Modern offices are often fast-paced environments filled with sensory information. The clacking of keyboards, impromptu team meetings, last-minute calendar
changes, and office music playlists may not register for some employees. For others, it can be immensely stressful.
Neurodivergent individuals have differences in the way their brain functions. Like anyone else, they have unique strengths and challenges that alter their
work environment. It’s important to stress that being neurodivergent doesn’t mean they are less effective employees. In many cases, quite the opposite is
true. However, they may have additional needs beyond a typical employee that should be catered for to get the best results from their work.
Ultimately, your employees are your most valuable asset. They provide the work that makes the entire business operate successfully. This is why
businesses invest so much in human capital management HCM solutions to manage people at scale. Employees who do not feel supported at work will
not perform to the best of their ability. This can lead to a whole host of problems for employees and employers: staff will feel demoralized,
and businesses will suffer high turnover.
What Factors Impact How inclusive your Workspace is?
Several factors can affect an individual’s ability to work effectively in a space. While these triggers and challenges will not be the same for
any single person, it’s likely that at least one or more will play a part. Some of the important factors to consider when making changes to your
office space include.
Are any assistive features or technology in place to help create a positive space for individuals? Consider the ergonomics of workstations and
whether they are helpful or a hindrance. There are often software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions to your team's everyday issues, so explore them
where possible.
This is not an exhaustive list of negative stimuli, as each individual reacts to inputs in a different way and to different severity. It’s often
best to get direct feedback where possible, though this isn’t always possible in some workplace situations. Some or all of the above can affect
your choices when designing parts of the office and will have a marked impact on the well-being of your neurodivergent employees.
Provide Assistive Technology
Assistive technology can help employees to succeed in situations where they may have struggled previously. Assistive technology should be as
transparent as possible, integrating into existing work practices and affecting workflow as little as possible. This ensures that those who
benefit from it are given the best chance to succeed, while those who don’t are not impacted by its addition.
Simply designing your workplace to be inclusive isn’t enough; it needs to be brought into your company culture as well. Employees need to
feel that their voices can be heard and have an outlet for any problems or difficulties they face at work. Begin by forming a support
structure through trusted line managers. Ensure employees have regular meetings with their respective line managers, where they can
discuss their workloads, progress, and if they are under any pressure. Line managers should work to resolve issues where possible and
seek to make the workplace as welcoming and inclusive as possible.
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