Neurodiverse workers more prevalent in construction

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) has discovered that neurodiversity is not only common amongst construction workers, but being neurodiverse is actually encouraging people to pursue a career in construction, following a survey of 1000 UK adults working in construction commissioned by the NFB.

In conjunction with CITB and the People’s Partnership, the NFB is proud to announce the launch of a new comprehensive research report entitled ‘Neurodiversity in Construction.’

The report reveals that the construction sector is overwhelmingly supportive of neurodiverse employees, with a significant number of employers proactively making adjustments and providing additional support to accommodate these workers. The research further identifies ADHD as the most prevalent neurodiverse condition in construction, followed by Autism and Dyslexia.

Nevertheless, there is still progress to be made, the research highlighted that a concerning number of neurodiverse construction workers have not disclosed the nature of their condition to anyone at work, suggesting that fears over stigma and embarrassment still exist.

Key findings from the research include:

• 1 in 4 construction workers consider themselves to have a neurodiverse condition
• One-third of neurodiverse workers stated that their condition made them want to work in construction, compared with only 5% who said it didn’t
• 80% of respondents who had informed their employer that they had a neurodiverse condition, reported that the employer had made reasonable adjustments to accommodate their needs
• 67% of construction workers believe the industry is well-equipped to support neurodiverse individuals
• 36% of neurodiverse construction workers have not told anyone at work about their condition
• 38% believe there is no or not much empathy for neurodiverse workers in the industry

Neurodiversity in Construction reveals the results of a major new study, identifies the challenges neurodiverse people face in the workplace, and provides a set of valuable recommendations for industry and employers, on how to better support neurodiversity in construction.

The report is available for download on the website here: https://www.builders.org.uk/neurodiversity-report/