Small Changes, Big Impact: Making Your Workplace Work for Everyone
Last year, I was asked to run neurodiversity training for a team in a finance firm. As I made my way in, I passed an employee sitting on the side of the stairs typing at a laptop that was balanced on her knees. A couple of people walked past and seemed to be annoyed that she was in the way. But when I paused to check she was ok, she shrugged and said, "It's the only quiet spot I could find." She wasn't being difficult. She was just trying to function in a space that wasn’t designed for her.
That moment stuck with me because it perfectly illustrates what so many neurodivergent employees — those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, sensory processing differences and more — experience daily. They aren't struggling at work because they lack ability. They're struggling because the environment was never built with them in mind. In this case, an employee was having to find their own workarounds to cope in their environment. She hadn’t disclosed a diagnosis or need for support; she hadn’t requested accommodations. She had just done what so many neurodivergent people do - she tried to adapt herself rather than expecting the environment to be adapted for her.
It might seem like an impossible task to make changes to an existing or purpose-built office space, but I often find that the gap between where a workplace is and where it needs to be is far smaller than employers assume. Even with no renovation budget, there are still things you can do to make your workplace work for everyone.
Sensory Adjustments
The physical environment is still a massively overlooked barrier in workplace inclusion conversations. We spend so much energy on trying to change policies and processes that we forget about the space we actually have to exist in for eight hours a day. For individuals with sensory sensitivities, a workspace can be anything from mildly uncomfortable to genuinely unmanageable depending on light levels, noise, smell and temperature. Open-plan offices come with their own particular challenges: whilst they’re designed to foster collaboration they can often have the opposite effect for anyone sensitive to noise, movement or light. Yet there are so many effective adjustments that don’t require any drastic changes, just an increase in awareness and a willingness to be flexible.
Designate quiet zones. A corner with a "Focus Area" sign costs nothing. Noise-cancelling headphones, if budget allows, are a worthwhile low-cost investment.
Offer lighting flexibility. Harsh fluorescent lighting is genuinely painful for many people. Allow desk lamps, encourage natural light and, where possible, let employees adjust lighting near their workstation for themselves.
Create sensory retreats. A spare meeting room bookable for 20-minute breaks gives overwhelmed employees somewhere to decompress without stigma.
Rethink scent policies. Strong perfumes, candles or heavily scented cleaning products can be really distracting. A simple team agreement to be mindful of strong scents costs nothing.
Communication Style
The communication culture of a workplace can hold just as much significance as its physical environment. It depends whether people feel informed and respected or constantly on the back foot. Many workplaces operate on the unspoken assumptions that everyone absorbs verbal information equally well and that spontaneous meetings with no agenda aren’t a big deal. But for neurodivergent employees, these assumptions create enormous daily challenges that compound over time and can lead to exhaustion and burnout.
Making changes to how we share information is just as important as the information itself. And this shift in communication culture isn’t about lowering standards. It’s about communicating with the precision and care that we’d want applied to any other professional skill and it will benefit everyone.
Expect written follow-ups as a default. Verbal-only instructions disadvantage people who process information differently. A quick email recap after meetings takes two minutes and prevents countless misunderstandings.
Give agendas in advance. Surprises are stressful for many people. Sharing meeting agendas 24 hours ahead helps everyone come prepared.
Be explicit, not implicit. Vague feedback like "make this better" is unhelpful for most people and can be actively distressing for some. Clear, specific direction is a communication upgrade across the board.
Normalise time gaps in communication. Not everyone thinks best in real-time. Allowing considered responses via email or messaging respects different cognitive styles.
When I returned for a follow up, the employee sitting on the stairs had left the company. Organisations that ignore the basics of inclusion don't just fail their neurodivergent employees in the moment; they lose them entirely, along with everything they bring. The adjustments outlined here won't transform your workplace overnight, but they’re a good start. They’ll take the edge off the daily overload faced by many employees while also sending a message that matters. You were considered. You belong here.
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For more information about how we can help you, take a look at our training and consultancy services. If you’re an individual who is struggling in their workplace, a workplace needs assessment might be the right option for you.