How Do You Run A NeuroInclusive 1:1?
Short answer
A neuroinclusive 1:1 is a regular conversation designed to make communication, support and performance discussions accessible to different ways of thinking and processing information. Managers can make 1:1s more neuroinclusive by sharing an agenda in advance, asking clear questions, allowing processing time, discussing workplace barriers and agreeing specific actions afterwards.
The weekly 1:1. A familiar fixture in most managers' calendars.
Sometimes it's a genuinely useful conversation about progress, priorities and support. Sometimes it's a hurried ten minutes squeezed between meetings, with a vague "Everything alright?" followed by "Yep, all good."
And then everyone gets back to work.
The problem is that just because a 1:1 has happened doesn't mean it's achieved anything.
For neurodivergent employees, poorly structured 1:1s can create additional barriers. Unexpected questions, ambiguous feedback, pressure to respond immediately or uncertainty about what's expected can all make it harder to have a productive conversation.
But here's the important bit.
Neuroinclusive 1:1s aren't about creating an entirely different management process for neurodivergent staff. They're about making ordinary management conversations more accessible, useful and effective.
And you don't need to be an expert in autism, ADHD, dyslexia or any other form of neurodivergence to start doing that.
You need some practical skills, a willingness to adapt and an understanding that not everyone communicates or processes information in the same way.
Let's make this practical.
Why do neuroinclusive 1:1s matter?
A good 1:1 should help both the manager and the employee understand what's working, what isn't and what needs to happen next.
That sounds straightforward.
But many of the things we take for granted in management conversations are based on assumptions about how people communicate.
We might assume someone can respond to a complex question on the spot. That they'll automatically speak up when struggling. That silence means agreement. Or that a friendly, informal conversation is always more comfortable than a structured one.
None of these assumptions is necessarily true.
Some employees prefer time to process questions. Some find open-ended conversations difficult to navigate. Others communicate more effectively in writing or need greater clarity about priorities and expectations.
And these differences aren't exclusive to neurodivergent staff.
The Acas guidance on creating neuroinclusive organisations specifically recommends regular one-to-one meetings where team members can discuss the support they need. It also highlights the importance of training managers and reviewing workloads.
A neuroinclusive approach helps make those conversations genuinely useful.
It also provides an opportunity to spot small issues before they become bigger problems.
Because a misunderstanding about a deadline, an overwhelming workload or a communication preference that hasn't been discussed can turn into a performance issue if nobody addresses it.
Good neuroinclusive management doesn't remove accountability. It makes expectations and support clearer so people have a fair opportunity to perform.
7 practical ways to make your 1:1s more neuroinclusive
1. Share an agenda before the meeting
"Let's catch up tomorrow."
For some employees, that's perfectly fine.
For others, it raises several questions.
Catch up about what? Is something wrong? Do I need to prepare anything? Am I going to be asked questions I haven't had time to think about?
A little structure can remove a lot of uncertainty.
Before the meeting, share a short agenda covering what you'd like to discuss. Invite your employee to add anything they want to raise.
For example:
Progress since the last meeting.
Current priorities and deadlines.
Anything that's getting in the way.
Feedback or questions.
Support needed and next steps.
You don't need a three-page meeting pack. A few bullet points will do.
And remember that sharing an agenda doesn't mean the conversation can't move in a different direction if something important comes up.
It simply means everyone starts with a clearer idea of what to expect.
2. Ask specific questions instead of relying on "How's everything going?"
Here's the bit managers often get stuck on.
They want to be approachable, so they keep conversations informal and open-ended.
"How's work?"
"Everything okay?"
"Any problems?"
These questions aren't wrong. They're just not always very useful.
They're broad, and they rely on the employee knowing exactly what information the manager wants.
Someone might genuinely not know where to start. They might interpret the question literally. Or they might not feel comfortable raising a concern without knowing whether it's relevant.
A better approach is to be more specific.
