Neurodivergence in the Workplace: Lessons From “Als Alle Breinen Werken” (Saskia Schepers)
- 07/09/2026
- Posted by: Rosalie Derksen
- Category: Uncategorized
Neurodivergence in the workplace is a topic that is finally receiving the attention it deserves. The book Als alle breinen werken by Saskia Schepers is a welcome contribution: clear, well-founded, and above all practical. For everyone who works with people who drop out, get stuck, or fail to thrive in their work environment, the book offers valuable insights. Especially for professionals involved in reintegration or guidance towards different work.
Because what Schepers shows touches precisely on something that plays out daily in the practice of work guidance and reintegration: people don’t get stuck because they are incapable, but because the environment doesn’t match how their brain works. That distinction makes all the difference.
What Schepers’ book says about brains and work
The core message of Als alle breinen werken is as simple as it is confronting: most work environments are designed around a narrow profile of “standard brains”. Everything outside that is quickly seen as a problem, limitation, or risk. While neurodivergent brains — think ADHD, autism, dyslexia, high sensitivity, and giftedness — can actually add enormous value when the environment is a good fit.
Schepers supports this with concrete figures. Research shows that neurodiverse teams achieve up to 30% higher productivity than homogeneous teams. That is not a romantic ideal, but a measurable result. The condition is that organisations are willing to adapt their working methods, communication, and structure. And that is where things still go wrong too often in practice.
The “brain passport” and the “think-together session” as tools
Two concrete instruments from the book deserve special attention: the brain passport and the think-together session. The brain passport is a personal document in which an employee describes how their brain works: what gives energy, what costs energy, and which circumstances enable optimal functioning. Not a medical file, but a practical conversation tool.
The think-together session is a structured meeting between the employee, their manager, and optionally a coach, in which the brain passport serves as the starting point. The label is not central — the person is. What does this specific employee need to function well? That is a fundamentally different question from “what is the diagnosis?”
How we apply a similar approach in Track 2 trajectories: not the label as the starting point, but the person
In our Track 2 trajectories, we work from exactly the same premise. When it becomes clear that returning to the original employer is no longer feasible, the trajectory does not begin with a step-by-step plan or a standard intake, but with a thorough exploration of who the person is. Which environment suits this brain? Which work culture gives energy rather than costing it?
A diagnosis can provide context, but is never the starting point. What someone can do, wants to do, and needs — that is where the conversation begins.
Recognition for clients: getting stuck due to a mismatch, not due to incompetence
One of the most powerful elements of Schepers’ book is the recognition it offers to people who have felt for years that “something is wrong with them”. While the reality is often different: something was wrong with the environment.
This is precisely the risk that arises when Track 2 is approached too generically. If a trajectory consists of a standard CV workshop, a few job application training sessions, and a list of vacancies, it completely misses the mark for many neurodivergent professionals. Not because they don’t want to or can’t, but because the approach doesn’t match how they process information, communicate, and make decisions. The result is getting stuck again — and that reinforces the sense of failure that was already there.
Recognition is therefore not a luxury in guidance. It is a prerequisite for movement.
Practical application: trajectories at the individual level
Good work guidance for neurodivergent professionals requires tailoring along three specific dimensions. Not as an extra service, but as a basic requirement.
Sensory processing
People with high sensory sensitivity — such as those with autism or high sensitivity — can become overstimulated by busy office environments, many meetings, or constant availability. In a trajectory, this means actively seeking out employers and roles where the work environment is a good fit. Not as a side issue, but as a selection criterion.
Communication preference
Not everyone communicates best in a classic job interview. Some professionals come across much better through a portfolio, a practical assignment, or an informal conversation. A good coach helps to identify and leverage that preference, rather than training someone to pretend to be different from who they are.
Work pace
Neurodivergent professionals sometimes work in a different rhythm: intensive periods of high productivity alternating with moments of recovery. A trajectory that takes this into account schedules sessions in a way that aligns with that rhythm and sets realistic goals that are not based on an average.
In concrete terms, this means that a good trajectory contains the following elements:
- An extensive personal exploration at the start, focused on work style, energy sources, and environmental needs
- Active matching on work environment and company culture, not just on job content
- Flexible guidance adapted to the pace and needs of the person
- Preparation for the conversation with a new employer about what someone needs, without presenting this as a weakness
The responsibility of employers and managers
Schepers is clear about where responsibility lies: not only with the employee who “must adapt”, but explicitly also with the organisation. Managers play a crucial role in creating an environment in which neurodivergent employees can thrive — or conversely, get stuck.
That requires awareness, but also concrete skills. Knowing how to have a conversation about what someone needs. Understanding that different behaviour does not equal unwillingness. And daring to deviate from standard work processes when that works better for a specific employee. An inclusive workplace is not an HR buzzword, but a daily practice that starts with the manager.
Neurodivergence as a strength in complex work environments
Perhaps the most important message of Als alle breinen werken: neurodivergence is not a limitation to be managed, but a different way of thinking that, in the right context, is a genuine asset. People with ADHD often have an exceptional ability to switch gears in a crisis. People with autism can see patterns that others miss. Highly sensitive professionals pick up on group dynamics early and accurately.
In complex work environments — where speed, adaptability, and creative problem-solving are required — these are not special talents. They are precisely the qualities that make the difference. The labour market for highly educated professionals in the Netherlands is tight, and organisations that know how to attract and retain neurodivergent professionals are building a real competitive advantage.
Psychological flexibility plays a supportive role in this. The ACT methodology helps people to let go of limiting thoughts and get moving, even when the situation is uncertain or complex. That is valuable for everyone, but especially for people who have spent years learning that their way of thinking is a problem.
How UFIND helps with the reintegration of neurodivergent professionals
UFIND guides highly educated professionals through reintegration and outplacement, with special attention to people who get stuck because the environment doesn’t match who they are. We believe that a diagnosis provides context, but should never be the starting point. The person is central.
What we offer in our trajectories:
- Personal exploration of work style, energy sources, and environmental needs as the starting point of every trajectory
- Tailored matching on work environment, company culture, and communication style — not just on job profile
- Guidance by one dedicated coach throughout the entire trajectory, so that genuine familiarity develops
- ACT training as part of the trajectory, focused on increasing psychological flexibility and converting limiting thoughts into targeted action
- Preparation for the conversation with a new employer about needs and conditions, in a way that projects strength
Our motto is: human where possible, professional where necessary. This means we connect with the brain and situation of the person, while at the same time taking the UWV frameworks and reintegration obligations seriously. The two go together perfectly.
Would you like to know how we can tailor a trajectory to a specific employee? Get in touch for a no-obligation conversation.