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Getting into work is only the beginning: what neurodivergence can teach us about the design of work

Robert Annis — Society of Occupational Medicine

IN BRIEF

A current UK article exploring what neurodivergent experience can teach us about workplace design, hidden effort, masking, accessibility and the difference between coping and sustainable participation.

FROM THE MEMBER

An occupational psychologist asking whether workplaces are built for human difference, rather than whether neurodivergent people are ready for workplaces.
The idea that stayed with me is that doing a job well can completely hide what the job is costing. I’ve seen that play out often enough: someone performing perfectly well and running on nothing underneath it. Useful for anyone thinking about accomodations as design rather than as exceptions granted one at a time.
Recommended by Helen

OUR REVIEW

In this 2026 Society of Occupational Medicine article, organisational psychologist Robert Annis asks whether workplaces are designed for human difference, rather than only whether neurodivergent people are ready for work. He highlights hidden demands such as interruptions, unclear priorities, sensory load, rapid social interaction and the effort involved in masking or compensating. A key idea is that successful performance can conceal an unsustainable energy cost. It offers a useful systems-based perspective: difficulty may reflect the relationship between a person and their environment, not simply an individual deficit.

 

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Why this may be of benefit

 

For practitioners, neurodivergent people and others supporting neurodivergent people, the article offers a way to separate capability from sustainability, and to think about adjustments as design rather than as exceptions granted one at a time.

 

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Anything worth knowing before someone reads or listens

 

A professional guest article rather than peer-reviewed research.

ISBN (if relevant)

Link to further information to access full resource or to download resource