Neurodiversity and Inclusive Workplace Training Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends HR Business Partners, HR Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-HM-125

Before you join: Participants should have practical experience in HR, people management, learning, DEI, employee relations or workplace services.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Neurodivergent employees may encounter barriers in recruitment, communication, workspace design, performance management and career progression that have little to do with capability. Employers also lose valuable cognitive diversity when processes reward one communication style, one method of organising work or one definition of professional behaviour. HR teams and managers need practical ways to identify avoidable barriers, discuss adjustments respectfully and build systems that support different working patterns without lowering role requirements.

This course develops the HR and management practices needed to include autistic people, people with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, Tourette syndrome and other neurodivergent colleagues. Participants examine cognitive effectiveness, sensory needs, executive-function demands, communication preferences and strengths-based job design. They apply the social model of disability, Universal Design for Learning principles, reasonable-adjustment processes and inclusive performance-management methods. The course also addresses confidentiality, disclosure, bias, psychological safety, conflict and the limits of managerial responsibility.

Teaching combines short instructor briefings with realistic cases from banking, public services, technology, NGOs and multinational employers. Participants analyse recruitment materials, meeting practices, workplace barriers and performance scenarios; practise adjustment conversations; and develop materials for their own workplace. They leave with an evidence-based Neurodiversity Inclusion Action Plan, including a current-state assessment, priority interventions, adjustment workflow, manager guidance, measures and implementation governance. Delivery is instructor-led in classrooms in more than 50 cities or live online. Participants receive a certificate of completion.

The course is designed for HR professionals, people managers, DEI practitioners, learning teams, employee-relations specialists and workplace-services leaders who already influence people policies or employee experience. It is particularly useful where an organisation wants practical implementation rather than awareness messaging alone.

What you will be able to do

  • Apply the social model of disability to identify workplace barriers and inclusion priorities
  • Assess recruitment, onboarding and performance processes for neurodiversity-related exclusion risks
  • Conduct structured workplace-adjustment conversations while protecting confidentiality and employee choice
  • Design sensory, communication and executive-function adjustments matched to role requirements
  • Use Universal Design for Learning principles to improve training, meetings and internal communications
  • Manage neurodiversity-related performance concerns using objective evidence, support plans and fair review points
  • Develop neuroinclusive manager guidance, governance measures and implementation accountabilities
  • Produce and present a Neurodiversity Inclusion Action Plan for a defined workplace context

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Conduct adjustment conversations with clearer boundaries, questions and follow-up actions
  • Recognise cognitive and sensory barriers hidden within ordinary people processes
  • Handle neurodiversity-related performance concerns without defaulting to assumptions about capability
  • Build credible business cases for neuroinclusive policy and process changes
  • Create a portfolio-ready Neurodiversity Inclusion Action Plan for a real employer context

For your organisation

  • More accessible recruitment and onboarding processes for candidates and new employees
  • Earlier identification and resolution of workplace barriers affecting performance and retention
  • More consistent adjustment decisions across managers, functions and locations
  • Lower employee-relations risk through documented, fair and confidential processes
  • Better use of cognitive diversity in problem-solving, quality assurance and specialist roles

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can explain neurodiversity using accurate, non-diagnostic workplace language.

  • Neurodiversity, neurodivergence and neurotypicality: precise workplace language without diagnostic claims
  • Social and medical models of disability and their HR implications
  • Strengths-based framing balanced with access needs, barriers and individual variation
  • Cognitive differences affecting attention, sensory processing, communication and executive function
  • Identity-first and person-first language chosen according to individual preference
  • Avoiding stereotypes, deficit assumptions and armchair diagnosis during workplace conversations

Participants can analyse how job demands interact with different cognitive working styles.

  • Job Demands-Resources model applied to attention, workload and recovery
  • Executive functions: planning, prioritising, working memory, inhibition and task switching
  • Sensory load created by noise, lighting, temperature, movement and visual clutter
  • Communication demands in ambiguous, fast-paced and socially coded work
  • Cognitive energy mapping across meetings, focused work and administrative tasks
  • Strengths profiles linked to accuracy, pattern recognition, creativity and specialist knowledge

Participants can establish a credible baseline for neurodiversity inclusion planning.

