Research & Evidence
The Evidence Behind Our Mission
Understanding the Barriers Facing Neurodiverse Candidates
Cognitive Range was created because talented neurodiverse individuals are still facing barriers when accessing education, recruitment, and professional opportunities.
The evidence shows that many barriers arise from misunderstanding, outdated recruitment practices, unconscious bias, and systems that are not designed to recognise different ways of thinking.
By understanding the research behind these challenges, we can begin creating recruitment processes that allow every candidate to demonstrate their true potential.
The Disclosure Gap
Why Many Neurodiverse Candidates Feel Unable to Be Open
A key measure of an inclusive environment is whether people feel safe being open about who they are.
Research shows that many neurodivergent individuals remain cautious about disclosing their diagnosis during recruitment and employment because of fears that they will be judged differently.
The evidence:
- 68% of autistic respondents did not disclose their diagnosis in their most recent job application.
- 31% of neurodivergent employees have not told their line manager or HR about their neurodivergence.
- Only 35% of autistic employees report being fully open about their neurodivergence across their organisation.
The reasons behind this reluctance includes:
- 37% fear people making assumptions based on stereotypes.
- 34% believe stigma remains a barrier.
- 29% fear a negative impact on their career progression.
When candidates feel they must hide part of who they are to access opportunities, organisations risk losing valuable perspectives before they have even entered the recruitment process.
Employer Bias and Fear of Discrimination
Why These Concerns Exist
The fear of discrimination experienced by many neurodivergent individuals reflects wider concerns about employer understanding and workplace inclusion.
Research highlights significant levels of bias and discomfort surrounding disability and neurodiversity within employment.
The evidence:
- 20% of employers admit they are less likely to hire a disabled person.
- A 2020 study found that 50% of managers expressed discomfort with hiring disabled people.
- 20% of neurodivergent employees have experienced harassment or discrimination at work because of their neurodivergence.
- 65% of neurodivergent employees fear discrimination from management.
- 55% fear discrimination from colleagues.
These findings demonstrate why education is essential.
Many barriers are not created through deliberate exclusion. They are often the result of misunderstanding, lack of awareness, or assumptions about what a successful candidate should look like.
When Traditional Processes Do Not Capture Talent
Recruitment processes are designed to identify the strongest candidates.
However, some traditional approaches may unintentionally assess characteristics unrelated to the actual requirements of the role.
Examples include:
- Fast-paced interviews.
- Unstructured questions.
- Impromptu group assessments.
- Strict time limits.
- Standardised psychometric testing.
- Expectations around eye contact and body language.
These approaches can create disadvantages for candidates whose strengths may not be demonstrated through traditional methods.
The evidence:
- Of candidates who disclose their support needs, only 11% receive reasonable adjustments during the hiring process.
- Traditional recruitment models involving vague job descriptions, unstructured interviews, and spontaneous group tasks can create barriers for neurodivergent candidates.
- Autistic jobseekers frequently report negative experiences where interviews focus more heavily on social presentation than the skills required for the role.
Recruitment should measure potential, not a candidate’s ability to conform to one communication style.
Automated Recruitment and AI Bias
When Technology Creates New Barriers
Technology is increasingly used within recruitment, including automated CV screening and AI-supported assessments.
While these tools can improve efficiency, they can also reproduce existing biases if they are designed around narrow assumptions of what a successful candidate looks like.
Research highlights several concerns:
Analysing Eye Contact and Mannerisms
Some AI assessment tools attempt to measure communication ability through:
- Eye contact.
- Facial expressions.
- Body language.
- Speech patterns.
These measures can disadvantage neurodivergent candidates whose natural communication styles may differ from expected social norms.
Different communication does not mean reduced ability.
Filtering Non-Traditional Career Paths
Automated screening systems may disadvantage candidates through:
- Automatically rejecting employment gaps.
- Penalising non-traditional career histories.
- Filtering out unusual application patterns.
This can disproportionately affect neurodivergent individuals who may have experienced barriers within education or employment.
The Risk of Tick-Box Recruitment
When recruitment relies heavily on automated filtering, candidates can become reduced to keywords and categories.
This creates a risk that organisations miss:
- Different perspectives.
- Alternative problem-solving approaches.
- Valuable skills developed through lived experience.
Technology should support fair recruitment, not create additional barriers.
The Training Gap
Why Recruiter Education Matters
Understanding neurodiversity is essential to creating fair recruitment processes.
However, research shows that many organisations do not currently provide sufficient training.
The evidence
Only:
- 15% of organisations provide interviewer training specifically relating to neurodiversity or neuroinclusion.
- 27% provide line manager training on what neurodiversity is and its value to business.
- 18% provide training on responding when a candidate or employee discloses they are neurodivergent.
- 39% of employers have taken no specific action to help managers create neuroinclusive environments.
Sector differences in interviewer training include:
- Public sector: 18%
- Voluntary sector: 16%
- Private sector: 14%
Without education, recruiters may unintentionally rely on assumptions rather than understanding.
The Impact of Limited Understanding
When Support Is Missing
The impact of insufficient understanding does not end once someone enters employment. A lack of support can affect career progression, wellbeing, and retention.
Research shows that:
- Over 25% of individuals who disclose and request adjustments have their requests refused.
- More than 1 in 10 experience adjustments that are poorly implemented.
- 33% of neurodivergent employees report that workplace experiences related to their neurodivergence negatively affected their mental wellbeing.
The result is a cycle:
Fear of discrimination → reduced disclosure → lack of support → increased barriers → reduced opportunity
Cognitive Range exists to help break this cycle.
Employment Outcomes
The Impact on Career Opportunities
When recruitment and workplace systems fail to recognise neurodivergent talent, the consequences can be significant.
Research indicates that autistic graduates are twice as likely to be unemployed after 15 months compared with their non-disabled peers.
This demonstrates that barriers can exist even among highly educated and capable individuals.
The issue is not whether neurodivergent individuals have the skills required to succeed.
The issue is whether organisations are creating fair opportunities for those skills to be recognised.
Why This Matters for the Legal Profession
Different Minds Strengthen Law
The legal profession depends on:
- Critical thinking.
- Attention to detail.
- Complex problem-solving.
- Understanding different perspectives.
- Identifying risks.
- Challenging assumptions.
These skills do not come from one type of person.
A profession responsible for advising individuals, businesses, and society must benefit from a wide range of experiences and ways of thinking.
When recruitment unintentionally excludes neurodiverse talent, the profession loses valuable perspectives.
Moving From Awareness to Action
Creating Meaningful Change
Cognitive Range uses research and lived experience to create practical solutions for students, recruiters, universities, and legal organisations.
We aim to:
- Improve understanding of neurodiversity.
- Reduce unconscious bias.
- Encourage accessible recruitment practices.
- Provide practical reasonable adjustment guidance.
- Support students in self-advocacy.
- Help organisations recognise the value of different minds.
The evidence shows that change is needed.
The opportunity is clear.
By creating environments where people can be open about who they are, organisations can access a wider range of talent and build stronger, more innovative teams.
Our Commitment
Inclusive recruitment is not about changing standards.
It is about ensuring candidates are assessed on the qualities that actually matter.
By improving understanding, removing unnecessary barriers, and creating fairer processes, we can build a legal profession where different minds are recognised as an advantage.
Different thinking creates better solutions.
Different experiences create stronger teams.
Different minds shape the future of law.
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