Neurodivergent employees represent a meaningful and growing segment of today’s workforce. In Principal® research, 15% of employee respondents identified as neurodivergent, with the highest rates among younger generations.
Benefits can only support employees when they understand how to use them. Neurodivergent employees are less likely to find benefits communications effective and less likely to say they understand their benefits. As a result, they’re significantly more likely to underutilize some of the workplace resources designed to support their financial well-being, health, and work-life balance.
As employers adapt to the evolving workforce, ensuring benefits are accessible and easy to understand is increasingly important.
Neurodiversity is being reported at higher levels, especially among younger workers.
15% of employees identify as neurodivergent, with identification rates highest among younger generations:
- Gen Z: 28%
- Millennials: 19%
- Gen X: 8%
- Baby boomers: 3%
Communication gaps can create utilization gaps.
Neurodivergent employees are 10% less likely to feel they understand their benefits and 7% less likely to find employer communication effective than neurotypical employees.
Gaps in understanding correspond with lower use of core benefits. Neurodivergent employees are:
- 2.4× more likely to underutilize paid time off
- 2.0× more likely to underutilize retirement benefit plans
- 1.8× more likely to underutilize health insurance
Neurodivergent and neurotypical employees report similar levels of “belonging” in the workplace. They feel equally well treated by managers and equally recognized for hard work.
“A benefits package only delivers value when employees can use it confidently. Clear, accessible communication helps more employees take advantage of the support available to them and strengthens the impact of every the benefit offered.”
Kara Hoogensen
SVP and head of workplace benefits
Principal®
The Work and Worth Survey reflects findings from a nationwide study of U.S. employees conducted in November 2025 commissioned by Principal® and conducted by Dynata in November 2025. The survey included 2,001 respondents who were currently employed full-time or part-time, excluding self-employed individuals. Participants completed a 150-item questionnaire (approximately 15 minutes), generating more than 408,000 individual data points. The research was designed to explore how work, financial wellbeing, and life experiences intersect, with a focus on identifying statistically meaningful trends rather than producing a comprehensive assessment of the full employee experience. The survey incorporated advanced analytics and recognized clinical assessment tools, including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the Personal Wellbeing Index – Adult (PWI-A). Results represent self-reported perceptions and behaviors of U.S. employees at the time of the survey and may not be generalizable to all workforce populations.
