Venson highlights the adoption of a universal approach to neurodiversity
Venson Automotive Solutions is encouraging businesses to examine whether their fleet policies work for every driver. The call follows a major UK study[i] which found employers rate their “neurodivergent readiness” at 70–75%, yet only 32–38% of neurodivergent employees feel psychologically safe disclosing their diagnosis or believe their employer understands its impact.
Simon Staton, Client Management Director at Venson Automotive Solutions, comments, “Such a disconnect can have serious implications for employees who drive for work, not only affecting training, vehicle handovers, incident management and driver safety but wellbeing and retention and an employer’s duty of care. Whilst fleet managers do not need to become neurodiversity specialists, they should understand what needs to be considered for fleet policies, communications and training and consider that not every driver processes information in the same way.”
Genius Within, a community interest company that specialises in neurodiversity support for adults in the workplace, recommends fleets should adopt a universal approach rather than wait for drivers to disclose a diagnosis. A universal design sets up an organisation in the most inclusive possible way and effectively bypasses the need to make one-off, paid-for assessments and adaptations. As well as accommodating neurodivergent and disabled people, a universal design might also benefit employees with illnesses, pain or fatigue or those returning to work after a pregnancy or a significant medical procedure.
Dr Nancy Doyle, founder and chief science officer at Genius Within, comments, “The most useful start point for supporting drivers is to assume that around a fifth of any workforce is neurodivergent and to calibrate the fleet accordingly. That would involve neither a complete overhaul nor even mentioning the word neurodiversity, rather a series of tweaks, adaptations and considerations to make the vehicles and the operation as accessible as possible to all employees.”
Cars, vans and lorries require little in the way of adaptation for neurodivergent employees, and the equipment that can optimise their driving environment is generally fitted as standard – it is simply a matter of awareness and flexibility. Meaningful changes in layout and labelling can be made to vehicle cargo areas, but they would benefit any driver – as would considered communication and management styles – while simplifying and standardising vehicles can save significant sums and make for a more practical and adaptable fleet.
Staton concludes, “When businesses communicate with employees in ways they can understand and create an environment in which they feel comfortable, drivers are more likely to perform well, remain with the organisation and avoid preventable mistakes. Keeping fleet policies flexible and accessible is not simply about inclusion, it can strengthen safety, wellbeing and operational performance for every driver.”
The Fleet Manager’s Neurodiversity Action Plan
Understanding neurodiversity
- Assume around 20% of any workforce is neurodivergent.
- Common challenges include memory, concentration, organisation and time management.
- Sensory elements, such as light and sound, affect neurodivergent individuals differently.
- Some may respond well to certain stimuli, while others may find them difficult.
- A universal design, that accounts for all employees and works well for everyone, is preferable to the standard-issue disability compliance model, where adaptations are made on request.
- Basic management training is a good move. It can help managers understand and identify neurodiversity.
Vehicle spec
- Aim for a minimum standard specification of air conditioning and an infotainment system with a dark mode. Both allow drivers to raise or lower the level of stimuli inside the vehicle.
- Racking and/or cargo and storage areas in vans or trailers should be as cleanly and as clearly organised as possible, with consistent iconography, colouring, language and spacing.
- Simplifying specifications can make vehicles more cost-effective, more flexible during periods of downtime and more familiar to drivers.
Supporting drivers
- Draw attention to apps such as Waze and Zap Map or equivalents, because they help with organisation and planning. Also ensure they can be downloaded to company mobile devices.
- Effective communication is critical for neurodivergent drivers due to the variance in how individuals process information.
- Use different communication formats to make information as accessible as possible. Diagrams, pictures, and bite-sized videos can all help, and are preferable to a large block of text.
- Messages should be clear and understandable to all employees, regardless of their role or reading level.
- Personalised and adaptable management styles work well for all employees – neurodivergent or neurotypical.
- Get to know your drivers if you can. Understanding their strengths and challenges can help you channel them into a role in which they may flourish.
For more information on the importance of implementing neuroinclusive practices into fleets look at Venson white papers ‘Neurodiversity Behind the Wheel – Driving Change Part 1’ ‘Neurodiversity Behind the Wheel – Driving Change Part 2′
[i]NiB and University of Birkbeck, Research Report 2026: https://neurodiversity.org/research/nib-and-university-of-birkbeck-research-report-2026/