Instead of asking “How’s everything?”, try “How manageable has your workload felt this week?”
Instead of asking “Any problems?”, try “Has anything made it harder to complete your work?”
Instead of asking “Are you on track?”, try "Which tasks are on track, and which might need more time or support?”
Instead of asking “Do you understand?”, try “Is there anything about the task or deadline that need clarifying?”
Instead of asking “Anything you need?”, try “Would a clearer brief, different check-in schedule or another change help?”
You don't need to fire through a checklist.
Choose questions that are relevant to the person and their work.
The aim is to make it easier to have a meaningful conversation, not turn the 1:1 into an interrogation.
3. Give people time to process and respond
Not everyone thinks out loud.
Some people work out what they think by talking. Others need time to process information internally before they're ready to respond.
Neither approach is better.
But if you're a manager who processes information verbally, it can be easy to fill every silence, repeat a question or interpret a delayed response as uncertainty.
Try resisting that urge.
Ask the question, then give the person time to think.
You could also say:
"You don't need to answer that immediately. Have a think, and we can come back to it."
Or:
"Would it help if I sent that question in writing?"
For some employees, being able to think about a question before the meeting or respond afterwards can make their contribution much more useful.
A quick response isn't necessarily a better response. And silence doesn't automatically mean someone has nothing to say.
4. Don't make assumptions about body language or eye contact
Most managers have been taught, formally or informally, to pay attention to body language.
Eye contact shows engagement. Nodding shows understanding. Sitting still shows someone is listening.
Except it isn't that simple.
A person might avoid eye contact because it makes concentrating on the conversation harder. They might move, fidget, doodle or look away while listening carefully.
Others may use very little facial expression, even when they're interested and engaged.
This doesn't mean managers should ignore non-verbal communication entirely.
It means being careful about the conclusions you draw from it.
Rather than thinking, "They weren't making eye contact, so they clearly weren't listening," focus on what was actually communicated and agreed.
Did you both understand the priorities? Were questions answered? Does the employee know what's expected?
That's far more useful than judging how someone looked during the conversation.
5. Make feedback clear, specific and actionable
Feedback is an important part of any 1:1.
And neuroinclusion doesn't mean avoiding difficult conversations or telling employees everything is fine when it isn't.
It means delivering feedback in a way that makes it clear what needs to change.
Compare these two examples.
"You need to be a bit more proactive and communicate better."
What does proactive mean here? Communicate how often? About what? With whom?
Now consider:
"When a deadline looks likely to slip, I need you to let me know as soon as you're aware, rather than waiting until the due date. That gives us time to adjust the plan."
The second example gives the employee something specific to work with.
A useful approach is to explain:
What happened, using an observable example.
Why it matters to the work or team.
What needs to happen differently.
Whether anything is making that expectation difficult to meet.
What support, if any, would help.
This is particularly important when discussing performance.
You can be clear about standards while also exploring whether unclear instructions, competing priorities or an inaccessible working process are contributing to the problem.
The goal isn't to excuse performance issues.
It's to understand them properly and respond fairly.
Acas advises employers to explore support and reasonable adjustments when managing performance concerns involving neurodivergent employees, rather than automatically moving straight to a formal process.
6. Talk about support without turning the meeting into a medical conversation
One of the biggest misconceptions about neuroinclusion is that managers need to know someone's diagnosis before they can offer meaningful support.
They don't.
The goal of a 1:1 isn't to diagnose people at work, investigate their medical history or ask them to justify how their brain works.
It's to understand what helps them do their job well.
Try questions such as:
"What helps you stay on top of your priorities?"
"Is there anything about the way we're working that's making your job harder than it needs to be?"
"Would it help to change how we communicate deadlines or updates?"
"Is there anything we could try that would make this process more manageable?"
These are practical workplace questions.
They also allow employees to discuss barriers without necessarily sharing personal information.
Some neurodivergent employees will be happy to talk openly about their neurodivergence. Others won't. Some may not have a diagnosis, and some may not identify as neurodivergent at all.
