Caught Before the Resignation Letter: A Neurodiversity Coaching Case Study
Updated: Sep 14
An employee on the verge of leaving. A mentor relationship under strain. And a coaching relationship already in place, quietly ready to catch it.
Replacing a technical employee typically costs 50–200% of their annual salary.
The difference between retention and attrition often comes down to whether the right support exists before a situation becomes irretrievable.
This is what that looks like in practice.
Foundations for success
An early-career employee in a technical lab environment was working toward progression to their next employment level, supported by their mentor. While motivation and capability were evident, challenges began emerging in engagement, communication, and alignment of expectations.
Critically, both the employee and mentor had already established a strong, trusting relationship with a Neurodiversity Coach. A key part of building that trust was the development of a My Work Profile, a structured tool that captures an individual's preferences, communication style, strengths, and support needs. This created shared understanding from the outset and normalised open discussion about how to work most effectively together.
Because this foundation existed before any crisis emerged, both parties felt safe enough to openly articulate their needs, frustrations, and perspectives when it mattered most. This foundation of psychological safety became critical in enabling constructive and solutions-focused intervention.
Escalating disengagement
The employee became increasingly disengaged, expressing feelings of being undervalued and perceiving themselves as a
“second-class team member.”
Conflicting feedback, positive from some stakeholders and more critical from the mentor, created confusion and increased emotional strain.
The employee began declining tasks they did not see as meaningful, often associating meaningful work with progression opportunities rather than broader contribution or impact. This misalignment in expectations led to frustration on both sides.
At the same time, the mentor, while committed to supporting the employee, found it increasingly difficult to balance encouragement with the need to reinforce performance expectations and organisational realities. Communication challenges and differing interpretations of feedback further strained the relationship.
The situation reached a critical turning point, with the employee actively considering leaving and the mentor uncertain how to effectively re-engage them. Without intervention, there was a significant risk of both attrition and a breakdown in the working relationship.
Skilled coaching intervention
The Neurodiversity Coach applied a balanced approach, working with both the employee and the mentor, recognising that sustainable change required shared understanding and mutual adjustments on both sides.
Rebuilding understanding
Leveraging established trust: The pre-existing, safe relationship enabled open and honest dialogue, allowing underlying concerns to surface without defensiveness.
Bridging communication gaps: Structured conversations and agreed communication practices reduced misinterpretation and ensured feedback was clearly understood.
Coaching both perspectives: The mentor was guided to provide clearer, more consistent feedback, while the employee was supported to interpret and respond constructively, rebuilding alignment from both sides.
Rebuilding momentum
Clarifying expectations and progression pathways: Together, both parties developed a shared understanding of what progression required, grounded in observable behaviours rather than assumptions, with specific goals, regular check-ins, and a defined review period.
Reframing the value of work: The employee was supported to see the broader impact and purpose of their tasks, shifting focus from perceived status to tangible contribution, while staying supported in exploring longer-term career interests, reinforcing choice and agency.
None of these conversations were easy. All of them moved things forward.
The Power of Proactive Coaching
Retention and relationship repair
Employee retained. Relationship repaired. Pathway agreed.
Renewed engagement and clarity: The employee regained direction, with a clear and achievable pathway toward progression.
Restored working relationship: Trust and understanding between the employee and mentor were strengthened through open, structured communication.
Aligned expectations: Both parties developed a shared view of performance, contribution, and next steps.
Increased confidence for the mentor: The mentor felt more capable and supported in providing guidance and managing performance.
Improved retention outcome: The employee chose to remain and commit to the agreed pathway, rather than pursuing immediate opportunities elsewhere.
Why this matters to your organisation
Most organisations wait. They wait until disengagement becomes performance management. Until a resignation letter lands. Until the exit interview reveals what could have been addressed months earlier.
This case demonstrates that neuroinclusive coaching is most effective, and most commercially valuable, when it's proactive. The My Work Profile, the established trust, the dual-sided intervention: none of these were possible as a crisis response. They worked because the infrastructure was already in place. By working with both the employee and the mentor, the coach was able to repair trust, align expectations, and create a sustainable path forward.
Situations like this are unfolding quietly in most organisations right now. The question is whether the support structures exist to catch them early enough to matter.
Want to build this capability across your leadership team?
Little Neuroinclusion Agency partners with organisations to embed neuroinclusive communication and leadership practices in a way that's practical, sustainable, and grounded in real workplace contexts.
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