Lois Baynham, founder of Unlabelled and Limitless, a neurodiversity-focused consultancy and storytelling platform, aims to help businesses design environments where different ways of thinking can contribute meaningfully. Her mission has grown from years spent observing how policies and leadership decisions shape everyday experiences at work.
That perspective reflects a multifaceted career. Lois has worked across people strategy, learning and development, employee relations, and compliance, with experience supporting organizations during periods of growth and transition. Exposure to startup environments, acquisitions, and scaling pressures provided her with insight into how culture often forms under constraint. "Over the years, I've come to see how leadership choices can influence whether people feel they can take part comfortably at work, or whether they end up spending extra energy trying to fit into systems that weren't really built with their needs in mind," Lois shares.
Her motivation also carries a personal dimension. Lois received an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis later in life. "Having a language for patterns I'd lived with for decades helped me make better sense of my energy, communication, and capacity," she shares. Her brother, Ian Baynham, was diagnosed with autism earlier in life, and his experiences navigating education, work, and parenthood shaped the family's ongoing reflections on systems and expectations. Over time, these conversations grew into a broader exploration of how different cognitive profiles show up across families and professions.
Family collaboration plays a significant role within Unlabelled and Limitless. Lois, Ian, and their mother, Susan Baynham, work together while maintaining clear professional boundaries. Susan offers research insight, editorial perspective, and guidance informed by supporting neurodivergent family members.
Meanwhile, Ian contributes analytical depth from a STEM background, along with advanced research into leadership and workplace structures. Lois brings these perspectives together through her study of psychology, HR expertise, and strategic lens. Additional contributors and advisors support content development and consulting work, highlighting that the organization extends beyond its founding family.
The ideas Lois brings to leadership conversations reflect both research and lived experience. One recurring theme revolves around the idea that well‑designed accommodations may support a wide range of people. A dimensional understanding of neurodevelopment, one that recognizes shared underpinnings, overlapping features, and continuity across populations, reflects how neurodevelopmental traits cluster along a spectrum. This perspective supports approaches that adapt to individual needs and contexts, offering greater clinical utility than rigid diagnostic categories.
Population data further highlights the relevance of this approach. Approximately 15 to 20% of the global population exhibits some form of neurodivergence, with adult ADHD prevalence likely higher than formal diagnoses suggest. In leadership contexts, Lois notes that this data reframes neurodiversity as a common aspect of human variation rather than a niche concern. "When leaders recognize how widespread neurological difference is, design decisions can start to feel more consequential," Lois states. "Small shifts can ripple outward."
Workplace design features prominently in Lois's recommendations. She notes that open‑plan offices, fluorescent lighting, and constant auditory input may create environments that strain focus and recovery. Hence, she encourages leaders to examine the actual demands of roles and align spaces accordingly, supporting periods of concentration alongside collaboration.
These considerations echo broader evidence on the business impact of neuroinclusion. Research from EY highlights that expanding neuroinclusion unlocks the transformational skills driving the next frontier of business value, with neurodivergent professionals reporting high rates of expert‑level proficiency in the fastest‑growing skill areas.
Another report adds further weight, noting that nearly 45% of C‑suite executives and 55% of business owners identify as neurodivergent. Lois says, "These findings suggest that when roles and environments are designed to match how people process information, organizations can harness neurological differences as a strategic asset."
Leadership language also matters, according to Lois. "I think phrases like 'bring your authentic self to work' sound encouraging, but they can feel a bit abstract without something solid behind them," she says. "People usually feel more grounded when expectations are clear, and processes make sense. A sense of belonging often grows from that kind of clarity, because it helps people settle in and focus on contributing." This emphasis on structure aligns with survey data, which highlights the gap many employees experience between stated inclusion goals and the realities of accommodation processes.
Unlabelled and Limitless aims to help address these gaps through multiple channels. Its storytelling platform features blogs and podcasts created by neurodivergent contributors, offering nuanced narratives that expand understanding beyond stereotypes. The consultancy arm partners with organizations to build neuroinclusive systems, focusing on leadership education, policy review, and practical design choices. Workshops often include experiential elements that help managers appreciate how sensory input, communication norms, and task switching affect daily work.
Across this work, Lois consistently returns to the idea that labels serve individuals best when paired with context and choice. She believes that labels can support self-understanding, while broader organizational focus may benefit from strengths, preferences, and working conditions. "People live whole lives, not categories," Lois emphasizes. "Workplaces can function better when they respond to that reality."
As conversations about work continue to evolve, Lois Baynham's perspective offers leaders a grounded entry point. Her blend of professional expertise, family collaboration, and research-informed insight invites decision-makers to consider how everyday choices shape participation. Through Unlabelled and Limitless, she continues to explore how thoughtful design, respectful language, and inclusive leadership practices can support organizations and communities.