That's okay.
Acas confirms that workers do not need a formal diagnosis to be considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010. Employers should consider support and reasonable adjustments based on individual circumstances, rather than treating diagnosis as the only starting point.
Managers should handle personal information sensitively, respect confidentiality and involve HR or other appropriate support when needed.
7. End with clear actions and follow up in writing
Imagine having a really productive conversation, agreeing several things and then walking away with completely different interpretations of what happens next.
It happens.
And it can happen more easily when expectations are left implied rather than clearly stated.
At the end of the 1:1, agree:
What needs to happen.
Who is responsible.
When it needs to happen.
What support or adjustments have been agreed.
When you'll review progress.
Then send a short written summary, in an agreed accessible format.
This might be an email, a shared task list or an update in your project management system.
It doesn't need to be formal or complicated.
A written summary gives both people something to refer back to. It also reduces the need to remember every detail of a verbal conversation.
And if you've agreed to try something different, make sure you actually review whether it's helping.
An adjustment that looks good on paper isn't necessarily effective in practice.
What could a neuroinclusive 1:1 actually look like?
You don't need to overhaul your whole management process.
Here's an example of how you might structure a 30-minute conversation.
A practical 30-minute 1:1 structure
Example agenda
5 minutes
Check in
How manageable has the workload felt? Anything important to raise?
10 minutes
Progress and priorities
Review specific tasks, deadlines, successes and challenges.
10 minutes
Barriers and support
Discuss what's getting in the way and any changes worth trying.
5 minutes
Actions and next steps
Confirm responsibilities, deadlines and what will be followed up.
Use this as a starting point, not a rigid script. Agree the frequency, format and structure that work for the employee and the role.
Some employees might prefer a shorter weekly meeting. Others may benefit from a longer fortnightly conversation, written check-ins or more frequent contact around particular projects.
There isn't one perfect format.
The important thing is to make a conscious decision together, rather than assuming your preferred approach works for everyone.
What should managers avoid in neuroinclusive 1:1s?
Sometimes the most useful changes come from noticing what we're doing automatically.
There are a few habits worth watching out for.
Springing difficult feedback on someone without preparation. Not every conversation can be planned, but where possible, give people enough context to prepare.
Assuming agreement because someone says "yes". Check that expectations are clear without putting the employee on the spot or asking them to prove they've understood.
Making assumptions based on diagnosis. Two employees with ADHD, for example, might have completely different communication preferences and support needs.
Treating adjustments as favours. Adjustments should be considered as practical ways of removing barriers. Where the Equality Act's duty applies, reasonable adjustments are a legal requirement, not optional goodwill.
Promising support and then forgetting about it. If something has been agreed, follow through or explain promptly if further discussion or approval is needed.
Turning every 1:1 into a performance review. Employees need space to discuss questions, ideas, workload and support, not just receive updates on what's going wrong.
And perhaps most importantly, avoid making the employee responsible for teaching you everything about neurodiversity.
Listening to someone's experiences matters. Expecting them to provide all your management training is something else entirely.
What should managers do next?
You don't have to change everything about your 1:1s overnight.
Start by looking at the conversations you're already having.
Ask yourself: Are my 1:1s genuinely helping employees understand expectations, raise concerns and get the support they need?
Then try these five small changes.
Your neuroinclusive 1:1 checklist
Share a simple agenda before the meeting.
Ask employees how they prefer to communicate and receive feedback.
Replace vague questions with specific, useful ones.
Agree clear actions, responsibilities and deadlines.
Follow up on support or adjustments you've discussed.
0 of 5 completed Copy checklist
And don't be afraid to ask for feedback on your own management approach.
A simple question like "Is there anything I could do differently in these meetings to make them more useful for you?" can open up a valuable conversation.
Remember, neuroinclusive management isn't a special technique reserved for employees with a disclosed diagnosis.
