WORKPLACE DESIGN
WORKING OUT OF THE BOX A new global survey, released in March 2022, has identified crucial sensory issues in office environments among neurodiverse employees in Canada, the U.S. and UK. How should organizations adapt and revolutionize their workplace to suit these ‘out-of-the-box’ thinkers?
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n the Sensory Processing, Neurodiversity and Workplace Design report, design firm HOK and flooring manufacturer Tarkett collected feedback from 202 neurodiverse individuals, with a focus on women and workers older than 30—two groups that have been historically underrepresented in other studies of this kind. Neurodiversity refers to variations in human neurocognitive functioning – the different ways we think, process information, and relate to others. One in seven people worldwide are estimated to have a neurodiverse condition such as ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia and Tourette’s syndrome.
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“This latest study continues to show that, to allow all employees to thrive, office designs need to remain fluid and adaptable,” says Kay Sargent, director of workplace for HOK. “Employers can improve employee wellness and productivity by offering a wide range of choices, allowing people to continually select the best space for their individual needs and the task at hand.” GENDER, AGE AND NEUROLOGICAL DIFFERENCES
Neurodiverse women reported greater overall sensory sensitivity challenges in the workplace compared to men, particularly when it came to temperature and light (62 per cent and 59 per cent
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compared to 46 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively). Many respondents struggle disproportionately with sensory under- or over stimulation, which makes it difficult for them to thrive in a workplace designed for neurotypical individuals. To better understand what the most challenging aspects of the workplace are for these neuro-minorities, HOK and Tarkett explored what the respondents were over(hyper) and under- (hypo) stimulated by. Some individuals were found to be both hyposensitive to some sensory stimulation while being hypersensitive to others. But the majority of respondents (77 per cent) reported being hypersensitive to noise and sound in the workplace, while 62 per cent were hypersensitive to visual distractions, such as people turning in their seat, moving around the space, desk clutter and an array of colours and textures. Those who identified as hypersensitive prefer environments with controlled stimuli and dislike environments with excessive stimuli such as bright lights, crowds, unfamiliar scents, textures, or temperature fluctuations. They prefer details like light, neutral colours, clean orderly spaces, organic, simple patterns and personal space boundaries. Autistic individuals had a lower threshold for sensory stimulation than other groups, which means that they are more likely to feel overwhelmed in a poorly adjusted environment than others. Those who reported being hyposenstive have difficulty seeing, hearing, or feeling the acute sensory details in a given environment and need more sensory stimuli to successfully process information. They prefer details like layering textures and planes, saturated, contrasting colours, plenty of visual interest and space to move and fidget. Acoustical and visual under stimulation were identified as the most pressing, which would indicate that these individuals may find it difficult to identify
