Designing For Neurodiversity in the Workplace

What is neurodiversity?

“Neurodiversity” is an umbrella term for people who have a variety of conditions which causes them to think, act and create in a non-typical way. Someone who is neurodivergent may have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, dyslexia and Tourette syndrome or other conditions.

Personality types, such as Introvert, Extrovert and Ambivert, do not qualify as neurodiverse. While these personality types will have their working preferences and traits, it is important to distinguish that neurodiversity goes beyond social behaviours.

It is estimated that around 15-20% of people are neurodivergent and designing for neurodiversity is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Having the ability to understand that people have a variety of needs will enable your workplace to be better equipped for all employees. When we talk about designing for neurodiversity, we are focusing on creating inclusive environments that provide spaces for people to complete their tasks in a way that suits them best. While this sounds like a similar premise to activity-based working, the environment is designed for people to work how they like, rather than their task dictating the type of space they need.