Spectrum Dynamics Blog

When I founded Spectrum Dynamics, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at reducing barriers in education and employment for neurodivergent young people, I knew my creative and rebellious ADHD brain would take me in diverse directions.

 

If I earned a dopamine hit every time someone looked puzzled when I voiced an idea aloud, I might just have a semi-normal brain.

 

Back in 2005, when I qualified as a nurse, requests for flexibility—like not working three weekends in a row or having four consecutive weekends off—were often seen as selfish or lacking team spirit. If you were popular, you might get the shift swap you needed; if not, you were out of luck. At the time, I didn’t question it. I simply got on with things, happily swapping shifts and taking on extra work. But in hindsight, I can see how much unconscious bias shaped those attitudes.

 

Even those of us who could have benefited from flexible working often believed the needs of the service always came first. We assumed anyone asking for adjustments was trying to game the system.

 

As those close to me will tell you, my ADHD brain operates so quickly that I sometimes convince myself I’ve shared an idea, simply because, in my mind, I’ve already had the entire conversation. So let me be clear about what flexible working means to me.

Flexible working isn’t just about accommodating family life. It’s about challenging societal norms, rethinking how our daily lives are structured, and acknowledging that flexibility should also take into account people’s energy levels and mental capacity at any given moment.

 

Neurodivergent people often have what’s called a “spiky profile,” where strengths and challenges can vary dramatically from day to day. One day, you might feel completely drained and unable to start a task you’ve loved working on for weeks. The next day, you could find yourself so hyperfocused that you accomplish eight hours’ worth of work in just two.

 

I also think about how this relates to the three in four parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who, as reported by Sky News in September 2024, have had to reduce their hours or leave work altogether.

Traditional attendance and performance models simply don’t work for everyone. I’ve felt the frustration of giving everything—working 60-hour weeks, missing school plays, sports days, even my child’s first crawl—only to eventually hit a wall. When that happens, you might need time to recalibrate, but instead, the system punishes you. Separate sick days within three months? Off to disciplinary action you go.

So, how do I create a policy that offers flexibility but also accounts for the reality that not everyone can meet the organisation’s vision or expectations?

 

I knew I wanted to build a culture based on trust, autonomy, and leadership—one that taps into people’s potential and passion. The more I’m micromanaged, the less motivated I feel. I couldn’t justify the tagline “Different brains need different approaches” if Spectrum Dynamics CIC didn’t live and breathe it ourselves.

Many people with ADHD or autism will understand the concept of PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), where the more someone tries to make you conform to traditional ways of working, the more stifled you feel. Your body goes into fight-or-flight mode, and the urge to rebel becomes all too familiar.

 

There has to be a better way.

 

At Spectrum Dynamics, being a purpose-led organisation means creating policies and a culture that reflect not only the needs of the community we serve but also the people who work with us. For me, flexible working is about trusting people to do their best work when and how they can. It’s about recognising that productivity ebbs and flows and prioritising well-being.

This is the foundation I want to lay as we grow—a workplace that doesn’t just tolerate difference but thrives because of it.

 

Rachel Holme
CEO