  • Inclusion baseline using workforce data, employee feedback and process evidence
  • Retention, absenteeism, grievance and promotion data examined for possible barriers
  • Employee journey mapping from attraction through exit and alumni contact
  • Materiality matrix ranking employee impact, operational risk and implementation feasibility
  • Listening channels that protect anonymity, consent and psychological safety
  • Baseline measures separating disclosure rates from actual inclusion experience

Participants can respond to disclosure while respecting choice, privacy and appropriate boundaries.

  • Voluntary disclosure distinguished from requests for workplace adjustments and support
  • Confidentiality boundaries between employees, managers, HR and occupational health
  • Psychological safety conditions for raising access needs without fear
  • Consent-based information sharing using minimum-necessary workplace details
  • Disclosure response protocol covering acknowledgement, options, records and follow-up
  • Escalation routes for safeguarding, health concerns and complex employee-relations cases

Participants can manage a consistent, individualised workplace-adjustment process.

  • Reasonable-adjustment workflow from request, exploration and decision through review
  • Interactive process questions focused on barriers, outcomes and workable options
  • Adjustment passports recording preferences, agreed supports and review responsibilities
  • Cost, effectiveness and operational feasibility assessed without blanket assumptions
  • Trial periods and review points documented before long-term adjustment decisions
  • Adjustment records separated from unnecessary diagnostic or medical information

Participants can specify practical environmental adjustments for sensory accessibility.

  • Sensory audit covering acoustics, lighting, temperature, smell and visual stimulation
  • Quiet zones, focus rooms and predictable desk arrangements for concentration
  • Noise-reduction options including headsets, acoustic panels and scheduling controls
  • Lighting choices assessed for glare, flicker, brightness and individual sensitivity
  • Remote and hybrid work patterns considered alongside role-based attendance requirements
  • Facilities escalation checklist for changes requiring property or technology support

Participants can redesign communication practices to reduce ambiguity and cognitive load.

  • Plain-language communication replacing implied expectations, jargon and vague deadlines
  • Meeting agendas issued early with purpose, decisions and preparation requirements
  • Written follow-up capturing actions, owners, dates and unresolved questions
  • Asynchronous communication options supporting reflection, processing time and focused responses
  • Turn-taking protocols that reduce interruption, dominance and pressure for instant answers
  • Communication preferences documented without labelling employees by diagnosis

Participants can identify and reduce unnecessary barriers in hiring processes.

  • Job analysis separates essential outcomes from customary but non-essential behaviours
  • Inclusive job advertisements use plain language and transparent selection criteria
  • Application formats reviewed for unnecessary timed, written or sensory demands
  • Structured interviews use behavioural evidence, consistent questions and scoring rubrics
  • Work samples designed to assess job performance rather than social confidence
  • Candidate adjustment process communicated before assessment, interview and onboarding

Participants can structure onboarding and probation for clarity, support and fair evaluation.

  • Onboarding plans sequence information, relationships, systems and early deliverables
  • Role clarity tools define priorities, quality standards, escalation routes and deadlines
  • Buddy arrangements distinguish social support from performance-management responsibility
  • Probation objectives use observable outputs rather than subjective cultural-fit judgements
  • Check-in cadence balances support, autonomy and documented progress evidence
  • Early adjustment reviews address barriers before capability concerns become entrenched

Participants can apply accessible learning principles to workplace development programmes.

  • Universal Design for Learning principles applied to objectives, materials and participation
  • Multiple means of representation reduce reliance on dense text or spoken instruction
  • Chunked learning sequences support working memory, rehearsal and knowledge retention
  • Accessible materials use clear headings, readable formats and meaningful visual structure
  • Assessment options preserve learning standards while varying demonstration methods
  • Facilitator guidance addresses processing time, participation choice and sensory needs

Participants can manage performance fairly where cognitive barriers may affect work outcomes.

