This article examines why neurodiverse inclusion matters in agricultural digital transformation and investigates how inclusive management and digital practices can improve the participation, well-being, and performance of neurodiverse employees in China's agri-digital context.
A mixed-methods design is adopted, drawing on evidence from digitally transforming agricultural organizations. Quantitative data are used to identify key factors shaping neurodiverse employees' experiences, while qualitative case-based analysis further explores the cognitive, organizational, and collaborative challenges they face in agricultural digital workplaces.
Neurodiverse employees encounter significant barriers in digital agricultural environments, particularly in relation to cognitive load, system complexity, workflow ambiguity, and cross-departmental communication. At the same time, inclusive management practices, especially personalized training, flexible work arrangements, supportive communication, and clearer task structures, enhance adaptation, engagement, and job satisfaction. The results further indicate that when digital transformation is aligned with inclusive organizational support, agricultural enterprises can strengthen not only employee well-being but also innovation capacity, team collaboration, and organizational resilience.
Agricultural enterprises should move beyond technology-centered transformation models and embed inclusive management into digital strategy. Accessible digital tools, personalized training, flexible support systems, and psychologically safe working environments are essential for reducing cognitive barriers and improving participation and performance.
Emphasizing neuro-inclusion as part of sustainable agricultural modernization highlights the social importance of building digital agricultural systems that are not only efficient, but also equitable, adaptive, and inclusive.
By connecting agricultural digital transformation with neurodiversity and inclusive management, the paper brings together three areas that have largely been examined separately in prior research. Focusing on rural China, it provides an integrated perspective on how digital change can be made more inclusive for neurodiverse employees and offers a socio-technical understanding of inclusion in agri-digital settings.
