The Return-to-Office Challenge: Three Essential Strategies for Inclusive Transitions

The content and resources provided in this newsletter are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or legal advice. We hope this information can set you on a pathway to learning more about neurodiversity in the workplace. To ensure the highest quality content for our readers, all our articles are co-edited by Jane McColl, Senior People Manager at CareScribe. Happy reading!

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The global return-to-office (RTO) debate is intensifying. Companies worldwide are mandating shifts back to in-person work, with some limiting hybrid and remote options altogether. For many employees, this transition presents logistical challenges. For neurodivergent professionals, it can be an overwhelming disruption to carefully established routines and environmental adaptations essential for optimal performance and wellbeing.

Research confirms the magnitude of this challenge: a 2023 study revealed that two-thirds of UK employees experienced heightened workplace anxiety when returning to office settings.

As organisations navigate return-to-office initiatives, they must recognise that a one-size-fits-all approach to return-to-office policies doesn't work. Instead, we encourage HR teams and managers to consider how to create inclusive, supportive transitions that enable all employees to thrive. In our latest Skills Sessions webinar, Neuroinclusion Consultant and Founder of Self Agency, Devon Lowndes shared three critical actions that organisations can take to ease this transition:

1️⃣ Encouraging open conversations

2️⃣ Providing personalised accommodations

3️⃣ Implementing regular check-ins

Let’s dive in and explore the practical ways your organisation can put these strategies into action.

📅 Interested in joining our upcoming Skills Sessions webinars? Find out more here!

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Strategy #1: Encourage open conversations

At the foundation of meaningful accommodations lies psychological safety – creating an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their needs without fear of judgment or career repercussions.

"This is relevant not just for return to office, but maybe for all of the time," Devon Lowndes 🍉 emphasised. She referenced Amy Edmondson's psychological safety framework, highlighting four crucial elements:

• Feeling included: Ensuring employees feel welcome and that the office is set up for them to thrive
• Learning: Creating space where questions can be asked without judgment
• Contributing: Reinforcing that everyone can add value, regardless of work location
• Challenging: Allowing employees to question policies without feeling they're making a nuisance of themselves

Devon noted a common challenge: "This is feedback we get a lot from disabled and neurodivergent employees in particular... They don't want to ask for more accommodations, they don't want to challenge the return to work situation they find themselves in because they're worried about finding themselves a nuisance."

💡 For leaders and HR professionals, modelling these behaviours becomes critical. When managers demonstrate comfort asking questions and acknowledging uncertainties, they create permission for team members to do the same — establishing the foundation for truly inclusive transitions.

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Strategy #2: Provide personalised accommodations

Our conversation with Devon highlighted the importance of individualising return-to-office plans rather than implementing one-size-fits-all mandates. Devon advocated for a shift from "reasonable adjustments" to "accommodations" — language that moves away from potentially confusing terminology.

"There's been some pushback from the disabled community, from the neurodivergent community, and from the HR community at large that 'reasonable adjustments' is a confusing term," Devon explained. "Reasonable for who? What does reasonable mean?"

This shift represents more than just semantics — it signals a move from focusing on "fixing" individuals to adapting environments to meet diverse needs.

💡 Here are some accommodations that can make profound differences for your employees returning to the office:

• Noise-cancelling headphones: Devon shared her personal strategy of using "concentrating music" with noise-cancelling headphones to minimise distractions
• Phased returns: Gradually increasing office time rather than requiring immediate full-time attendance
• Flexible scheduling: Determining which days work best for different types of tasks
• Assistive technology: Offering tools like TalkType (for dictation) and Caption.Ed (for captions) which can support communication and reduce cognitive load for neurodivergent employees, making it easier to participate in meetings and document work without distractions.
• Buddy systems: Pairing employees with a colleague for support and guidance, helping them navigate the transition back to the office and offering ongoing support as needed. At CareScribe , our buddy system provides new hires with a go-to person for questions and support as they adjust to the office environment. The same system can be just as effective for neurodivergent employees returning to the office, giving them a reliable touchpoint for questions and signposting to further resources if needed.

The scale and complexity of accommodations naturally vary by organisational size and resources. While smaller companies can implement the fundamental accommodations outlined above, larger organisations can develop more comprehensive approaches, such as dedicated working groups or hosting events that foster neuroinclusive workplace cultures.

🚀 You can discover tailored accommodation strategies for your specific organisational context here.

Strategy #3: Implement regular check-ins

The third and perhaps most crucial recommendation Devon provided was implementing consistent, meaningful check-ins between managers and team members.

"Regular check-ins is what I would recommend in almost every situation, everywhere," she emphasised. "You don’t know what’s going on for your people until you sit down and check in with them.”

These check-ins serve multiple critical purposes:

• Preventing unconscious bias: "Human brains are made to tell stories. We will fill in the information that we don't have," Devon explained. Regular check-ins provide actual information to replace assumptions.
• Building trust: Consistent conversations create the psychological safety needed for employees to share challenges or request accommodations.
• Identifying needs early: Regular dialogue helps identify potential issues before they become significant problems.

🎯 A case study: Devon shared a powerful story highlighting the importance of regular check-ins. An employee facing termination for chronic lateness was discovered – only at the last moment – to be caring for a partner with terminal illness. This information completely changed the team's perspective and led to simple scheduling accommodations that resolved the issue completely.

For check-ins to be truly effective, Devon recommends incorporating six components based on Lisa D. Foster, Ph.D., ACC, Author, TEDx Speaker 's framework for building trust and belonging:

1. Empathy: Genuinely understanding employee experiences
2. Listening: Creating space for team members to express themselves
3. Recognition: Acknowledging both achievements and challenges
4. Curiosity: Demonstrating interest in understanding team members' experiences
5. Compassion: Showing care for employee wellbeing
6. Gratitude: Expressing appreciation for contributions and efforts

💡 Implementation Tip: Schedule check-ins during the first month of return-to-office transitions at least weekly, then adjust frequency based on individual needs. Use a consistent format that touches on both work tasks and wellbeing, creating space for accommodation discussions without making them the sole focus.

The competitive advantage of neuroinclusion

While supporting neurodivergent employees through office transitions fulfils important legal obligations, global inclusion leaders recognise the substantial competitive advantages created by properly supported cognitive diversity:

• Deloitte 's comprehensive research demonstrates that teams with supported neurodivergent members achieve 30% higher productivity compared to neurotypical teams
• Again, according to Deloitte, neuroinclusive organisations are twice as likely to exceed financial targets and three times more likely to outperform their competition
• McKinsey & Company 's landmark diversity report documents how neurodivergent leaders contribute distinctive strengths that accelerate innovation and drive sustainable growth

As Devon's presentation emphasised, accommodations aren't about "fixing" individuals, but rather removing barriers that prevent talented professionals from contributing fully. By approaching office transitions through this lens, organisations position themselves for greater creativity, problem-solving, and employee retention.

🚀 HR teams, managers and inclusion advocates — we invite you to our upcoming Skills Sessions webinar, 'Dyslexia in Your Team: Myths, Challenges & Effective Strategies' led by expert guest speaker Donna Stevenson . We'll explore evidence-based approaches to fostering authentic inclusivity and share practical strategies for supporting team members with this frequently misunderstood cognitive difference.

Book your ✨ FREE ✨ place here.

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CareScribe is on a mission to make the world more accessible. We build assistive technology which levels the playing field for people with disabilities and enables users to be more independent in their studies and at work. Our small but mighty team builds software that thousands of people love: lightning-fast dictation software, TalkType, and our live-captioning and note-taking product, Caption.Ed. Explore how CareScribe can help you create a more inclusive workplace.