to the long pre-diagnostic pathways.
If a staff member is showing signs of difficulty, perhaps with focus, overwhelm, communication, organisation, or managing changes to routine, then the focus should be on working with them to understand what’s happening, and how the environment or practices might be adapted to help.
It’s not about “solving” the “problem”. It’s about noticing when someone isn’t thriving and creating the conditions in which they can.
Starting the conversation: SPELL it out
A helpful framework here is SPELL (Structure, Positive Approaches, Expectations, Low arousal, and Links). Originally developed by the National Autistic Society, SPELL offers a respectful and person-centred way to structure workplace conversations and can help managers explore how work can be more accessible without needing a diagnosis to take action.
These conversations can often be where a person feels safe enough to disclose something they hadn’t yet shared. But even if no disclosure happens, you still have valuable insight into what support might be useful.
Knowing how to start these conversations, and how to ensure a person feel psychologically safe, is something we regularly help teams build confidence around.
Do you need a diagnosis to offer adjustments?
In short: no.
Employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees, but a formal diagnosis isn’t a requirement to begin making changes. If someone is experiencing barriers at work, and reasonable adjustments can help remove or reduce them, those should be considered.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that as a HR professional or Line Manager, it is not your role to determine whether someone is legally disabled under the Act, that’s something only an employment tribunal would decide, and only if it became relevant.
What if there are no obvious challenges?
Sometimes, you might observe behaviours that suggest neurodivergence, perhaps in communication style, sensory differences, or how someone approaches tasks, but they don’t appear to be struggling.
In these cases, it’s still worth considering how inclusive your workplace culture is, and whether proactive signposting to support, screening or wellbeing options might be appropriate, especially if you have a trusting relationship. For example, our Workplace Needs Assessments are needs-led, and do not require a person to have a diagnosis to access.
The key here is not to assume, but to ensure that support is visible, accessible and stigma-free. We can help organisations strike that balance, supportive but not intrusive, open but not presumptive. See how you could become a needs-led Workplace Needs Assessor for your organisation here!
The bottom line: Support first, labels later (if at all)
At its core, a needs-led approach is about removing barriers, not labelling people. Whether someone discloses a diagnosis or not, the goal is to create a workplace that recognises and adapts to different needs, in a way that’s respectful, empowering, and sustainable.
So, if you’ve noticed something that makes you wonder, don’t wait for a label. Start with a conversation. Offer support. Focus on what will help them thrive.
What to know more?
We support organisations to have these conversations confidently, embed neuroinclusive practices, and build cultures where people don’t need to struggle before they’re supported. If you’re navigating a situation like this, or want to proactively prepare your team, we’re here to help.
Would you like to improve your understanding of neurodiversity? In August we have five sessions for our Neurodiversity Summer Camp:
5th August | Neurodiversity and Reasonable Adjustments | Book now
7th August | Introduction for Neurodiversity for Beginners | Book now
14th August | Neurodiversity and Mental Health | Book now
19th August | Neurodiversity and Professional Standards | Book now
28th August | Neurodiversity and Custody | Book now
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Newsletter written by Dr Alice Siberry.