Neurodiversity – Identify Needs in Different Brain Profiles

Do you have employees with different cognitive strengths—whose brains function a little differently? Are you unsure how best to support them? Identify the extent and needs through the GAIS survey and gain insight into how to create well-being for people with different brain profiles. Together with experts, we have formulated a set of questions to use as a starting point.

Do you have employees with different cognitive strengths who may think and work a little differently? Are you not sure how to support them effectively?

Identify the extent and needs through the GAIS employee engagement survey. The survey can help you identify your team's needs, thereby offering insights on fostering a supportive, inclusive environment for all types of thinkers. Together with experts, we have developed a set of questions to help you get started.

Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity encompasses the full spectrum of cognitive differences in how individuals think, learn, and interact with their environment. It includes conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and Tourette’s syndrome—but a person can have a unique cognitive profile without a formal diagnosis.

The Value of Neurodiversity in Today’s Workforce

A Significant Part of the Workforce:
An estimated 15–20% of the workforce has a different cognitive profile. Some individuals have a formal diagnosis, while others may be unaware that their brains function differently from the majority. This means a considerable portion of your employees—or even leaders—are likely affected.

As Danish companies face increasing labour shortages leading up to 2030, embracing and retaining talent with diverse cognitive profiles could become essential for attracting and maintaining a strong, resilient workforce.

Reducing Burnout and Sick Leave:
Neurodivergent individuals are often more vulnerable to stress and sensory overload, which can lead to burnout if they are not properly supported. Burnout is one of the most common reasons adults discover they are neurodivergent later in life.

By proactively creating environments that reduce stress and support different needs, companies can prevent long-term sick leave—and foster healthier, more sustainable work cultures.

Tapping into Unique Strengths:
Diversity is not just about background or gender— it is also about how people think. Neurodivergent employees often bring original ideas, deep focus, pattern recognition, or creative problem-solving skills. With the right support, these unique ways of thinking can lead to greater innovation and better results for the business. 

Shifting the Focus to Strengths:
Neurodiversity has often been seen through the lens of challenges and diagnoses. But that mindset is evolving. Today, more workplaces are focusing on people’s strengths and building environments that help every employee thrive—regardless of how they think, learn, or process the world. 

How to Use the Questions

You can add the questions about neurodiversity and different cognitive profiles as custom questions in your GAIS survey.
If the survey is in multiple languages, you need to translate the custom questions yourself. 

Attached is a set of questions you can use for inspiration.

Clarify the Purpose

When asking questions about different cognitive profiles, it’s essential to communicate the purpose.

Why are you asking these questions? How will the information be used?

For some employees, questions about their cognitive profile can feel sensitive or intrusive. It is therefore essential to foster a safe and supportive environment where the purpose is clearly to help—not to label or isolate.