What Does An Ideal Neurodiverse Office Look Like?

Not everyone’s brains are wired the same way, and it’s time we are more accepting of that. According to ADHD Aware, an estimated 30% to 40% of the UK population is neurodiverse, with about 10% being dyslexic and 8% having ADHD. Neurodiverse individuals tend to have different needs than neurotypical folk and have sensitivities to things many people consider mundane like loud knocking. Unfortunately, these needs are often overlooked in favour of satisfying the majority alone.

Workspaces that don’t take into account the needs of neurodiverse employees play an active role in harming their wellbeing. When designing a workspace, then, it’s important to make small adjustments that can ensure that neurodiverse workers can stay comfortable. Your neurotypical workers won’t suffer if you accommodate the employees with more needs. In fact, they may even benefit from some of the changes.

So if you want to create a space that makes every worker feel included and valued, here are a few tips.

Introduce quiet spaces

According to the University College London, sound is a particularly common trigger for individuals with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. These individuals are vulnerable to sensory overload, which is a condition characterised by receiving sensory input at a higher intensity than normal. When surveyed about their design preferences, 90% of neurodiverse respondents said that a quiet space would be beneficial for their work. Additionally, when asked to rank design features according to importance, nearly 80% of participants said that sound was most important, with light and space layout coming at distant seconds.

Thus, neurodiverse workspaces should make the effort to include quiet areas. Sometimes, this is as simple as looking for an unused room, then cleaning it out to place comfortable furniture. You can also install an “in use” sign and create a sign-up sheet to ensure that everybody that needs the room gets their turn alone.

Consider Accessible Technology

Neurodiverse, and even employees with disabilities, may need access to assistive technologies. Screen readers, for instance, can be a great help to workers who have difficulty reading, such as individuals with dyslexia. The images and online multimedia resources on Scribd have text equivalents like alternative text, captions, and transcripts, making them more accessible to people who can’t see images or hear audio. If you have learning materials you need to pass to your workers, you can use a platform like Scribd to distribute them and make sure that everyone has access. Braille displays and phones with large tactile buttons are also good examples of accessible office technology at work.

Adjust the lights

Many neurodiverse individuals are negatively impacted by certain lighting patterns, such as flickering lights, strong reflections, and bright, bold patterns. BBC CAPE created a helpful environmental checklist form you can use to determine whether the lights in your office are harmful to neurodiverse individuals. This doesn’t just include lights but also patterns, signages, and layouts. According to the form, a neurodiverse workspace would have adjustable light levels, steady, non-flickering lights, and good illumination.

Every employee deserves to have a comfortable working environment. By encouraging neurodiverse accessibility in the workplace, you make every employee feel valued, accommodated for, and included. If you need more tips for designing an accessible workspace, you can check our Workspace Solutions.