Aron Mercer: Researching neurodiversity and belonging in the workplace

What does it really cost to hide who you are at work?

For Aron Mercer, this question isn’t theoretical, it’s deeply personal.

Now completing his PhD at Griffith University, Aron is uncovering how neurodivergent people experience the workplace. But for much of his own career, he kept his ADHD hidden.

“I feel a little strange being an advocate because I spent 20 years hiding that fact in the workplace because it didn't feel safe or relevant,” he says.

“Looking for ways that people wouldn't discover that, and certainly not bringing it up.”

That lived experience is what drives Aron’s research today.

A global pattern of silence

Focusing on people who identify as autistic, dyslexic or ADHD, Aron has spoken with individuals around the world. 

Despite different industries, roles and countries, one pattern kept emerging:

Almost none had told their employer about their diagnosis.

That raised an important question: why don’t people feel safe enough to share?

Turning research into real-world change

Aron has been working alongside APM since 2017, and the organisation has now committed to a three-year research partnership with Griffith University to support this work.

Together, they’re not just exploring experiences, they’re looking at how workplaces can change.

Jeremy Smith, APM’s Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, says, “We say we enable better lives. What we can all learn through the work that Aron will do alongside us, the way that we can change attitudes, change bias, change stigma.”

The hidden cost of masking

At the heart of Aron’s research is something many people don’t see: the effort it takes to “mask” - to consciously hide or suppress parts of yourself to fit in.

And that effort comes at a price.

“I've spoken with many people that feel like they're being impostors when they're not kind of authentic,” he says.

“That comes at a great cost to them energy-wise and in terms of their mental wellbeing.”

A shift toward safer workplaces

Encouragingly, Aron is also seeing signs of change.

More workplaces are beginning to normalise neurodiversity - creating environments where differences aren’t just accepted, but understood.

“Should people want to share a diagnosis, they can,” he says. 

“Really recognising that we all have differently wired brains and there's no one right way of being.”

Building inclusion that lasts

APM’s support goes beyond funding. The partnership includes employee participation, advocacy, and a commitment to turning research insights into meaningful changes across the organisation, through to customers and delivery partners.

The research will also inform service offerings and learning programs delivered by APM brands such as Early Start Australia, Everyday Independence, Assure, Konekt, APM WorkCare, Acumen Health and APM Employment Services.