7 Things to Avoid When Fostering a Neurodiverse Workplace

While organizations across the country consider the costs and benefits of a new post-pandemic work environment, organizational leaders should take this opportunity to consider the vast number of people in the workforce who are neurodiverse.

The term “neurodiversity” encompasses a wide range of differences in the way people’s brains process information. It applies to any one or a combination of conditions such as autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and many more. As an autistic individual, I feel like I’m swimming upstream most of the time because my brain just doesn’t flow the way the mainstream does. This can make succeeding in a traditional work environment more challenging for me than it should be.

As with any difference or disability, many of the accommodations that would make my worklife easier could also benefit people who are not autistic. This is one of the most beautiful things about neurodiversity, and diversity in all areas of life: The changes we make to better serve those who are neurodivergent benefit all of us.

So, as you plan for a diverse and dynamic workplace, here are seven things to avoid when fostering a neurodiverse-friendly atmosphere.

Thing to Avoid No. 1: Loud or Noisy Work Environments

Sometimes, noise at work is unavoidable. A busy call center or a construction site is going to be naturally loud. Employees will know this and be prepared. But if your workplace does not have to be noisy, there are many benefits to maintaining a calmer environment with minimal noise pollution, including improved focus, morale and productivity—and not just for neurodiverse employees.

A busy, loud, motion-heavy, open-atmosphere working environment, even if divided by cubicles, is very difficult for me to navigate as a neurodivergent person. I thrive when I have the ability to focus. A small distraction like a coworker popping in unexpectedly to chat can lead to a lot of lost productivity.

In situations where not every employee can have a quiet, private workspace, it can be helpful to designate common-use private offices for any employee to reserve when they need a break from a busier atmosphere. Allowing employees to use personal sensory regulation items such as headphones and visors can also be helpful for those who experience the world more intensely than others.

Thing to Avoid No. 2: Bright Overhead Lighting

Similar to the noise-pollution caveat above, there will be cases where little can be done about the lighting situation in a workplace. Keep in mind that what might seem like “normal” lighting to many people can be perceived as exceedingly bright for some employees who are neurodivergent. For people with light sensitivities, constant exposure to bright or flickering lights can lead to headaches, distraction and lost productivity.

If completely overhauling the lighting system to make it less abrasive or more customizable is not feasible, an organization can aim to create several areas with softer lighting options such as floor lamps, table lamps and dimmers for overhead lights within each workplace. This way, employees who may benefit from lower lighting can seek out those areas for breaks or focused work if the areas can be structured as workspaces.

Thing to Avoid No. 3: Inflexible Work Arrangements

Regardless of neurodiversity concerns, it will behoove many employers to think more creatively about working arrangements, physical spaces and work-from-home or telework policies as they move forward.

Throughout the pandemic, many people found they can be just as productive while working from home. Some have even become more productive by not going into the office. Other employees might prefer the flexibility to choose where they work depending on the type of tasks they need to perform. Then, there are the many individuals who hold jobs they can only do in person.

While taking these preferences and requirements into consideration, organizational leaders should remember that neurodiverse employees, in particular, may benefit from having the ability to customize their work arrangements in order to minimize distractions and meet unique sensory needs. Especially in cases where noise level or lighting cannot be customized in the workplace, allowing employees to work from home can solve many of the productivity issues created by sensory distractions.

Another key point to make here is that no two employees will have the same exact work needs—not even two employees who are neurodivergent. Every person has a different experience of the world, and an employer’s ability to remain flexible and responsive to employees’ needs will make a big difference when it comes to retaining talented individuals and facilitating quality work.

Thing to Avoid No. 4: Lack of Clarity in Role or Responsibility

Isn’t work much more efficient when everyone is crystal clear about who is supposed to do what and by when? This is true for any employee, not just for those who, like myself, often drill down into the details to see every possible outcome of a situation. Without fail, having clarity around one’s work responsibilities and where they fit into the bigger picture is a huge boost for productivity.

Avoid a workplace culture that sews confusion. Encourage managers and team leaders to proactively check in with employees and ask whether their work goals and parameters are clear. Do not let managers penalize questions or requests for clarifications. Remember that an employee who is neurodivergent may require more frequent clarifications than others, so a culture that naturally makes room for this is very helpful for everyone.

Administratively, avoid adding extra items that do not pertain specifically to the job being done to job descriptions. Keeping job descriptions lean and focused avoids pulling employees in directions that go completely outside of their skill sets and performance expectations.

Thing to Avoid No. 5: A Culture of Gossip

Limiting people’s propensity to gossip in the workplace is another accommodation that benefits everyone. Excessive gossip makes any work environment toxic. For employees who may not be as quick to recognize the social cues and nuances of this type of interaction, gossip can very easily become a slippery slope into confusion and misunderstanding.

Organizations can curb toxicity by offering employee trainings on what to do in situations that start to feel like gossiping. Effective ways to shut down gossip include respectfully redirecting conversations and walking away when a conversation takes a turn for the worse.

It is particularly important to train managers and leaders to both not engage in gossip and discourage others from falling into the gossip trap. Not only will neurodiverse employees end up less confused and become more confident in navigating social situations in the workplace, everyone will feel better and safer in an environment that does not encourage gossiping.

Thing to Avoid No. 6: A Narrow Scope in Hiring Interviews

Relying on narrow hiring practices is one of the most common ways workplaces unintentionally exclude neurodivergent individuals.

Interviews based almost solely on a candidate’s capacity for interpersonal interaction—how a person looks or carries themselves, how they respond to social cues, how they build a relationship with the interviewer in the short time that they have to interact—are too limited. This single-minded emphasis on highly subjective and subtle parameters can put neurodiverse people who interact differently than what might be considered the norm at an automatic disadvantage.

Is it important for a new employee to fit in with the culture of the workplace? Yes, to a certain degree. But what good would a whole organization full of the same type of person be?

Is it important for an employee to be able to navigate various social situations? Maybe, but not necessarily. If the role is going to be customer- or client-facing, then yes. But you can test for that capacity with specific questions or role-playing situations in a skills-based assessment.

More than anything else, the goal of an interview should be finding out whether a candidate can, in fact, do the work the organization is considering hiring them to do. Whether the candidate puts the interviewer at ease in the first 20 minutes of meeting them is of much less importance.

Thing to Avoid No. 7: Indirect or Unclear Communication

Cultivating a workplace culture that expects employees to be able to read between the lines or intuit certain norms without explicit teaching and learning is a recipe for a lot more confusion and a lot less work getting done. Personally, as someone who very often takes what people say literally, indirect communication in the workplace can create a lot of unnecessary confusion for me. I would rather spend my time working on my next project than trying to figure out what my colleague or manager meant when they said something that seemed odd or unclear.

Instead of hoping employees will just pick up on things such as particular skills or social norms that are essential to their work success, managers, team leaders and coworkers should create a culture of explicit communication. Doing this requires encouraging everyone to be both respectful and clear if there is an issue that needs to be addressed. Hoping an issue will work itself out with time helps no one. Rather, providing clear written parameters for things like employee conduct and dress codes (if those are important to workplace culture) puts everyone on the same page—literally.

In the end, just as with each of the areas above, clearer communication will be helpful for all employees, not only those who are neurodivergent. It will foster an environment that welcomes diversity on all levels.