  • Performance evidence separated from assumptions about attitude, effort or commitment
  • Performance Improvement Plans specify outputs, supports, timescales and review evidence
  • Root-cause analysis tests role design, workload, tools, training and adjustments
  • SMART objectives written with explicit quality thresholds and prioritisation rules
  • Support plans distinguish reasonable adjustments from ordinary performance expectations
  • Capability decisions documented through consistent evidence, consultation and review points

Participants can hold supportive, boundaried conversations about work barriers and adjustments.

  • OSKAR coaching questions clarify outcomes, strengths, know-how and next actions
  • Active listening techniques reduce interruption, assumption and premature problem-solving
  • Barrier-focused questions avoid requesting diagnosis, treatment or unnecessary personal detail
  • Conversation structure covers purpose, evidence, options, agreement and documented follow-up
  • Feedback methods separate observable behaviour, impact and future work expectations
  • Boundary statements clarify manager responsibilities and appropriate specialist referrals

Participants can establish team practices that support varied working and communication styles.

  • Team working agreements define channels, response times, meeting norms and escalation
  • RACI matrices clarify decision rights, consultation duties and accountable ownership
  • Task boards make priorities, dependencies, deadlines and workload visible
  • Conflict patterns examined for ambiguity, sensory overload and communication mismatch
  • Peer education focuses on respectful behaviour rather than personal disclosure
  • Inclusive team rituals balance predictability with flexibility and individual choice

Participants can identify cultural practices that stigmatise neurodivergent employees.

  • Implicit bias examined in assumptions about eye contact, confidence and professionalism
  • Microaggressions identified in humour, labels, interruptions and credibility challenges
  • Ableist norms embedded in presenteeism, networking and informal information channels
  • Bystander intervention scripts address disrespectful behaviour without forced disclosure
  • Psychological safety indicators tracked through speaking-up, error reporting and feedback
  • Culture change messages link inclusion commitments to specific everyday manager behaviours

Participants can assess digital work practices for accessibility and cognitive load.

  • WCAG 2.2 principles applied to internal documents, portals and learning materials
  • Digital accessibility checks cover headings, contrast, captions, links and keyboard access
  • Notification management reduces interruption, context switching and attention fragmentation
  • Collaboration platforms configured with clear channels, naming conventions and searchable records
  • Video meeting settings support captions, chat participation and camera-choice policies
  • Technology adjustment requests assessed through compatibility, security and user needs

Participants can distinguish conduct, conflict and capability issues from unmet access needs.

  • Case triage separates misconduct allegations, performance concerns and interpersonal conflict
  • Investigation plans consider communication preferences, processing time and support persons
  • Procedural fairness requires clear allegations, evidence access and response opportunities
  • Mediation suitability assessed where power imbalance, safety or adjustments affect participation
  • Conduct expectations stated explicitly without excusing harmful workplace behaviour
  • Decision records explain adjustments considered, evidence weighed and actions agreed

Participants can design governance arrangements for consistent neuroinclusion implementation.

  • ISO 30415 principles translated into accountable diversity and inclusion governance
  • Policy architecture links recruitment, adjustments, learning, performance and employee relations
  • Roles matrix assigns ownership to HR, managers, facilities, IT and legal
  • Control points identify where inconsistency, delay or confidentiality failures occur
  • Manager guidance distinguishes mandatory process steps from locally adaptable practices
  • Governance forums review patterns, escalations, resource needs and implementation decisions

Participants can evaluate neuroinclusion initiatives using meaningful quantitative and qualitative evidence.

  • Logic models connect activities, outputs, employee experience and organisational outcomes
  • Balanced scorecards combine process, experience, talent and risk indicators
  • Disaggregated data interpreted cautiously where disclosure rates remain incomplete
  • Pulse surveys measure clarity, belonging, psychological safety and adjustment experience
  • Qualitative feedback coded into recurring barriers, strengths and improvement priorities
  • Evaluation cadence defines baselines, targets, owners and corrective action thresholds

Participants can plan a phased neuroinclusion programme with accountable delivery actions.

