As neurodiversity becomes more widely recognized, ad agencies have started to evaluate how they can support employees who think differently in various aspects of work, including in meetings and on commercial shoots.

Neurodivergent is a non-medical term that describes people with varying neurological or developmental conditions including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Not many employers previously gave much thought to how their standard ways of working might affect people who are neurodiverse, despite 15% to 20% of people in the U.S. identifying as neurodiverse, according to various studies.

“I think back when I was at agencies, there was very little tolerance for differences,” said Nathan Friedman, a former Ogilvy executive who is now co-president and chief marketing officer of Understood, a social impact organization focused on helping people with learning and thinking differences. Friedman also identifies as neurodiverse, having dyslexia and ADHD.

When you think about 20% of a company with 10,000 people, that’s “2,000 people who are neurodiverse” and may need additional support or flexibility, he said—and that’s excluding the people who don’t identify due to stigma around certain disorders as well as those who are undiagnosed.

Friedman said at the heart of neurodiversity is the belief that “everybody is different,” a fundamental component of the industry, considering that the job of advertisers is to “tailor messaging for different people. What agencies are starting to realize is the creative mind is based on this concept of difference,” he said, and that oftentimes these differences are what Friedman called a “superpower.”

The steps companies can take to support neurodiverse staff in the workplace can help all employees because they create a more inclusive environment overall, Friedman added. Companies inclusive of neurodiversity “get higher productivity and financial results.”

Tailoring meetings to differing needs

Meetings are unavoidable at most companies and especially at those in an industry where presentations are part of the creative process. Meanwhile, the shift to a more remote working environment has only caused more meetings.

There could be many ways in which neurodiverse employees require extra support in meetings. Allowing cameras to be turned off during virtual meetings is one example that several agencies cited.

Melissa Mahon, executive VP of business and operations for MAS, a minority-led and founded marketing agency and an Ad Age Best Places to Work 2024 company, said leaders “need to be thoughtful about virtual and [in real life] support. If a large virtual brainstorm feels intimidating, we’d adjust our ‘camera always-on policy’ to give that team member more privacy,” Mahon said.

In person, Mahon said, some employees might not feel comfortable presenting in front of a large group of people, so their managers can step in to do so on their behalf. “We can take the spotlight off them if that’s what’s necessary for them,” she said.

For virtual meetings, WPP’s VML does live captioning to “support employees who need multiple inputs” as well as automated note-taking for people who need assistance there, said Josh Loebner, global head of inclusive design for the agency.

AI also has the potential to improve working conditions for neurodiverse employees.

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“For folks with learning disabilities such as dyslexia and autism, AI can provide a helping hand,” said Chris Byrne, co-founder of AI-powered marketing agency Winston. “An easy example is using ChatGPT to check for spelling, but ChatGPT can also help with comprehension of complex problems or issues.”

In-office accommodations

Several agencies said they have designed areas in the office tailored to differing needs.

Tope Ajala, Ogilvy’s global head of DE&I, said the WPP agency introduced, for example, what it calls “ReWired Interactive Space,” or “a designated sensory room designed for our employees who require support.”

Some including VML have ensured there is access to emotional support animals for employees in the office, as well as “in-person calming rooms” that limit stimulation, Loebner said.

Loebner said the agency educates people on being “comfortable with neurodiverse employees reasonably stimming, or using a reasonable accommodation fidget device, or reasonable repetitive motion” in the office. (Stimming refers to self-stimulating behaviors that are common among certain neurodiverse individuals.)

Support for shoots

Loebner said some of the support VML offers in person is also offered on production shoots, including support animals and calming areas. 

He said the agency recommends staff bring “an accommodation coordinator to support pre-production planning, location scouting and other shoot specifics.”

Even curating meal plans on sets can be critical.

“This may sound like a super small thing, but food sensitivity, including textures and smells, can be a part of neurodiversity, and planning for craft services and any [accommodating] on-screen food styling is important,” Loebner said.

VML also has a team to review scripts to identify any “stereotypes associated with neurodiversity” and “on-set noise levels for any that may present overstimulation of loud noises or abrupt surprises,” Loebner added.

Mahon said MAS asks team members to come forward with any accommodations they need for a production shoot.

“When the scenery is being drilled in, if that is something that is essentially triggering for your peace and state of mind, then we're going to make sure that you don’t need to be onsite for that particular day and rearrange your schedule,” Mahon said.

Ajala said Ogilvy includes support such as pre-shoot briefings, structured breaks, flexibility in schedules and sensory considerations.

“On shoots we have asked teams for special accommodations including time out if they feel overstimulated or need a moment,” she said.

Mentoring and other programs

Ogilvy offers several programs to support neurodiverse employees as well as educate others on neurodiversity. Ajala said all employees take an online course on neurodiversity, for example, and in the U.K. the agency launched “Ogilvy My Way,” which “helps employees work with their managers to develop a tailored adjustment plan to get the best out of how they work.”

There is also “Borderless Mentoring,” a career acceleration program done in partnership with Creative Access, a platform for career growth for underrepresented creative talent, Ajala said, which includes a focus for Ogilvy’s neurodiverse employees. Under the program, neurodiverse employees are paired with external senior mentors from an adjacent creative sector, including publishing or journalism, “with similar lived experience to support their growth,” she said.

Loebner said VML has various training opportunities for its employees, including on “anti-ableism.”

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Flexibility is key

The people interviewed for this story said being flexible and open to understanding people’s individual needs are really the most critical aspects of embracing neurodiversity in the workforce.

“We believe in the power of flexible and purposeful work—offering hybrid work so our people can choose to work where they can get their best work done, whether that’s in an office or connecting virtually from home,” said Christena Pyle, chief equity officer of Dentsu, Americas.

Lawrence James, co-founder and CEO of independent agency Tilt Story, said his shop has an “open door” policy that is critical in receiving feedback from all employees on how to improve the workplace. He also said doing away with the 40-hour work week will be key to embracing neurodiversity, noting that some of his employees don’t start work until after 11 a.m. ET and that’s OK.

“Of course, you have to have reporting lines, but we don’t put a chart up on the wall that says when you report and who you report to,” James said.

“The journey towards full inclusion and understanding of neurodiversity is ongoing,” Ajala said. “Challenges remain in dismantling stereotypes, overcoming barriers to entry and advancement and continuously adapting our practices to meet the needs of all employees.”