How I Turned Workplace Barriers Into a Career Coaching Mission – An Interview with Rebecca Dillon
What happens when the traditional workplace isn’t designed for the way you naturally think, communicate or work? Rebecca Dillon is a career coach helping neurodivergent, disabled and LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex and Asexual/Aromantic/Agender) individuals challenge conventional expectations, navigate workplace barriers and build careers that are both fulfilling and sustainable.
In this interview, she explores why feeling like you don’t fit the workplace doesn’t mean you don’t belong – and how coaching can help people move from simply surviving at work to genuinely thriving.
Rebecca Dillon, Career Coach
What led you to build a career coaching approach for people who may feel overlooked or unsupported by traditional workplaces?
My career coaching approach was born from my own experience of navigating a workplace system that was not designed with people like me in mind. Diagnosed with a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) at 12, I faced challenges around energy levels, mobility and maintaining employment, yet I struggled to find support that addressed these needs in a practical and meaningful way.
For years, I experienced a cycle of securing jobs, being dismissed before probation and returning to the Job Centre. Eventually, I began to question whether I was the problem. With time and reflection, I realised that the issue was not my ability or potential, but the rigidity of traditional workplace environments. Fixed schedules, inflexible processes and sensory demands can create significant barriers for people with additional needs, often forcing them to mask their difficulties.
That realisation inspired me to explore coaching. I completed a Life Coaching course and began developing a career coaching approach focused on helping individuals who feel overlooked by conventional workplaces identify their strengths, find suitable employment and build sustainable, fulfilling careers.
What would a meaningful and successful career look like to someone who isn’t sure how to obtain it?
A meaningful and successful career can look different for everyone. For someone who knows what they want but isn’t sure how to achieve it, success may simply mean having the skills, confidence and mindset to pursue a career that feels exciting, purposeful and aligned with who they are.
This is where coaching can be particularly valuable. I would help the client clarify what they want to achieve, understand why that goal motivates and excites them, and explore what may currently be preventing them from moving towards it. We would look at limiting beliefs, practical barriers and circumstances that may be holding them back.
From there, we would explore the different possibilities available to them and consider which options are realistic, manageable and achievable within their circumstances. Rather than telling them which path to take, I would give them the space to evaluate their options and decide which feels right for them.
Ultimately, my role is to help someone turn an uncertain ambition into a clear, achievable direction. By breaking their goal down into manageable steps, they can begin moving forward with greater clarity, confidence and belief in their own capabilities.
When someone is struggling professionally, how do you distinguish between a confidence issue and an environment that simply does not support them?
When someone is struggling professionally, I first look beyond the presenting problem to understand what is really holding them back. Through insightful, non-judgemental questions, I explore whether they are experiencing self-doubt and a lack of confidence, or whether their working environment is creating barriers to their growth, wellbeing or performance.
Breaking the issue down helps clients identify patterns, perspectives and possibilities they may not have considered themselves. I create a safe space where they can speak openly, think freely and explore what is truly happening without fear of judgement. Rather than giving advice or imposing my own opinions, I believe the client is best placed to determine what will work for them.
Once they understand the root of the issue, I support them in exploring different solutions and creating a realistic, measurable and achievable action plan. This process not only addresses the immediate challenge but also builds confidence in their ability to navigate future situations independently.
My role as a coach is not to provide the answers, but to help clients understand what is holding them back, recognise their capabilities and develop solutions that move them towards their goals.
What have you learned about rebuilding career confidence when someone has spent years feeling that they do not fit conventional expectations?
I’ve learned that rebuilding career confidence starts with helping people understand that not fitting conventional workplace expectations does not mean they are incapable or unemployable. After years of trying to adapt to environments that work against their natural thought processes, many people begin to feel hopeless and question their abilities.
I’ve seen this particularly with people returning to work after a long career gap due to health issues or personal circumstances. They may view the gap on their CV as a red flag, doubt whether their skills are still relevant, and fear that employers will see them as unemployable. Combined with the daily pressure of masking, adapting to rigid processes and working in ways that don’t align with how they naturally function, it can become exhausting and make sustaining employment difficult.
We may not always be able to change the workplace itself, but we can change how we navigate it. By introducing practical strategies, processes and communication methods that reduce stress, support executive functioning and improve relationships with managers and colleagues, we can create a way of working that is sustainable.
The goal is to help people move from simply surviving at work to feeling capable, confident and able to thrive without burning out or feeling like they don’t belong.
Which workplace norms do you think create the biggest unnecessary barriers for neurodivergent or disabled employees?
I believe these three workplace norms create particularly unnecessary barriers for neurodivergent and disabled employees: rigid time structures, expectations around how people should behave at work, and assumptions about the speed at which work should be completed.
Rigid start and finish times can place unnecessary pressure on employees whose energy levels and needs fluctuate. The morning routine alone can be exhausting, leaving someone drained before they have even started work. Greater flexibility around when and how employees begin their day could reduce stress, improve concentration and allow people to work when they are most capable of being productive.