  • Theory of Change links intended outcomes, interventions, assumptions and indicators
  • Stakeholder mapping identifies sponsors, affected groups, influencers and implementation owners
  • Prioritisation matrix compares impact, effort, risk, cost and readiness
  • Phased roadmap sequences quick wins, capability building and policy changes
  • Change communications answer what changes, why, when and who supports employees
  • Implementation risks include tokenism, inconsistent practice, overload and privacy breaches

Participants can build, review and present a complete Neurodiversity Inclusion Action Plan for their workplace.

  • Current-state assessment summarising barriers, evidence sources and priority employee journeys
  • Target operating model defining roles, workflows, escalation routes and governance
  • Adjustment process design with templates, service standards and confidentiality controls
  • Manager capability plan covering guidance, learning, coaching and accountability
  • Measurement framework specifying baselines, indicators, review cadence and decision triggers
  • Implementation roadmap presenting priorities, resources, risks, dependencies and milestones

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Neurodiversity Inclusion Action Plan template
  2. Workplace adjustment conversation guide
  3. Neuroinclusive recruitment review checklist
  4. Manager adjustment passport template
  5. Cognitive accessibility audit checklist
  6. Neuroinclusion measurement scorecard

Who should attend

  • HR Business Partners — need to translate individual needs into fair people practices
  • HR Managers — own policies, employee relations and workplace-adjustment processes
  • DEI Managers — need a practical neuroinclusion programme beyond awareness campaigns
  • People Managers — supervise performance, communication and day-to-day work allocation
  • Learning and Development Managers — design accessible training and manager development
  • Employee Relations Specialists — handle sensitive cases involving conduct, capability and adjustments

Skills and tools covered

Neuroinclusive HR designWorkplace adjustment planningInclusive recruitmentCognitive effectivenessManager capability buildingInclusion governance

Tools and standards

Social Model of Disability, Universal Design for Learning, ISO 30415, WCAG 2.2

How the course runs

Training methodology

Instruction combines concise briefings with facilitated case analysis, group exercises, role-played conversations, policy reviews and structured application planning. Cases cover recruitment, disclosure, sensory barriers, communication breakdowns, capability concerns and team conflict. Participants use practical templates to examine their own workplace processes, compare options with peers and receive instructor feedback. Simulations focus on manager responses and adjustment discussions rather than clinical assessment. Each participant progressively builds an action plan, then tests its assumptions through peer review before presenting the completed work.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have practical experience in HR, people management, learning, DEI, employee relations or workplace services. Familiarity with recruitment, performance management, employee policy or manager support is helpful because the course uses these processes as working material. Participants should be able to discuss confidential workplace scenarios professionally and distinguish policy decisions from clinical advice. No psychology qualification, clinical knowledge, disability diagnosis, legal qualification or prior neurodiversity training is required. The course does not train participants to diagnose neurodevelopmental conditions.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should have experience in HR, people management, learning, DEI, employee relations or workplace services. You do not need clinical training, a legal qualification or prior neurodiversity study.

Bring a current people process, policy, manager challenge or inclusion priority that you can examine during application planning. Do not bring identifiable employee medical records or confidential case files.

It is best suited to professionals who influence employee experience, manager practice or people policy. It also suits operational leaders responsible for work environments, technology or employee services.

This course concentrates on neurodiversity, cognitive effectiveness and the specific processes that shape daily work. It goes beyond awareness by covering adjustments, recruitment design, performance management, digital accessibility and implementation governance.

You will use reusable templates to assess a real employee journey, improve an adjustment workflow or brief managers. The final action plan provides priorities, owners, measures and a phased implementation route.

The first week establishes concepts and applies them to recruitment, adjustments, communication, onboarding and learning. The second week addresses performance, team practices, digital work, governance, measurement and implementation, ending with the capstone presentation. Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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