Latest news with #NathanFriedman
Forbes
28-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
ADHD In The C-Suite
A representation of ADHD with puzzle pieces and yarn. Approximately 15.5 million American adults had an ADHD diagnosis in 2023. Despite facing challenges, many people with ADHD are successful in their careers. There is immense pressure to hide the diagnosis in corporate settings. But some C-suite leaders are changing the narrative. They refuse to mask their ADHD and are still thriving in the workplace. Nathan Friedman, co-president and chief marketing officer at has ADHD. He had plenty to say about ADHD and the workplace. 'People with ADHD and other learning and thinking differences are 'masking' to blend in. This can be emotionally exhausting and often prevents people from seeking the support they need to do their best work. It's essential for everyone to recognize the barriers that neurodivergent employees face, so we can continue to shape workplaces for difference and help people thrive, not just get by,' he said. Like Friedman, more and more C-suite leaders are speaking openly about neurodivergence and their own experience with ADHD. Discussing neurodivergence in the workplace can contribute to building more inclusive and psychologically safe work environments. There are many ways that having ADHD can benefit C-suite leaders. Some people with ADHD hyperfocus for long periods, which is extremely helpful at a job with long hours. Others are super high energy and do well when engaging with potential partners or clients. Learning how to benefit from elements of your ADHD can go a long way. And Friedman couldn't agree more. 'Neurodivergent individuals have superpowers that can be brought into a corporate setting, especially at the C-level. For example, one of my superpowers is connecting dots and rapidly working through complex challenges. This is a gift and the ability to collaborate and leverage it at has transformed our efforts,' he told me. ADHD is often treated like something to be ashamed of when in reality it can be a gift. Rather than encouraging employees to mask their neurodivergence, leaders should find out how diverse ways of thinking can benefit their company. Neurodiversity exists in the C-suite, it just isn't talked about often. Prominent companies like JetBlue, IKEA, and The Virgin Group were all founded by business leaders who have ADHD. But it's important to acknowledge and hire many types of neurodivergent people, not just ADHDers. Friedman believes there are many benefits to hiring neurodivergent talent. 'Neurodivergent individuals have the ability to connect dots, solve complex problems more quickly, and show increased levels of creativity. According to Deloitte and others, neurodiverse teams bring 2.5 times the cash flow per employee, 28% higher revenue, 30% greater profit margins, and about double the net income compared to their competitors. Neurodiversity is the future, and it's critical for business growth,' Friedman told me. Many people aren't comfortable sharing their ADHD diagnosis at work. When you discuss ADHD you are discussing neurodivergence and keeping the conversation around inclusion going. Due to the current social climate there is less discussion of things pertaining to DEI and that affects neurodiversity and neuroinclusion efforts. Talking about ADHD while in the C-suite normalizes being neurodivergent in leadership. For a long time mentioning any form of neurodivergence or disability when applying for a job made it nearly impossible to get hired. The more business leaders with ADHD talk about their experience the less frowned upon or taboo it will be. Supporting neurodiversity in the workplace is especially important now because of pushback against DEI efforts and initiatives. Friedman told me he thinks inclusion efforts are being questioned. 'Inclusivity and accessibility practices are being questioned, but it's more important than ever to ensure neurodivergent employees feel supported and empowered to succeed. Honest conversations go a long way toward destigmatizing neurodivergence and helping to reframe it as something that can empower people, when they have the right support,' the experienced c-suite leader said.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
70% of neurodiverse adults say they're facing increased stigma at work, and the ongoing corporate rollback of DEI programs could make the situation worse
Good morning! Neurodiverse individuals, including people who have ADHD or dyslexia, often face multiple barriers in the workplace. And despite an increased awareness about these conditions over the past few years, the majority of neurodiverse workers say discrimination against them is only getting worse. Around 70% of people who identify as neurodivergent say they face stigma at work, up from 60% in 2024, according to a new survey from a nonprofit that's dedicated to supporting individuals with learning and thinking differences. Around 77% of this group feels pressure to mask their behaviors for fear of retaliation, and another 64% worry that disclosing their condition will negatively impact how others perceive their abilities at work. 'There's an awareness around neurodivergency that has increased over the last few years, especially amongst young people, but there are still many myths and misperceptions out there,' Nathan Friedman, co-president and chief marketing officer at tells Fortune. 