INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT

In the way society is currently organised in the UK, employment is one of the key routes to accessing income, which, in turn, is the pathway to many wellbeing factors, such as healthcare, self-care, nourishment, housing, mobility and security. Therefore, it is imperative that, as a society, we create an ecosystem that supports people through the employment life cycle. A significant part of this ecosystem is the office space, which still provides a key habitat for the execution of work. Given this significance, office spaces need to offer equitable access to a wide variety of people who will benefit from employment opportunities. This means creating physical spaces that are supportive of health and wellbeing, so that the office is a space where a wide variety of people can successfully complete their work.

Those who belong to the neurodiversity community are currently underserved by and often unsupported in the current employment ecosystem. Neurodiversity is a movement and community that advocates for equitable inclusion in all aspects of society, including employment. Additionally, a person cannot be diagnosed with neurodiversity; instead, it is an identifier they choose to use. Many who identify as neurodiverse have been diagnosed with a specific condition, such as autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome or any other diagnosis that includes a variation in how a person socialises, learns and attunes to their surroundings, regulates their mood, moves through an environment or processes sensorial information. Neurodiversity also has a link to disability, as some on the autistic spectrum may experience learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. A significant principle of neurodiversity is the belief that it is not the pathology of the condition that causes barriers to societal inclusion or causes a disability; rather, it is the socio-cultural architecture of a society that is only equipped to support a small range of variability. For example, an urban environment that has poor wayfinding or transport links can be disabling to a person with dyslexia or dyspraxia as they may find it difficult to navigate. In turn, this can prevent them from accessing various services and opportunities. However, this is not due to a fixed inability to navigate a city; it means that there are barriers that impede ability.

Understanding this difference can help create a new framework for approaching design. Design has the ability to make society more just and inclusive, which is important in the case of neurodiversity, as, according to the UK national autism research charity Autistica, only 21% of people experiencing autism and only half of people who experience a disability are employed. There are many systemic reasons for this. One key factor is a work environment that is disabling for a person identifying as neurodiverse. For instance, a space that has poor acoustics can not only disable the focus and concentration of those who are neurodivergent, but it can also lead to poor health outcomes. Noise-based stress can also lead to sick days based on physiological changes, as this type of environment can create disruption to sleep patterns, which, in turn, can disrupt usual immune function. Requiring sick days can disrupt productivity and confidence, which can lead to a person losing their job. In turn, job loss can lead to further depletion of self-esteem, depression and other poor health outcomes, making it even harder for a neurodivergent person to find employment and their place in society. It is easy to see how a poorly designed space can spiral into chronic unemployment and exclusion from society. Taking this into consideration, this report will integrate the health aspects of an office environment with how these affect access to employment for those who identify as neurodiverse. This is to anchor the report to one of the aims of the neurodiversity movement, which is to create equitable access to employment.

For over 20 years, epidemiologists have understood human health as an ecological phenomenon. This means that our health is directly linked to the places we live. Whether it is the quality of the air we breathe, the experiences we have in those environments, the social connections we form, the quality of shelter or the type of job we do, these systemic factors have an effect on all aspects of health. For example, if a person lives next to a roundabout, they are exposed to acute levels of air pollution, which will put them at risk of a wide range of diseases. Living in this environment can also be noisy, especially if a home is not well insulated. This noise can affect the person’s quality of sleep, which is essential for a well-functioning immune system and general health. The same factors apply to office spaces which are a key habitat for a wide spectrum of people, including those who identify as neurodivergent.

This report discusses three core points: the role offices play in society, equitable access to employment, and the health of those in the neurodiversity community. This is to frame the future of work as equitable access to enabling work environments. An enabling work environment is one that supports the mental, social, psychological and physical health of those inhabiting the space. To anchor this research, we use neuroscience and epidemiology to help us understand and define the relationship between humans and the places they inhabit.

The report is divided into four core sections: defining neurodiversity (which includes the social and civil rights aspects), the link between place and health, identifying the principles of an enabling work environment, and design insights for a work-enabling environment. The report brings in research from the worlds of neuroscience, lived experience (from interviews conducted for this report) and design to create a holistic and ecological approach to the creation of enabling work environments.

The intention of this report is to look at how neurodiversity, employment and office spaces intersect to enact health and social justice. With the insights of neuroscience and the expertise of design we can set out new standards and regulations to create experiences of dignity and equitability for those who are neurodivergent.

Finally, this report is intended as an introduction to neurodiversity for those who are building and designing offices. We are creating a starting point rather than a definitive guide, as the needs of the neurodiverse workforce are wide ranging, requiring specific solutions for specific work and health demands. ■