What Makes for an Ideal Work Environment?

What is the ideal work environment? It’s something many organizations aspire to – and claim, in some cases, to more or less possess… but it’s not always clear what this actually entails.

Does it mean fridges full of snacks, ping pong tables and wear-what-you like? Or is it more about less tangible things like respect, feeling valued, and having a true sense of purpose?

In the neurodiversity at work field, we at Uptimize spend a lot of time thinking about work environments – not least because many people in our community focus groups tell us that they are lacking.

In the mid 2020s, talent dynamics are changing. People move jobs more frequently, and spend less time at an employer than their parent’s generation typically spent. You could see this as a crisis of loyalty – or simply the product of a new type of working world, where options are plentiful, and (overall) the power balance is being tilted somewhat back to candidates.

As a result, retention has become a huge priority, and a major contributor to the bottom line. Indeed, it costs US businesses over $4k on average to hire/replace an employee.

Yet the data also suggests that typical strategies to keep employees around are not working: 61% of corporate employees today are actively looking at new roles. Amongst this group, many cite issues with work environments – in fact, 1 in 5 American workers have already left a job due to culture, one key factor here.

One key way to keep people, then, is to provide GREAT work environment. Doing so acts as  a talent magnet, too: 73% of workers would choose an empathetic employer even if it meant changing their role, industry or career path.

So what goes into this, and how is it achieved?

It turns out that there are some factors that everybody will appreciate. Factors where ensuring the existence of something across the board adds value to all. Good examples here would be (enough) paid time off, or high levels of Psychological Safety – two elements likely to be welcomed by everyone.

Other things, though, are more individual – and there are times when different people need different things in order to experience what for them, specifically, is an ideal work environment.

Key here is flexibility, as no two people are alike, and this concept and its application are naturally key to our neurodiversity training. Flexibility – for example, relating to when people arrive for work, how they manage their energy (not just their time) or how they organize their projects – allows different types of thinkers to optimize their contribution and work experience. Flexibility in practice means people are allowed to do different things – and that that’s ok, with positive benefits for both individuals, their teams, and the wider organization.

As is clear to anybody interested in neurodiversity in the workplace, different people may require very different types of supports, too, to be successful. This could include specific adaptations or adjustments, or particular forms of mentorship or communities such as provided by (for example) a neurodiversity ERG.

Companies should aspire to creating the ideal work environment. Many do – and it is possible to achieve something positive here. We were proud at Uptimize recently to be recognized for our own efforts in this direction by Tech National, who featured us #2 in their Top 100 Companies to Work for 2024 (https://thetechnational.com/top-100-companies-to-work-for/).Naturally we strive to be as (neuro)inclusive ourselves as possible!

Whatever your organization, you can contribute to something (more) approximating an ideal work environment for everybody.

And remember: sometimes it’s about delivering key elements that work for everybody, and sometimes it’s about letting people choose their OWN path!

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Ready to explore how Uptimize can empower your teams to embrace neurodiversity? Talk to us by scheduling your discovery call here.