'So there's still a lot of work to be done, not only to continue to drive awareness, but for organizations to understand better what a learning difference is and how it manifests at work.' The fear among neurodiverse employees about potential repercussions for disclosing their conditions could hold these employees back from asking for the kind of accommodation that could make their work lives easier. Around 64% of this group says they feel comfortable asking their employer for an accommodation, but around 76% of neurodiverse employees still say that there is stigma attached to doing so. The current political climate around DEI is also causing workers to worry about what kind of options they will have in the future—inclusion for people with disabilities is considered an important part of many diversity policies. Around 64% of all workers—including both neurodiverse and neurotypical—believe that getting any kind of workplace accommodation moving forward will be more challenging because of how companies are rolling back DEI programs. 'The macro, political environment is not necessarily one that prioritizes inclusivity, and that's stemming from what the government has done regarding DEI,' says Friedman. Ultimately, it comes down to each individual workplace to figure out how they can embrace neurodivergent workers and make them feel that they belong, no matter what's happening in the world at large. 'The best way to work on reducing stigmas is by driving awareness, both overt and implicit,' says Friedman. 'When you have advocacy, our data shows it comes with bottom-line growth for the organization.' Brit This story was originally featured on
Fast Company
15-05-2025
- Health
- Fast Company
More Americans are identifying as neurodivergent. So why are work accommodations becoming more stigmatized?
While estimates of the percentage of neurodivergent people globally typically range from 15–20%, new survey results from neurodiversity advocacy and support nonprofit Understood suggest that the true percentage of neurodivergent adults may be higher. For one, more people are being diagnosed with ADHD and autism and other conditions that fall under the umbrella of neurodivergence. But more people may also be self-identifying as neurodivergent—especially in younger generations. Deloitte's 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Survey showed that 53% of Gen Z self-identify as neurodivergent. 'The people who identify or have symptoms of [neurodivergence], will far exceed the most conservative estimate of those who have been actually diagnosed,' says Nathan Friedman, copresident and chief marketing officer of Understood. He suggests that barriers such as high psychiatry costs and the misdiagnosis of neurodivergent women might prevent individuals from pursuing (or acquiring) a formal diagnosis. In April, Understood conducted a weighted survey of over 2000 U.S. adults, 659 of whom identify as neurodivergent. Thirty-one percent of respondents had at least wondered if they were neurodivergent although only 11% had received an official diagnosis. Stigma around requesting accommodations In a recent ResumeGenius poll of 1000 hiring managers, 86% claim that disclosing neurodivergence in an application would have either a positive or neutral effect on their hiring decision. But Understood's research suggests that neurodivergent workers have real concerns. In the survey, 64% of employed U.S. adults agree that people speak about their neurodivergence at work more openly now, but 70% agree there's a stigma around asking for workplace accommodations. That's a 10% increase from their results last year. Among those workers who have requested accommodations, only 56% received ones that actually improved their work experience. One in four got accommodations that weren't helpful, one in five were outright denied, and nearly one in five later regretted asking. 'Asking for accommodations doesn't necessarily mean you're unable to perform or you're unable to achieve the results of what's expected,' says Friedman. The accommodations that workers typically ask for are simple to implement, he says. 'Accommodations could be anything from a flexible work environment to changing desks . . . [These] are pretty simple things that can help somebody improve how they work, the output of their work, and their feeling about how they work.' Despite this, 15% of respondents said they had lost a job, were demoted, or lost a job opportunity after asking for accommodations. Part of this increase in perceived stigma may be connected with the Trump administration's attacks on DEI in the workplace. In fact, the survey results show that 64% of U.S. adults believe DEI program rollbacks will make it more difficult for people to access workplace accommodations. 'Difference right now is not seen as a good thing—regardless of where you're at,' says Friedman. What can be done Reducing stigma and improving the efficacy of workplace accommodations starts with proper education about neurodivergence in the workplace. 'We hear so many stories about individuals who don't have the right accommodations and are let go because they don't have what's needed to do their job,' says Friedman. 'So providing the education, providing the pathway to get an accommodation, and delivering the accommodations are all required.' This is especially crucial as Gen Z now outnumbers boomers in the workplace. 'Over 50% of Gen Z believes they are neurodivergent,' says Friedman. 'If you're a company of 10,000 people, that's upwards of 5,000 people that you could get a better work product from. . . . So [offering accommodations] is a win for everyone.'
