“One in eight people are considered neurodiverse, yet fewer than 50% know it.” This revealing statement was an important ‘take away’ from Julie Lecoq, consultant at HOK, during her opening address at our seminar, ‘Designing for a Neurodiverse Workplace’.
Sponsored by KI Europe, the event was designed to provide an interactive platform for designers to discuss how to create neurodiverse workplace environments and the importance of communicating the corporate benefits to clients.
Neurodiversity is an umbrella term incorporating a range of neuro developmental and lifelong conditions. ADHD, Dyslexia, and Autism Spectrum Disorder are examples, and all impact on individuals in different ways as well as varying in complexity and severity.
“People who are not working in the appropriate environment will be less productive,” continues Julie Lecoq. “It can also lead to mental health issues. Neurodiversity can bring great talent to the workforce – we should see each person as an individual with each adding something extra to team. We cannot maximise people’s potential unless we understand their needs and create a variety of micro environments within the workplace.”