Wellbeing, Energy, and Work Functioning Among Autistic and ADHD Employees

About the research 

Autistic and ADHD employees often face workplace challenges linked to stress, burnout, fatigue, emotional regulation, organisation, and navigating environments that are not always designed around neurodivergent needs. These challenges can contribute to poorer workplace outcomes, including reduced productivity, increased absence, and difficulties sustaining employment over time. 

Despite growing interest in workplace neuroinclusion and digital support tools, there is still limited longitudinal evidence examining whether support approaches can meaningfully improve both wellbeing and workplace functioning for neurodivergent employees in real-world settings. 

This mixed-methods longitudinal study followed 278 employed autistic and/or ADHD adults (196 by 6-month follow-up) using Brain in Hand (BiH), a hybrid support tool combining personalised digital support, structured routines, human coaching, and on-demand support. Participants completed measures of wellbeing, productivity, coping, and work-related energy over six months, alongside qualitative reflections on their experiences using BiH. 

Key findings 

1. Brain in Hand was associated with improvements in wellbeing and workplace functioning 

Participants reported significant improvements across wellbeing, productivity, coping, and perceived work-related energy over the six-month study period. 

This was reflected in qualitative accounts – participants described: 

• Feeling calmer, more focused, and less overwhelmed 
• Managing workload more effectively 
• Improved prioritisation and emotional regulation 
• Increased confidence and self-understanding 
• Greater ability to sustain engagement with work over time 

2. Work-related energy appeared closely linked to productivity improvement 

A key finding was the close relationship between wellbeing, energy, and workplace functioning. Improvements in work-related energy emerged as the strongest independent predictor of productivity improvement. 

Participants frequently described becoming better able to: 

• Recognise overload and burnout earlier 
• Manage fatigue more proactively 
• Pace workload more effectively 
• Build healthier and more sustainable work patterns 

Rather than simply increasing “output”, many participants described becoming better able to remain engaged and productive without reaching burnout. 

3. Participants highlighted the value of Brain in Hand’s blended support approach translating self-awareness to positive outcomes 

Participants frequently described the combination of one-to-one coaching and practical digital tools as particularly valuable. 

Features commonly highlighted included: 

• Mood and wellbeing check-ins 
• Structured routines and reminders 
• Practical coping strategies 
• Problem-solving support 
• Personalised coaching 

Participants described these features helping them translate greater self-awareness into practical workplace strategies and day-to-day support. 

4. Workplace environments still shaped outcomes 

While many participants experienced meaningful benefits, workplace environments still played an important role in shaping outcomes. 

Some participants described barriers including: 

• Limited workplace flexibility 
• Lack of understanding from managers or colleagues 
• Difficulties openly using support tools at work 
• High levels of fatigue and competing demands 

The findings suggest that supportive workplace environments remain important in helping neurodivergent employees fully benefit from workplace support tools. 

Why this matters 

This study provides rare longitudinal evidence showing that BiH, a hybrid digital support tool, can support meaningful improvements in both wellbeing and workplace functioning among autistic and ADHD employees in real-world workplace settings. 

Importantly, the findings suggest that BiH may help neurodivergent employees work more sustainably over time by supporting self-awareness, workload management, coping, and energy regulation - not simply by increasing productivity in isolation. 

The study also contributes new insight into how wellbeing and workplace functioning may be connected for neurodivergent employees, highlighting the importance of supporting sustainable work capacity, recovery, and burnout prevention alongside performance.