AuDHD at work: finding balance and co-creating adjustments
Guest contributor, Remie Colledge, contemplates being AuDHD in the workplace, considering how the process of identifying and implementing adjustments can be an opportunity for curiosity and co-creation.
Needs and workplace adjustments aren’t fixed. Experiences shift with time, context and safety. Drawing on my experiences as an AuDHDer, this blog is a reflection on the evolving and relational nature of adjustments, the interdependence between self-understanding, workplace curiosity and psychological safety.
Without words
Just over nine years ago, I was working in an open plan office. I had no words to describe what I was experiencing. Each day I came home exhausted, as my brain shut down. A silent struggle, until life stopped. I now recognise that time as Neurodivergent burnout.
I had no idea I was either Autistic or ADHD. What began as burnout soon led to a relapse of poor mental health . I left that job early in my career, with no explanation, but believing I had failed, mirroring earlier school experiences.
Making sense
Looking back with greater understanding and self-compassion, I know it wasn’t failure. My senses were bombarded. Fluorescent lights burned. Movement in my peripheral vision persistently diverted my attention. A sea of noise blurred into jarring chaos in my mind, disorientated by the unpredictable air-conditioning. I became isolated by unwritten rules, social expectations and office culture I couldn’t decode. Conflicted by the comfort of a routine-focused job, whilst craving change.
Soon after that burnout, it was identified that I’m Autistic. I began making sense of my experiences, a blend of strengths, differences and challenges. I also stumbled across the term reasonable adjustments.
Remembering this time makes me wonder, about both information and opportunity. How can we expect people to ask for workplace adjustments, without knowing they’re even possible? And what if someone hasn’t yet had the opportunity to understand what they need, or to explore their needs with someone willing to listen?
Fixing to exploring
At first, I focused on ‘fixing’. I held the weight of responsibility firmly on my shoulders. As I searched for a new job, I equipped myself with solutions to ‘fit in’.
Eventually I realised my differences didn’t need fixing, slowly letting go of internalised beliefs. I saw that many struggles came from workplace environments. I switched from ‘fixing’ to ‘exploring,’ embracing trial and error, testing out what helped or hindered. Asking for adjustments felt clunky at first, but over time, the impact was empowering. I surrounded myself with Neurodivergent-affirming language, people and allies. I was no longer alone.
I learned that I didn’t need to have all the answers, to start a conversation about my needs at work.
Evolving and interdependence
Through countless hours of reading, listening and understanding my mind, I discovered adjustments and supports that work well for me. Yet, my needs change, influenced by multiple factors like health, energy, hormones, life stressors and particularly the sensory environment. Those adjustments don’t stay static.
Imagine stepping into to a new role, in a completely different working environment. How might that new space reshape what you need, and what helps you to thrive?
Developing self-awareness has been essential. Yet equally vital, that organisational systems and processes are flexible, proactive and relational. Can we always predict our needs before being immersed within an environment? It can take time, so how can we create the space needed to facilitate open, ongoing conversations, to build shared understanding and to co-create adjustments?
Balancing
Despite all that I’d learnt, I was still wading through darkness. I’d been looking through an Autistic lens, but that didn’t fully explain my daily realities. My more recent ADHD discovery/ diagnosis brought greater clarity.
Life as an AuDHDer feels like constantly balancing various contradictions. For example:
Valuing comfort in predictable routines and familiar environments, yet seeking variety and spontaneity to support my focus
Being a detailed planner, whilst struggling to prioritise and get started
Appreciating clear communication, yet feeling feedback deeply.
These contradictions shape how I work. I find balance not by choosing one side or suppressing the other. It feels less about fixing the tension and more about designing a space and working rhythm, for it all to co-exist. The question became, ‘What do I need to help me find that balance, to support my work and wellbeing?’
A tick-box, one-size-fits-all approach to reasonable adjustments would overlook the nuance. It takes understanding from others, a willingness to let go of assumptions, to learn, and look beyond what they might see.
Safety
Self-advocating for my needs has relied on feeling safe. For me, this safety comes from curiosity, validation, and evidence.
When I share an experience and it’s met with curiosity, I feel valued.
When I share an experience and it’s met with validation, I feel heard.
When I see and experience actions that build trust, it creates evidence.
I remember experiencing situational mutism in a workplace. The way colleagues adapted seamlessly, welcoming alternative forms of communication. That moment became evidence, a powerful memory of acceptance and belonging.
What does it take to create a culture where people feel safe to share what they need, or to say, ‘I’m still figuring it out’?
Summary
Adjustments aren’t just about ‘what’ they are, but ‘why’ and ‘how’ they’re explored and facilitated. When they’re seen as opportunities for co-creation, building understanding and connection, rather than compliance or productivity tools, that’s when I’ve noticed the shift.
As Neurodivergent people, our diversity and strengths are vast, our support needs varied and our challenges real. How do we make sure that workplaces can recognise, value and support that diversity, with care, curiosity and flexibility?
