Sensory Design for the Workplace – Why Design Matters
By: Alison Nordstrom
I find it refreshing to hear about more companies addressing wellbeing and embracing differences in the office recently. We are not robots; everyone has strengths, weaknesses, and unique personalities. How can we as designers help to build an environment that is flexible, constructive, and inclusive for all?
The concept of accessible design has been around since the 1960s, and from that evolved universal design. Accessible design focused on the built environment, providing barrier-free design to individuals with a physical disability. Universal design went on to include children, the aging population, and everyone in between. A newer topic that we’ve seen trending lately revolves around a similar idea: inclusive design, which expands the idea of universal design to include the senses, differences in personality, and all types of backgrounds.
The term “neurodiversity” refers to the differences in how people’s brains work. Regarding design, this word is often paired with neuro-sensitivity, which I relate to sensory overload - someone who might live with ADHD or Autism. After learning more about this I’ve come to realize that it really applies to all of us, and this realization can be a great driver to a successful workplace project.
According to the article “Designing for Neurodiversity and Inclusion”(Work Design Magazine, by Kay Sargent, Dec 6, 2019), one in eight people are considered neurodiverse but fewer than 50 percent know it. In this case, the author is referring to someone who lives with a neurological disorder. The article goes on to state that Neurodivergents tend to be high energy, out of the box thinkers, excel in a crisis, and can be bold problem solvers, but navigating the modern workplace can be a challenge due to distractions in their environment. I love the way this is framed. How do we help play to individual's strengths when considering design?
The first time I really heard this term was post Covid, when big conversations were happening around health and wellbeing in the workplace - a time when everyone's anxiety was high. I attended a presentation by Lauren Gant, Senior Workplace Advisory Manager at HNI. As Dr. Gant states in her article "Furniture Considerations to Welcome and Support Neurodiversity" (Allsteel, Lauren Gant, Nov 11, 2022) discussions about neuro diversity often focus on considerations for cognitive disabilities, but may also include considerations for more subtle differences in the way we respond to inputs from the world - inputs like color, sound, smell, and space. She describes neurodiversity as more of a spectrum that everyone falls into. I interpret it as each of us responding differently to our environment in relation to our senses.
In the article "How Sensory Design can Create Efficient Workplaces" (Work Design Magazine, April 29,2022) Interface's Director of Design Purpose, Chip DeGrace describes the importance of considering sensory design in order to help employees focus and limit distraction. The article dives into five personality traits defined by modern psychologists: (1) openness to experience, (2) conscientiousness, (3) extraversion, (4) agreeableness, and (5) neuroticism. Each type includes different traits and thresholds that shape how someone identifies with and responds to both their environment and colleagues. All three articles above go on to discuss why it is so important to offer people with such diverse personality traits a variety of work environments that support differing sensitivities and distraction levels.
Design in the workplace is not a one-size-fits-all approach. How do we as designers cater to people’s differences? Can we provide people with a way to play to their strengths? Someone might be introverted and feel exposed in an open environment. An employee may have high sensitivity to lighting, texture, noise, or smell. Others might need an environment that fosters innovation. We need to consider privacy levels, lighting, acoustics, movement and ergonomics, even the use of color, all through the lens of inclusivity. At CGS, we believe it is important to give a range of options to serve a diverse workplace and allow for everyone’s success.