The Hidden Workforce: Neurodivergent Realities in Hospitality and Tourism

Abstract

This thesis explores the lived experiences of neurodivergent employees within the international hospitality and tourism industry, with a focus on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite increasing global conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion, neurodiversity remains a largely invisible and underrepresented dimension in the international hospitality and tourism industry and human resource management (HRM) policies. The research presented in this thesis addresses this critical gap in knowledge. A mixed-methods approach was adopted to explore both the systematic challenges and untapped strengths of neurodivergent workers within the industry. A quantitative and qualitative survey was completed by 110 employees in the international hospitality and tourism industry who self-identified as neurodiverse, and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with three managers in the industry. Key findings include a concerning lack of formal neuroinclusive HRM practices, inconsistent managerial awareness, and challenges related to discrimination and career advancement faced by neurodivergent employees working in the international hospitality and tourism industry. The findings reveal that neurodivergent staff often experience stigma, communication barriers, and an exclusionary workplace culture, yet also demonstrate extraordinary strengths regarding attention to detail, creativity, problem solving and customer service. The findings are analysed through the lens of the social model of disability, leading to a proposed framework for more inclusive HRM informed by neurodivergent voices. This research also contributes practical recommendations, including the adaptation of New Zealand‘s Rainbow Tick certification mark into a broader “Diversity Tick” that incorporates neurodivergent employees in organisational HR policies and workplace culture. This research study is, to the best of the author’s knowledge, the first to apply Kahn’s (1990) theoretical framework to neurodiversity within the international hospitality and tourism industry. Data collected for this research also enable a comparison of the neuroinclusivity experienced by hospitality and tourism industry employees in New Zealand and the United States for the first time. By adapting Kahn’s (1990) model of employee engagement and disengagement to focus on his concept psychological safety , this study advances our understanding of how to cultivate inclusive workplaces in which neurodivergent employees are not merely accommodated but actively valued and empowered to thrive.