I also believe expectations around workplace behaviour can encourage masking. Spending the day suppressing natural behaviours, managing sensory overload and trying to appear “typical” takes considerable emotional and mental energy. That energy could instead be directed towards completing work, communicating effectively and contributing to the team.
Finally, productivity should not be measured solely by speed. People have different ways of processing information, completing tasks and managing their energy.
Creating flexibility around working methods and timeframes could improve productivity, morale and job satisfaction.
Ultimately, workplaces should focus more on outcomes than conformity. When employees are given the flexibility to work in ways that suit their needs, they have a greater opportunity to perform, contribute and thrive.
What are some practical changes companies can make to create a more adaptable workplace without waiting for an employee to struggle first?
Companies can create more adaptable workplaces by building flexibility into their environment and processes from the outset, rather than waiting for an employee to struggle or request an adjustment.
For example, open-plan offices can create constant background noise and make concentration difficult. Providing quieter spaces where employees can work with the door closed gives people the option to manage sensory overload. Lighting is another simple consideration; reducing harsh fluorescent lighting, using adjustable lighting or maximising natural light can help reduce sensory fatigue.
Employers can also remove blanket restrictions on tools such as noise-cancelling headphones or fidget items, allowing employees to use strategies that help them regulate and concentrate. Clear communication is equally important. Providing concise instructions, clearly defined expectations and advance notice of changes to routines or responsibilities can significantly reduce unnecessary stress.
Finally, rigid approaches to breaks and productivity can overlook differences in how people manage focus and energy. Offering reasonable flexibility around break times, working patterns and how tasks are completed can benefit everyone, not just neurodivergent or disabled employees.
These are relatively small changes, but collectively they can create a workplace that is more inclusive, adaptable and supportive – without requiring employees to reach a point of burnout before their needs are recognised.
What do you hope people will gain from your workshops with LGBT Foundation that they may not receive from traditional career support?
My hope is that people leave my workshops feeling reassured, empowered and better equipped to navigate their careers as their authentic selves. Finding an employer that genuinely understands and supports LGBTQIA+ employees can be challenging, and I want participants to feel more confident identifying inclusive employers, recognising workplace barriers and developing strategies that help them succeed.
Traditional career support often focuses on practical job-search skills such as CV writing, applications and interview preparation. While these are valuable, my workshops aim to go deeper into the experiences that can affect LGBTQIA+ people throughout their working lives.
We explore topics such as workplace discrimination, the reasons people may feel the need to suppress their identity at work, navigating negative office politics, communicating within workplaces that may lack LGBTQIA+ awareness, and finding ways to make the most of their current situation.
Most importantly, I want each participant to leave with an action plan that is specific, manageable and realistic for them. My goal is not to tell people how they should approach their careers, but to create a safe, non-judgemental space where they can explore their challenges, recognise their strengths and develop practical solutions that help them feel confident, supported and able to thrive at work.
What is the one change you would most like employers to make for people who currently feel they do not fit the traditional workplace?
The one change I would most like employers to make is to reconsider the expectations around how people are supposed to behave at work. I chose this because there are already practical strategies that can help employees manage fluctuating energy levels, improve productivity and reduce sensory overload, but there is no sustainable strategy for constantly masking who you are.
For many neurodivergent and disabled employees, suppressing natural behaviours, personality traits and individual ways of communicating can consume an enormous amount of mental and emotional energy. That energy could instead be directed towards their work, creativity and relationships with colleagues.
If employees were given greater freedom to be themselves at work, I believe many of the challenges associated with masking could be reduced, including anxiety, exhaustion and difficulties maintaining productivity. People would be able to focus on their responsibilities rather than worrying about maintaining a persona that feels unnatural to them.
Being able to show up as your genuine, authentic self at work shouldn’t be a compromise – it should be accepted as part of creating an inclusive workplace. When people feel safe to be themselves, it can strengthen morale, collaboration, creativity and a sense of belonging, helping employees feel that they can contribute without having to hide who they are.
What would change if employers stopped expecting people to fit a strict, neurotypical way of working?
If employers stopped expecting people to fit a strict, neurotypical way of working, I believe neurodivergent and disabled employees would have greater freedom to work in ways that suit their individual needs and strengths.
This could mean greater flexibility around working hours, allowing employees to structure their day in a way that supports their energy levels and productivity. It could also mean providing quieter, less overstimulating environments where people can concentrate more effectively and complete their work using methods that work best for them.
Most importantly, employees would have less pressure to mask who they are or constantly adapt themselves to meet conventional expectations. This could have a significant impact on confidence, wellbeing, morale, mental health and sustainable energy levels. When people aren’t spending valuable energy trying to appear “typical”, they have more capacity to focus on their work, communicate effectively and contribute creatively.
I also believe this shift could improve workplace relationships by reducing misunderstandings, negative office politics and the stigma sometimes experienced by neurodivergent and disabled employees.
Ultimately, creating a more flexible workplace would benefit everyone. People should be trusted to achieve their goals without being expected to follow one rigid method of working. That is how we create workplaces where people can belong, contribute and thrive.
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