“Why our voices don’t count”: The employment experiences of neurodivergent employees through a double empathy lens

Abstract

This article aims to understand the employment experiences of neurodivergent employees through the lens of the double empathy problem. We draw on 25 semi-structured interviews with neurodivergent workers in France and used a grounded theory approach to analyze the data. The findings demonstrate that the stigma associated with neurodivergence coupled with the double empathy problem can influence neurodivergent employees to engage in camouflaging as a means of avoiding these negative reactions from others. This, in turn, leads to reduced well-being and a perceived lack of organizational support on behalf of neurodivergent employees. Ultimately, this cycle can diminish the voices of neurodivergent employees as they feel misunderstood, mistreated, and stigmatized, which reduces their confidence and efficacy in voicing their ideas. Additionally, organizations may overlook the unique capabilities and strengths of this population, failing to seek out or encourage their voices to be heard. This study fills gaps in the literature by studying the double empathy problem in a workplace context and by showing that the double empathy problem can be extended beyond individuals with autism to explain (mis)communication between neurotypical and neurodivergent employees. The findings further underscore how it may unintentionally maintain and reinforce neurotypical hegemony and privilege in organizations as it positions neurodivergent individuals as dysfunctional and inferior.