Neurodivergence and Mental Health in the Workplace: Ways to Make Workspaces More Inclusive to Maintain Wellbeing. An Interview with Workspace Consultant Kirsty Hayward

Mind Vox

Kirsty Hayward is a Workspace Consultant who focuses on adapting workplaces to improve staff wellbeing, mental health and productivity.

After years of working long hours, lockdown showed Kirsty she needed to make changes for her own health.

She resigned and set up her own business, putting her health and wellbeing first, which naturally increased her work performance and productivity.

During this time, she was diagnosed with ADHD and learnt ways to adapt how she worked to benefit her neurological condition.

She now has a keen interest in educating businesses about the importance of being inclusive of divergence in the workplace.

During this episode we explore:

-How wellbeing can affect work productivity and performance.

-Kirsty’s personal journey to changing her career to improve her wellbeing.

-How Kirsty came to be diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and how this affected her career.

-Common problems neurodivergent people can experience in the workplace.

-Tips for ways to improve the workplace for neurodivergent people, and those with mental health conditions, including Sound Masking, Zoning, Lighting and Biophilic Design.

- Ways to make changes that aren’t just to the space, including working with your individual wellbeing needs.

-Advice about how to ask for support from your manager to improve working conditions for your wellbeing or neurodivergence.

-Future workspaces: What these are and the benefits of them.

*Trigger warning*

Contains conversation about ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Depression, Sensory Processing Disorder and Burnout.

Links

To send us ideas for future episodes, or offer to be interviewed, please contact us via Instagram or email [e-mail]

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Kirsty Hayward can be found on her website kirstyhayward.com and on LinkTree.

Kirsty will be sharing insights on creating future / inclusive workspaces at the Workplace Design Show on Thursday 27th April 2023 at the NEC in Birmingham.