Designing neurodiverse affirming workplaces
When I sit down with couples that have neurodiversity in one or both partners, one theme appears over and over. They’re struggling with work places and the conditions they’re expected to work within more than work itself.
A combination of emotional friction, sensory overload and unspoken rules that everyone else seems to understand – drain people before the job itself does.
When workplaces aren’t designed with neurodiversity in mind, the stress builds up and comes home.
Inclusion is becoming an increasingly recognised and important topic. However, rarely do we pause to ask the question:
What would the workplace look like if it was deliberately designed for the full range of human minds?
This should be mainstream conversation. Neurodivergent people are everywhere. In every sector, every discipline, at every level of seniority. Many of the world’s most creative thinkers, analysts, designers, leaders, and problem-solvers are ND. So it is not a question of how to “fit” ND people into the workplace. They’re already shaping it. The question is how to increase the comfort and reduce the friction felt by ND people in the workplace.
There are design principles I use in my therapy that I believe every modern workplace could benefit from. If organisations want to attract and retain brilliant minds, they need to create environments that support emotional regulation.
Sensory-friendly spaces support emotional regulation
If there is one thing I wish more employers understood, it’s that sensory comfort is essential for ND employees.
Open-plan offices, harsh overhead lights, overlapping conversations, squeaking chairs, bleeps and notifications… can all create stress that steadily accumulates. By the time someone hits burnout, it can be perceived as “performance issues” or “attitude”, when in reality they’re overwhelmed by the environment.
I aim to create a softly lit, comfortable and cosy space. I’ve seen that when people are comfortable and able to regulate we get more out of the session. I ensure there are comfortable chairs, think about whether open windows are making it draughty, or increasing noise levels. All of this contributes to the environment being optimal.
When applied to workplaces these principles increase comfort which in turn increases productivity.
A sensory-kind workplace includes:
- Good natural light, softer lighting and task adjustable lighting
- Introducing elements of nature, can enhance mental well-being, reduce stress
- Comfortable seating
- Ambient temperature
- Noise-dampening materials
- Allocated spaces for rest or decompression
- Seating away from thoroughfares
- Permission to use headphones or tinted glasses
- A mix of quiet zones and collaborative areas
Insights about sensory processing in the education sector can easily be transferred to the workplace. When workplaces are ND friendly, companies will find improved employee retention, increased creativity and productivity.
Flexibility supports autonomy
Hybrid working has transformed the landscape. But there is still a lingering idea that flexibility must be earned, justified, or rationed. I see the opposite in my work.
ND people regulate better when they can:
- Manage their pace
- Adjust their sensory environment and physical position to their current needs
- Take restorative breaks when needed
- Move between tasks at natural points
- Avoid unnecessary commuting stress
When flexibility is standard rather than exceptional, people can use their energy on the work itself.
Communication that works for all
Miscommunication, difference in communication styles, unclear or ambiguous communication are frequent causes of friction in couple relationships. Helping couples to communicate well together is one of my key aims.
Workplace conflicts can also stem from communication differences. Neurotypical communication often relies on subtext: hints, tone and implied expectations. Neurodivergent communication tends to be more direct and literal.
Good communication acknowledges this difference without judgement. It includes:
- Clear concise language – reducing jargon
- Providing information in multiple formats written as well as verbal
- Regular check-ins and clear expectations reduce anxiety and support executive functioning.
- Clear next steps
- Stating priorities explicitly
- Giving people time to process information rather than putting them on the spot
When the organisation’s communication style is accessible to everyone the whole organisation will run more smoothly.
Rethinking social expectations
One of the key questions about neurodivergence I hear in the couples space is, “Can neurodivergent people be social?” The answer is, yes. However, the way NDs socialise, and the energy it takes, can look very different from neurotypical social expectations. The same applies in the workplace. The ND clients I see often say things like:
- “I want to contribute, but the room moves too fast.”
- “I’m exhausted before the workday even starts.”
- “I have to mask to survive at work”
A neurodivergent-affirming workplace:
- Enables quiet participation
- Removes pressure to “perform” socially
- Avoids mandatory social events
- Designs meetings with different communication styles in mind
- Creates clear social boundaries so people aren’t guessing
When ND staff stop masking their creativity, precision, and strategic thinking to emerge freely.
The broader cultural shift
All of these design principles feed into something much bigger: a cultural re-imagining of what an inclusive workplace looks like.
The neurodiversity movement began as a challenge to deficit thinking. Judy Singer’s original work framed ND not as a flaw to correct but as a natural and necessary part of human variation.
If organisations want to move forward with resilience, they need to design for difference rather than trying to correct it. Organisations that value creative thinking, hyperfocus, and pattern-spotting as assets will flourish.
This is good organisational design that benefits everybody. When environments support ND thinkers, the entire workforce benefits – clearer systems, calmer spaces, more autonomy, healthier teams.
This is the curb-cut effect in action. A design principle created for one group becomes a universal advantage.
Where we go from here
The future of work is already neurodiverse.
My hope is simple: That workplaces start designing with inclusivity in mind. Different minds are the ones who solve problems, challenge assumptions, and create new pathways. The future of work will be built by those minds. We should create environments that let them lead.
