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with creating workplaces with mass appeal but this isn’t the case according to Sarah Syson, Design Manager at Claremont. She said: “There’s been a marked shift to activity-based working in recent years – with workplaces increasingly designed as a series of distinct spaces to support different tasks. Catering for the neurodiverse workforce is merely an extension of that. “The key to catering for neurodiversity is to offer choice and control – so that employees can select what works best for them. The discussion around neurodiversity is really one of inclusivity. In the same way we talk about how we can make workplaces better support disabled employees, menopausal women or the older generation, we must also make sure that workspaces are welcoming and make neurodiverse employees feel valued and supported. “It’s also important to note that not all neurodiverse conditions come with formal diagnoses, so while you may not think this is relevant to your workforce, it’s most likely it will comprise some neurodiverse people. If you design spaces to be ‘future flexible’, ( www.claremontgi.com/your-office-the- opportunity-of-how-to-make-your-new- normal-futureflexible ) you have the best chance of meeting all needs, whether they’re in your workforce now or in the future.” Sarah added: “After the enforced separation of the pandemic employers now recognise the value in bringing people together. It helps to create positive workplace cultures, foster relationships, enable collaboration, drive innovation and aid problem solving. Neurodiverse people need to be part of that mix and that means ensuring that the workplace offers them the same feelings of control and the same facilities that they’d get working from home. If it doesn’t, they’ll remain remote and feel excluded. For employers, this means failing to unlock their full potential, something which could lead to the eventual attrition of very talented staff. “Neurodiverse individuals have a huge amount of value to offer employers so it makes sense that office interior design should respond accordingly.” www.claremontgi.com Design spaces to be productive Mark Catchlove, Director Global Insight Group at Miller Knoll, agrees that business leaders can no longer ignore the subject of neurodiversity in the workplace. If we are to see truly inclusive workplaces, he says, we need to move beyond meeting statutory regulations. In her research conducted for Herman Miller (design brand and furniture manufacturer) Dr Sally Augustin highlighted the fact that how we process the sensory information we collect from the world around us has a dramatic effect on how we think and behave. So, this must have an impact on the spaces designed to be productive for everyone. She said: “Colour, light and noise impact us all in diverse ways, and this is also dependent on the types of tasks employees are conducting. When we are working on complex tasks, we look for places with less stimulation. However, we often forget that for a high proportion of individuals they require less stimulation whatever they are doing. Yet, many workplaces do not take this into consideration resulting in spaces designed for elevated levels of interaction, collaboration and stimulation. In their paper Designing a Neurodiverse Workplace HOK architects observed: ‘In addition to just being the right thing to do, some progressive employers are beginning to recognise that accommodating the different wiring of neurodiverse people can provide a huge competitive advantage. This is leading to a range of more inclusive policies, programs and procedures, though this recognition is only just beginning to affect workplace design.’ ( www.hok.com/ ideas/publications/hok-designing-a- neurodiverse-workplace ) As Mark points out, this is great to read, but we need to change the word “some” to “all.” Although, some organisations are starting to address the issue. He said: “The answer to getting this right is about a joined-up approach where those responsible for people, places and technology work together to implement a more inclusive work experience. “As organisations review what a post pandemic workplace experience looks like, leaders will never have a better opportunity to meet the requirements of everyone in the workplace – and that includes those with neurodiverse needs. www.millerknoll.com BCO’s designing for neurodiversity research The British Council of Offices has published its latest research report, Designing for Neurodiversity , which examines the ways in which the office space can disable or enable neurodiverse individuals, setting out principles for ‘better’ office designs and offering design recommendations for future regulations. www.bco.org.uk Office design www.thefis.org 21 The key to catering for neurodiversity is to offer choice and control – so that employees can select what works best for them (image © Ben Gilbert Wellcome Images)