The numbers that don't add up
A Forbes piece published yesterday cites 2023 ZenBusiness research claiming over half of Gen Z identify as neurodiverse. The figure comes from a survey of 1,000 young Americans aged 18-25, where 53% identified as ‘definitely’ (22%) or ‘somewhat’ (31%) neurodiverse.
Let’s pause here.
Established research suggests neurodivergent conditions affect roughly 15-20% of the population. Yet suddenly, in one generation (Z) — indeed the cohort I fall under — we’re supposed to believe this has jumped to over 50%?
Something doesn’t compute.
The ZenBusiness study, designed to promote their entrepreneurship program, asked participants to self-identify without clinical verification. No diagnostic criteria. No professional neurodiversity assessment. Just: “Do you consider yourself neurodiverse?” followed by a survey about entrepreneurial traits.
This isn’t recognition. This is suggestion. Powered by marketing.
let me reiterate: not only was the study itself powered by marketing, but the press releases announcing the extraordinary neurodiversity and Gen Z claim — which is why sites like Forbes, Business Wire, et.al. publish the piece — were paid to do so, in a marketing push.
This is beyond paramount to understand. To even begin to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to neurodiversity. We’re living in a chaff-first world, whether we like it or not. We must accept it, know how to winnow, and winnow when required.
When identity becomes trendy
The Forbes article celebrates this surge as Gen Z’s “willingness to openly identify as neurodiverse,” framing it as brave disclosure — which I’ve no doubts they’d self-attribute to the decades of progressiveness and advocacy. But there’s a difference between authentic neurodivergent identity and adopting neurodiversity as a fashionable self-concept.
Heck, even Autism Spectrum News were hailing neurodiversity as “the new trend!”
Yay…
Social media has created an environment where neurodivergent traits become relatable content.
# Just ADHD things
# My autistic moments
# Neurodivergent struggles
# So neurospicy
And more, all populating social media feeds, making complex neurological differences seem like personality quirks anyone can claim.
There’s a plethora of peer reviewed and well-cited research papers on this exact topic (see citations below).
When 92% of respondents believe neurodiversity is a “superpower” for entrepreneurship, we’ve moved far from the reality of neurodivergent experience. Real neurodivergence isn’t a career advantage you can turn on for innovation meetings. It’s a fundamental difference in how your brain processes the world — sometimes beneficial, often challenging, always complex.
I ask: how many of those 92% have experience in entrepreneurship? Let alone genuine experience being a neurodivergent entrepreneur. We are, surely, at a point as people where we are able to accept and hold the human condition as a complex and nuanced process, and leave the superpowers to Marvel and DC — jumping straight there isn’t going to do anything for anyone.
The neurodiversity in the workplace arms race
The Forbes piece advises employers to prepare for this “neurodivergent generation” through “universal design,” flexible workplace arrangements and accommodation, and sensory-friendly spaces. Well-intentioned recommendations that miss the deeper issue: if half your workforce claims neurodivergent needs, you’re not accommodating neurodivergence — you’re redesigning work for everyone. Which is a complete different project.
Which might not be terrible, but it dilutes resources and attention from people who genuinely need specific accommodations. When everyone’s neurodiverse, no one is.
The article discusses “closing the disclosure gap” and reducing stigma around neurodivergent identity. But what happens when disclosure becomes performance? When claiming neurodivergence becomes a strategic career move rather than an authentic need for support?
What employers actually need to know
The real challenge isn’t accommodating a supposedly neurodivergent majority or allegedly half of your office. It’s distinguishing between authentic needs and trending identity claims while supporting everyone fairly. But I know employers already know this, which is what makes it such a difficult subject for them to approach, still, let alone solve.
Some practical realities:
Genuine neurodivergent employees often struggle with disclosure due to legitimate fears about discrimination
Self-identification without clinical backing creates murky waters for legal accommodation requirements
Universal design principles benefit everyone but shouldn’t replace targeted support for those with documented needs
Workplace flexibility is valuable regardless of neurotype
The focus should be on creating environments that work for diverse thinking styles without requiring anyone to claim a neurodivergent identity first in order to access basic sanity in the workplace. Which, I stress, is something that should be the bare minimum on offer to every employed individual.
The real neurodivergent experience gets lost
While Gen Z performs neurodivergence as entrepreneurial advantage, actually neurodivergent people — many still fighting for proper diagnosis, appropriate support, and workplace understanding — watch their experiences get repackaged as lifestyle choice.
The study’s findings about neurodivergent people being more creative (90%), authentic (80%), and hardworking (72%) read like a LinkedIn post about diversity hiring. And I can only begin to imagine how jarring it must be to read what I’ve just outlined — to the non neurodivergent reader, you’re less authentic, and that’s that! Sorry. Again, not my fault. It’s yours, probably. I guess you just need more advocacy? Then the wheels of progressiveness get to turn once more! While getting nowhere. Again.
Real neurodivergence includes executive function struggles, sensory overwhelm, social exhaustion, and cognitive differences that don’t always translate to workplace or entrepreneurial benefits. Trust me. Trust us. Or maybe that would require actually asking the neurodivergent…
When neurodivergence becomes a brand rather than a reality, we risk trivializing the real challenges faced by real people whose brains really function differently from the norm.
Citations
I don’t even want to link to the study, or the Forbes piece, as you can imagine. So if you want to find it, you’ll have to find it yourself.
Autism Spectrum News — Neurodiversity is the New Trend!
Foster, A., & Ellis, N. (2024) — TikTok-inspired self-diagnosis and its implications for educational psychology practice
