It’s no secret that remote working has greatly improved the work-life balance for workers in the past few years and it’s definitely no secret that more and more organisations are mandating the return to the office. But for me, I haven’t seen much being spoken about how remote working affects those who are neurodiverse. When considering return-to-office strategies, your workplace needs to be ready to accommodate, or issues will arise too late.

Return to Office Considerations for a Neurodiverse Workforce

• Many neurodivergent employees struggle with sensory overload, anxiety, and exhaustion when forced back to full-time office work.
• With around 1/5 of the adults identifying as neurodivergent, they are worried about what it means for them when companies order them back to the office with some companies ordering them back full-time.
• With some able to still thrive in office spaces, for others it can be a distraction, which can trigger their sensory issues with the drastic increase in lighting, sound and busy workspaces becoming too overwhelming to focus.

Workplace Readiness

If companies are considering bringing their employees back into the office or perhaps considering readiness, consider consulting on the following:

• Lighting solutions often provide the biggest wins. I’ve seen teams transform their focus areas simply by replacing harsh overhead fluorescents with adjustable desk lamps. Natural light optimisation and dimmer switches in meeting rooms can make spaces adaptable rather than one-size-fits-all.
• Sound management comes next. Sometimes the solution is as straightforward as strategically placing teams based on their day-to-day activities, for example, so that one team who will be collaborating or those on calls all day don’t disturb the adjacent teams. Those who need quiet time to focus on their tasks can be stationed further away. Other times, it’s about ensuring everyone has the technology and/or infrastructure to accommodate different activities such as offering noise-cancelling headphones, or adding acoustic panels to high-traffic areas.
• Workspace variety addresses different sensory preferences without major renovations. The goal is offering choices – open collaborative spaces alongside enclosed retreat areas, standing desks next to traditional seating, spaces with varying visual complexity.

Whatever works best in your workplace can only be identified with a test-and-learn approach. Start with pilot areas, gather feedback, refine your solutions, then scale what works. This builds organisational confidence while allowing you to perfect your approach.