Why companies are building neuro-inclusive workplaces

Amid efforts to support diverse workforces, companies are exploring an emerging space proven by research to boost workplace productivity and performance.

Neuro-inclusive workplaces - environments that combine design, operational, cultural and policy strategies to accommodate both hypersensitive (over-responsive) and hyposensitive personalities (under-responsive) is the new frontier in the war for talent.

Approximately 10-20% of the global population is estimated to be neurodivergent. While hyper and hyposensitive personalities – which can be symptomatic of conditions from ADHD to Autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and other neurological differences – are at opposite ends of the spectrum, what they have in common is the capacity to outperform.

Autistic workers are 48% faster and up to 92% more productive than their neurotypical peers, according to JP Morgan's Autism-at-Work initiative. And a Deloitte study shows teams with neurodivergent people can be up to 30% more productive. Despite this, 34% of Australia's neurodivergent community remains unemployed (Australian Bureau of Statistics).

This points to a vast pool of untapped talent, says Jo Dane, founder of Educology, an inclusive design consultancy for universities.

“Neurodivergent people in the right environment have hyper focus, high attention to detail, high accuracy, they are reliable and great problem solvers. Making sure they are able to thrive in our workplaces is about more than just design; Culture and operations are also part of creating a truly neuro-inclusive work environment,” Dane says.

Speaking at a joint JLL-Property Council of Australia webinar, Dane describes a neuro-inclusive environment as one that enables choice and a degree of predictability.

“It could be simple considerations such as giving people choices around where they sit to do their work, having live captions for your presentations or providing a clear agenda and expectations of workshops. From a cultural perspective, it might be making sure all staff are educated and aware of what neuro-inclusion is and having a policy around that. And of course, probably the most important element of the physical space is giving people choice and control over their workspace,” Dane says.

Growing awareness around neuro-inclusivity is helping design strategists like Alana Hannaford, head of Project and Development Services advisory at JLL. Attending a neuroscience and environmental psychology conference in Barcelona in 2025 highlighted to her why evidence-based design principles rooted in neuroscience are so critical. “We’ve all been in a focus room where you’re trying to view a screen which sits in front of a wall of timber battening. Timber battening is something that can wake us up as we walk past it, but when we're overexposed to such a pattern, it can be stressful and create a metabolic overload.”

Understanding how our brains actually respond to environmental stimuli allows us to create spaces that truly support human performance and wellbeing.

Hannaford was part of the team behind JLL's Melbourne office. Opened in 2023, the office provides ‘library’ zones, intuitive navigation, wellness spaces, ample focus rooms and acoustic and lighting features as part of its neuro-inclusion strategy.

A survey of employees after the relocation revealed that satisfaction among JLL’s neurodivergent workers with their ability to focus jumped from 62% to 88%. Overall workplace satisfaction increased from 83% to 96%. 

"The benefits really are for everybody," Hannaford says.

As neuro-inclusive design becomes a global phenomenon, new ideas are trialled and shared.

In his work developing neurodiverse workforces within large organisations, Michael Fieldhouse, a senior partner with Untapped Talent has seen growing interest in the ‘work passport’, which contains the workplace preferences of an individual, such as “a desk next to a corner away from everyone” or a specific meeting room.

Fieldhouse also notes that quiet spaces are becoming a standard design feature in offices – one of many measures aimed at supporting neurodivergent people.

Support extends to empowering individuals to communicate their preferences, a practice recognised as neuro-intelligence.

As it becomes harder to attract and retain talent, the neuro-inclusive workplace is not just good ethics, but smart business, Fieldhouse says.

“Organisations are competing for resources that are very scarce and it really will come down to that ability to make people feel welcome.”

Speak to JLL’s Work Dynamics team about building neuro-inclusive practices and design into your workplace