When you walk into a workspace, how do you feel? More than just the vibe or aesthetic - how does it make you feel? To what lengths have the organisation gone to actively consider each of your senses with care? Do you feel comfortable in more than just the soft sofa beneath you; amongst the gentle hum of chatter and carefully considered scent that surrounds you, the lamps that light up your workstation or the quality of the fabric you lean into? How much preparation was required for you to visit this space? Were the team expecting you and on hand to help you settle in? Were there easy-to-follow accessibility guides and were the restrictions clear on their website ahead of your journey?
Workspaces should be adaptable - considerate of all requirements and open to discussion around making small changes depending on each lived experience. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case - but, the good news is that small and easily implemented changes can make all the difference.
Studies show that between 15-20% of the world’s population (that we know of) exhibit some form of neurodivergence. In the UK alone 24% of the population have reported some form of disability.
The facts
Studies show that between 15-20% of the world’s population (that we know of) exhibit some form of neurodivergence. In the UK alone 24% of the population have reported some form of disability. Most spaces focus solely on general needs, which can be incredibly isolating for those with specific accessibility requirements.The easiest first step to rectify this oversight is by opening discussions including people who require additional consideration. Until this point, workspaces can unintentionally continue to deter and exclude those with additional access needs.
With the rapid growth of flex office and coworking providers, especially in the UK, forward-thinking spaces are able to stand out.
Operating with awareness and consideration of the diversity in our national community, makes it possible to differentiate amongst an increasingly diluted market. Industry leaders who focus on accessibility requirements within workspaces, such as Dom Hyams from inclusive marketing group Purple Goat Agency, stated that if someone can’t comfortably enter through your front door, they can’t physically be part of your community. Being transparent and clearly outlining what you can and can’t do will ensure people aren’t surprised on arrival. Avoiding stating that your space is accessible in all areas where a formal assessment hasn’t yet taken place and ensuring that you communicate with those with lived experiences instead of just assuming, can drastically reduce the risk of triggering situations.
Due to certain restrictions companies face with funding, company size, listed buildings etc., it’s common to encounter obstacles outside of any reasonable scope to make large scale adjustments. At this point, it’s easy to become unmotivated to attempt even minor improvements. Often when it comes to considering accessibility needs, it’s easy to think of wheelchair users. This has been a massive step forward in terms of accessibility as now when building a new space it’s almost inconceivable to not consider how a wheelchair user would make use of the space. But we can do better, out of 25% of the general public who live with disabilities, only 8% are wheelchair users - meaning that there is a large portion of the disabled population that aren’t immediately visible. So it’s important to remember that even when you can’t cater a space to all needs, you can often enhance the usability for a larger community than you might expect by making smaller, more manageable adjustments.
Consider inclusivity training for your team to ensure consistent and empathetic communication. This, on top of facilitating a space for continuous anonymous feedback, can be low-cost solutions to a large accessibility problem. Perhaps consider low-tempo music genres and calming colour palettes throughout your space to invoke a serene environment.
It’s also important to acknowledge that there are business benefits of implementing inclusive practices. Most offices won’t engage with change as they tend to believe that this is just outside of budgeted spend. However by embracing a larger accessible community, you are providing a safe space in which they can communicate positive referrals within their community circles.
The approach
Discussing this with your current community is the first step to enhancing and diversifying your neurodiverse and accessible offering. These are the people who are already part of your community, have felt the space and may provide useful improvements that you aren’t already aware of, which could in turn lead to discussions which can be extended to those with lived experiences. From personal experience with neurodiversity as well as discussions I’ve had with members of our community, the most prominent being Matt Boyd from Exceptional Individuals, I believe some initial improvements to consider would be:
How bright are your lights and do they create a harsh visual environment? | Glare from harsh lighting can be problematic for those with neurodiversity and may lead to difficulties concentrating and processing information. Perhaps consider implementing circadian lighting to adjust naturally throughout the day or adjustable table lighting so members can find a space that works to their requirements. |
What type of music is being played throughout the space and could the sounds trigger people? | The sounds a neurotypical person is comfortable with, may trigger those with a neurodiverse perspective. Choosing slower music and experimenting with low-tempo genres or considering quiet workspaces all of which can create diversity of working environments. You may also want to consider where people can eat - misophonia can be extremely distracting to those working in communal areas. |
Have you factored in the scent of your space? | Especially for those who struggle with neurodiverse tendencies, smell can be overpowering. This can often lead to ‘camouflaging’, which is becoming more visible especially in women, who are adept at concealing powerful reactions and emotions to blend into the behaviours of the community around them. Consider the location of your works areas, are they near the loos and do you have diffusers / fresheners / scent machines in your space to create a welcoming environment to mask overpowering odours. |
Regularly assess your building’s access | How are they accessed, are there steps up the entrance without a means of lift? Communicate this clearly through your website and other access related directories. Inadequate design can cause significant barriers for those with accessibility requirements. Be transparent with what you can and can’t do, people will appreciate being made aware of limitations or what you are working towards, instead of being surprised on arrival when sometimes just travelling to a destination can be overpowering enough. |
Your most valuable asset is your team | The first face someone will see when they visit your building. Ensure inclusive training focusing around awareness and communication is carried out consistently across leadership and team community based roles. |
Can you do more to support your community? | Ensuring your team feels comfortable sharing resources that are available to assist all, whilst promoting social inclusion to make everyone who visits the space truly feel part of the community. |
Play a vital part in helping reset industry standards | Sharing best practices and learning from one another is vital to industry growth. Give your members a voice, grant regular methods for and be open to receiving constructive feedback as this is key to continuous improvement. |
The outcome
It’s important to remember that companies are rarely achieving all, if any of the above. Yet these are easily implementable, but most importantly crucial starting points for those who aim to truly contribute towards creating inclusive environments that will become founding pillars of the future of successful flex work spaces.To dip your toes into the vast sea of improvements you can consider implementing to improve the experience for those with accessibility needs, you can keep an eye out for local events hosted by experts in this field. Areas to look out for these events are through your local Chamber of Commerce, Coworking conferences, Workspace Design Shows or London Coworking Assembly to name but a few. Even better, if you’re lucky enough to have a space to hold a discussion, the capacity and resources willing to pull one together - why not create a safe space for others to learn from?
You can also help support your team by considering the government funded Access to Work support scheme, which we at Projects can personally vouch for. With support from connecting bodies such as Exceptional Individuals who are licensed to carry out workspace assessments for your team, they can liaise with the council on your behalf to submit and arrange for funding to receive team member specific tools and resources to assist with any accessibility or neurodiversity requirements.
Written by Matt Miller, Area Community Manager at Projects
