Impact of Neurodiversity on the Construction Industry

What is the Impact of Neurodiversity on the Construction Industry?

Katy Hall - 15-Jan-2024

New research from the Association of Project Managers (APM) suggests that almost half of Construction Project Managers describe themselves as Neurodivergent.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that neurodiversity is widespread in the Construction Industry; According to ‘Behind the high-vis: a mental health white paper’, a report by On The Tools about mental health in the construction industry, 52% of UK tradespeople surveyed considered themselves to have a neurodiverse condition (most frequently ADHD/ADD - 22%, followed by dyslexia - 20% and OCD/OCPD - 15%).

Hence, it is a credit to the industry that 88% of Construction Project Managers describing themselves as neurodivergent say their employers have made changes to accommodate their needs. This compares well with the 80% of construction workers who said the industry was supportive of neurodivergent employees (National Federation of Builders survey 2023).

More worryingly, neurodivergence is having an negative impact on Mental Health, with On The Tools finding that 59% of UK tradespeople who experience mental ill health are neurodivergent. On the Tools also found that 93% of UK tradespeople have been impacted by mental ill health in some way, with 73% of all UK tradespeople surveyed experiencing mental ill health right now or in the past. A further 20% hadn’t personally experienced mental ill health but knew another tradesperson who had.

“Diversity in all its guises adds value to organisations”

According to an article in BDC News (19 December 2023), where the APM survey is reported, Professor Adam Boddison OBE, Chief Executive of APM, said:

“Our research shows almost half (46%) of project professionals in construction consider themselves to be neurodivergent.”

“Employers in construction which embrace neurodivergence … foster a culture of inclusivity and send out a powerful message that people with neurological differences are valued [and] also benefit from unique strengths and perspectives that contribute to creativity, problem-solving and increased productivity.”

“Diversity in all its guises adds value to organisations”

“Overall, the importance of encouraging a neurodivergent workforce cannot be overstated.”

Find out more about Neurodiversity:

SC4 Carpenters Ltd employs neurodivergent people at all levels from Directors to Carpenters and Decorators on site and believes they bring a lot of benefits to our business.

Click here to see our previous article from August 2023 and find out: