25th Feb 2025

Designing for Neurodiversity: Features Your Office Might Be Missing

Research suggests that teams with neurodivergent talent in some roles can be 30 percent more productive than those without them.

Yet, despite growing efforts in diversity, equity and inclusion policies, many office environments still create barriers for neurodivergent employees.

In our last blog on neurodiverse office design, we explored broad changes that can make workspaces more accessible. This time, we’re diving into some specific, practical design solutions that create a more inclusive and effective workplace for everyone.

Neurodiversity: A Quick Recap

Neurodiversity is the idea that brains work in different ways, and that these differences are natural and valuable.

The label ‘neurodivergent’ includes people with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and other cognitive variations. Neurodiversity recognises these variations as unique ways of thinking that bring unique strengths to the workplace.

But traditional office design often doesn’t account for these differences. What’s comfortable for one person can be overwhelming for another, and what helps one person focus might distract someone else.

That’s why it’s so important to design workspaces that offer flexibility and choice, giving employees control over their environment.

Of course, neurodivergent people have a wide range of needs and preferences – just because two people share a diagnosis doesn’t mean they’ll work in the same way. The key is to create a workspace with options for everyone.

Designing a Neuroinclusive Workspace

The way an office is designed can have a huge impact on how neurodivergent employees feel at work.

A space that feels overstimulating, rigid or unpredictable can cause unnecessary stress, while a well-designed environment can improve focus, comfort and overall well-being.

Here are some specific, practical design features to help neurodivergent employees feel and work at their best.

Encourage ‘Body Doubling’ for Focus

Body doubling is a productivity strategy often used by people with ADHD. It involves working on individual tasks alongside someone else to maintain focus and motivation.

Working next to another person can provide a sense of accountability and help with task initiation, which can be a challenge for some neurodivergent people. Simple layout choices like positioning desks near one another can support this, but intentional design can take it further.

Collaborative zones with paired workstations, or quiet coworking areas where people can work in parallel without social pressure makes body doubling more accessible and effective.

Normalise Stimming in Office Design and Culture

Stimming (self-stimulatory behaviour) is something we all do. Tapping a pen, bouncing a leg or doodling in a meeting are all ways we self-regulate.

For neurodivergent employees, stimming can be a way to regulate their emotions, especially when experiencing sensory overload or maintaining focus.

Sensory-friendly spaces, such as wellness rooms, can support the need to stim. Visually stimulating elements like lava lamps or wall art, and tactile elements such as stim toys, are tools that help people relax.

You can also create a fidget-friendly culture by providing stim toys in meeting rooms, and offering flexible seating options like rocking chairs and spinning stools to allow for discreet movement.

It’s important to encourage a culture shift around fidgeting – it’s not a sign of distraction, but an effective focus strategy.

Prioritise Accessible Technology

Accessible technology empowers team members to work better, both in the office and remotely. Simple adjustments can make communication clearer and more inclusive.

• Enabling automatic captioning on video calls to support employees with auditory processing challenges.
• Offering speech-to-text tools gives all team members the option to digest information in the way that works best for them.
• Customisable interfaces, with options for dark mode and adjustable text sizes, can help reduce sensory overload – and support everyone to reduce the eye strain that comes with staring at screens.

Introducing accessible technology makes hybrid work more effective. This supports neurodivergent employees who might find it difficult to be in-person full time, as well as all other team members who choose hybrid work arrangements.

Rethink Textures for Sensory Experiences

Some neurodivergent employees have heightened sensitivity to textures, which can make certain materials uncomfortable or distracting.

Rough or synthetic surfaces can cause sensory overwhelm and distress, while soft, natural materials can be more calming. Offer a variety of seating materials to allow team members to choose what suits them best.

Adding woven rugs, soft furnishings and textured wall panels can create a grounding sensory experience for those who require more sensory input.

Adding woven rugs, soft furnishings and textured wall panels can create a grounding sensory experience for those who are sensory-seeking.

Design Navigable Layouts

For employees with dyspraxia or spatial awareness challenges, navigating an office can be stressful. A clear, predictable layout makes movement easier and reduces the risk of accidents.

Wide, unobstructed paths can prevent bottlenecks and accidental collisions. Soft furnishings and rounded corners create a safer and more inviting environment.

Colour-coded zones and clear signage can help with wayfinding, reducing anxiety for neurodivergent employees, as well as anyone new to your team.

Provide Ownership in Workspaces

While fully flexible workspaces are popular and can be effective, constant change can cause stress for some neurodivergent employees. Many autistic people thrive on routine and may struggle with ‘hot desking’.

Balance flexibility with stability by offering a mix of assigned and flexible desks. Allowing employees to personalise their workspace, even in small ways, can help them feel more comfortable and in control.

Design with Zoning in Mind

Creating distinct zones for different types of work helps employees find the right space for their needs. It can also reduce any uncertainty felt about choosing the ‘correct’ space.

Quiet zones support deep focus, collaborative areas encourage teamwork and social spaces help people to switch off from work effectively. Clear transitions, through colour, lighting or furniture changes, can help signal movement between zones.

Encourage Movement

Sitting still for long periods can be challenging for many neurodivergent people, especially those who experience hyperactivity.

Movement is a key concept of the WELL Building Standard. Staying active throughout the work day can improve focus and overall wellbeing.

As well as encouraging walking meetings and designing walkable spaces throughout your workspace, you can design for subtle movement while people work.

Ergonomic seating, standing desks, footrests and textured mats allow people to move without distraction. These small design choices make your office more adaptable and engaging.

Improve Air Quality and Reduce Sensory Overload

In our last blog, we talked about how scent-scaping can improve focus and mood, but might cause sensory overload for those with scent sensitivities.

If scent-scaping isn’t an option for your team, focus on ventilation and air filtration. If your office has a kitchen or microwave facilities, try to limit food smells from spreading throughout the office.

The WELL standard also recommends creating smoke-free zones outside your workspace and in shared outdoor areas like decks, patios or rooftops. Improving air quality creates a healthier, more focused workplace.

Final Thoughts

Neurodivergent employees bring huge amounts of value into the workplace – but businesses need to make thoughtful, practical changes to their workspaces to support them.

These changes don’t just support neurodivergent employees. They create a more flexible, comfortable and productive environment for your entire team.

Need help making your office more inclusive?

We can help you assess your teams’ needs and create a more neuroinclusive office space that works for everyone. Get in touch with our workplace consultants today.