Extract from article: Fewer than one in 10 employers are “very confident” about hiring neurodivergent people or people with disabilities, with fears of “getting it wrong” limiting employment opportunities, new research suggests.
Read the full article , The Irish Examiner, 19 Aug 2026, Alex Cunningham
Survey of 150 employers by Now Group
Key findings from employers
• Fewer than 1 in 10 employers feel “very confident” about hiring
disabled or neurodivergent candidates.
• Over half feel “a little” or “not at all” equipped to recruit and support
• 25% fear being “insensitive” during recruitment or on the job.
• Nearly 20% do not know how to provide basic workplace accommodations.
15% are unsure how to support candidates during the actual hiring process.
Key facts
• Less than half of working-age people with disabilities holding jobs.
• 85% of autistic people remain unemployed or underemployed. (source: AsIAm)