It's about recognising that people have different needs, preferences and ways of working, and developing the skills to manage those differences effectively.
How NeuroConfetti can help managers have better conversations
Knowing what good neuroinclusive management looks like is one thing.
Feeling confident enough to put it into practice, particularly when conversations involve performance, reasonable adjustments or sensitive topics, is another.
And many managers haven't been trained to do that.
In March 2026, Acas published findings from a YouGov survey of 1,000 employees across Great Britain. Only 32% felt their organisation effectively trained managers to identify and make reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent colleagues.Are ADHD workplace adjustments special treatment?
No. A reasonable adjustment is a change intended to reduce a disadvantage experienced by a disabled employee.
It does not automatically remove essential duties, excuse inappropriate conduct or lower the required standard of work.
This does not mean lowering standards.
It may mean changing the route by which an employee meets those standards.
For example:
The standard remains submitting accurate work on time.
The adjustment is receiving written priorities and using interim deadlines.
Or:
The standard remains participating appropriately in team communication.
The adjustment is receiving the agenda in advance and being allowed to submit some ideas in writing.
The employee remains accountable for their work. The manager remains responsible for providing clear expectations, considering reasonable adjustments and reviewing whether the agreed support is effective.
That's a significant confidence and capability gap.
At NeuroConfetti, our NeuroInclusion Unlocked manager training is designed to help close it.
We focus on the practical side of neuroinclusion: having confident conversations, understanding reasonable adjustments, communicating expectations clearly and supporting people without lowering performance standards.
Because managers shouldn't have to guess their way through these situations.
If your managers understand that neuroinclusion matters but aren't always sure what to say or do, we'd love to help.
How NeuroConfetti Can Help
Managers are often expected to handle 1:1s confidently, despite receiving very little practical training.
NeuroInclusion Unlocked is designed for that gap.
It helps managers understand what neuroinclusion looks like in everyday work, including how to begin conversations, consider adjustments, give clear feedback and maintain fair performance expectations.
Because knowing neuroinclusion matters is one thing. Knowing what to say on Monday morning is another.
FAQs
Should neurodivergent employees have different 1:1 meetings?
Not automatically. The aim is to provide a consistent management approach that can be adapted to individual needs. Some employees may benefit from advance agendas, written follow-ups, shorter meetings or different communication methods. The best approach is to discuss preferences with the individual rather than make assumptions based on a diagnosis.
How often should managers hold 1:1s with neurodivergent employees?
There isn't a universal frequency. Weekly or fortnightly meetings may work well, but individual circumstances, workload and the type of support needed should guide the decision. Some employees may also benefit from shorter check-ins between formal meetings. Agree a frequency together and review whether it's effective.
What questions should I ask in a neuroinclusive 1:1?
Useful questions focus on workload, clarity, barriers and support. For example: "Are your current priorities clear?", "Is anything making your work harder than it needs to be?" and "Would any changes to how we work together help?" Specific, practical questions are often more useful than relying entirely on broad prompts.
Do employees need to disclose a diagnosis before managers can offer support?
No. Managers can offer clearer instructions, accessible communication and flexible ways of working without requiring someone to disclose a diagnosis. Where disability-related reasonable adjustments may be needed, employers should follow the appropriate process and seek advice where necessary. A formal diagnosis is not always required for protection under the Equality Act 2010.
How can managers give constructive feedback to neurodivergent employees?
Use clear examples, explain the expected standard and agree specific next steps. Avoid vague feedback such as "show more initiative" without explaining what that means. Ask whether any workplace barriers are affecting performance and consider appropriate adjustments. Neuroinclusive feedback should remain fair, respectful and focused on the work.
Do neuroinclusive 1:1s mean lowering performance expectations?
No. Neuroinclusive 1:1s help managers communicate expectations clearly, identify barriers and agree support. Employees can still be held accountable for their work. The goal is to create fair conditions for people to understand expectations and demonstrate their capabilities.