Sensory sensitivities relate to how an individual’s brain processes and responds to different sensory inputs. These sensitivities are sometimes referred to as a Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and are natural differences that occur in a population and affect between 5% to 16.5% of the population.(1)
An individual may have processing differences related to one or more of the senses:
- Visual (sight)
- Olfactory (smell)
- Auditory (hearing)
- Tactile (touch)
- Gustatory (taste)
- Proprioception (body awareness)
- Vestibular (balance)
The degree of sensitivity for each sense will differ from individual to individual. And if there are other factors causing some anxiety within an individual’s life, then sensory inputs can add to the cognitive load that individual is experiencing. So, each day may have a different tolerance level before a tipping point is reached.
Around 90% of autistic people have a non-typical experience when processing different senses. (2) The prevalence of sensory sensitivities in people with ADHD is understood to be lower, but still significant at 40-80%.
Does your workplace has an environment that works for everyone? Or is it an environment created by the neurotypical majority?
We try to avoid situations where negative sensory experiences will, or are likely to, occur. If you are afraid of heights, then you might to choose to not go on some theme park rides. But if those places or situations cannot be avoided, then many people with neurodifferences will just try to power-through, try to ignore the negative impact the sensory experience is having on their ability to work effectively. Using additional energy and effort in an attempt to suppress the impact of sensory inputs is a form of masking. And masking for an extended period of time or on a frequent basis can lead to an increase in anxiety and a negative impact on productivity at work.
Hypersensitive and Hyposensitive
We may automatically think that it is ‘too much’ of a sense that causes an impact. Strong lunchtime food smells and bright flickering overhead office lighting can be a regular topic for conversation for everyone in the workplace, and be mildly annoying some of the time for most people. But being under sensitive to sensory inputs can also be an issue. And in some instances can be a potential cause of harm to an employee or co-worker.
Hypersensitive is when there is an over-reaction to a sensory input.
In an office environment, stimuli which can be a source of discomfort to some individuals include:
- conversations in an open-plan office; both in-person and online meetings taking place at desks
- noises from office equipment such as printers and air conditioning units
- external traffic and outside noises
- food and cooking smells, even when they might be tolerable for neurotypical employees
- flickering lights, or harsh lighting or sunlight reflecting around the room
Hyposensitive is when there is low or no reaction to a sensory input.
In an office environment, sensory stimuli may not be noticed by neurodivergent individuals. And some individuals may seek an increase in the stimuli to feel comfortable. Some examples include:
- Having a lack of awareness relating to temperature, for example how hot or cold it is.
- Working through breaks without eating and drinking regularly (refuelling)
- Needing to keep hands moving to assist with concentration; for example using pens, rings or fidget toys
- Music as a stimuli to help with focus
- The need for additional pressure to the body, which can be achieved from a weighted blanket
Some situations relating to hyposensitive can potentially cause harm, so it can be vital for a colleague or line manager to be aware.
What is the impact on the employee?
I work on the basis that most people are reasonable most of the time. If someone in your team or a colleague has taken the effort to raise an issue or make a request that relates to an impact on their senses, then take the time to listen and understand how they are being affected.
We each have a different natural tolerance when it comes to senses impacting our ability to work effectively. Just because this isn’t impacting anyone else or (you’re not aware that is does), it doesn’t equate that their experiences are not valid. And if individual needs are not being met, then there will be a different impact on each individual.
Potential steps to consider for your organisation
- Gain first-hand awareness of your environment
Next time you are in the office, spend some time working in different spaces around the office. Take time to engage each of your senses and note what you are experiencing.
1/ Listen. Become aware of everything you can hear over the course of 15 minutes. It will probably surprise you how many competing noises and distractions there are. Neurodivergent employees can find it difficult to tune-out of noises, even the low-volume conversations happening several banks of desks away.
2/ Look around. What can you see from your desks? Are those lights in your eye-line of your monitor too intense? Do those brand colours, photos and logos on the walls help with productivity, or could they be too distracting or overstimulating for some employees? Where does the sun enter the office or reflect into your view at certain time of the day?
3/ Are all your workstations comfortable? Do all chairs have working controls to enable employees to adjust to meet individual comfort requirements? Are materials comfortable? Is the flooring surface consistent and comfortable?
- Create a safe conditions for employees to talk about what is needed to be most productive.
If you don’t have an environment where employees feel safe to talk about their individual needs, then you’ll never know if there are any needs, what those needs are and how to support them. If needs remain unmet, you might just see employees quietly disengage and exit the business.
I believe this starts with all line managers developing a trusted working relationship with each individual direct report in their team. In my experience, regular 1-to-1 meetings are good places to build rapport, develop trust and have conversations about how the business can better support an individual to perform at their best. This is true for all line managers and all direct reports.
- Encourage employees to take breaks
You may have noticed that most (or often all) the sensory inputs in an office are human-made. Sit at any desk in any office, and it’s likely that most will not have any sight or sounds of nature. And we know that spending time in nature has many benefits for our mental health. So, encourage employees to take breaks, to go outside during the working day. Demonstrate these behaviours yourself, and be the role model for others to emulate.
Consider who actually benefits from hot desking. Given that many neurodivergent employees feel more comfortable with routine and familiarity, you might find productivity improves if fixed desks are permitted. What is the cost to the business if do you allow employees to work at the same desk? Some may prefer to work at a different desk each day in the office. And that might be fine too.
The role of working from home
You may have already recognised that many of these potential causes of pain and anxiety form the workplace environment can be removed completely when employees work from home. Each individual can create the specific environmental conditions where they can be most productive.
I recognise the importance of connection and collaboration in-person. But I also recognise that office environments are not optimised to maximise productivity for all staff for every task. Around 1 in 7 people in the population have a neurodivergent condition. Now consider how many of your employees may be working in a sub-optimal working environment. And consider the potential impact this could be having on health and wellbeing.
If you choose to have full-time working in the office or a hybrid arrangement, then consider how you can make the office time more productive more of the time.
Potential actions a neurodivergent employee can take
Only you will know the best steps to take for yourself right now. Suggestions to get you started:
- Talk to your line manager or HR/people person. Their role should be to support you confidentially.
- Consider what is in your control and what is not in your control. And what is somewhere in-between. Could you suggest changes that would help you without having a significant negative impact on the organisation or others?
- Seek external support. Some organisations have Employee Assistant Programmes you can contact. Consider whether working with a one-to-one coach may provide the personalised support you need. You may be eligible for an Access To Work grant, which could fund an external coach or other practical support that could help you.
Limitations to accommodating all employees all the time
It is not possible to create the optimal working environment for all employees all the time. And I think most reasonable employees will understand this.
Working in noisy factories, or where there are strong smells, or where it is a requirement to wear specific protective clothing may not be possible for health and safety reasons.
I have worked in offices on industrial sites where there are strong smells emanating from neighbouring businesses, and next to sites where heavy machinery would cause the office floor to vibrate. All these things can be distracting for all employees. But these annoyances and disruptions can have a greater impact on neurodivergent employees. As an employer, these things may be out of your direct control. However, if a candidate were to disclose a condition during the recruitment process, and you believe the sensory environment could be a factor then it may be a topic for discussion during the recruitment process.
References
(1) Miller LJ, Schoen SA, Mulligan S, Sullivan J. Identification of Sensory Processing and Integration Symptom Clusters: A Preliminary Study. Occup Ther Int. 2017 Nov 16;2017:2876080. doi: 10.1155/2017/2876080. PMID: 29348739; PMCID: PMC5733937. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5733937/
(2) https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/anxiety-and-autism-hub/sensory-differences