What's a 'reset room'? How this company is physically supporting their neurodivergent employees

Before having access to a reset room, Nicole Souza would have to not only leave her cubicle, but the whole building, and go on a long walk outside whenever she felt overwhelmed in the office. But that all changed when members from the employee experience team reached out to her with an idea in April. 

"They first started doing some research on neurodivergent and sensory-inclusive rooms on their own," says Souza, a supervising editor at education tech solutions provider Curriculum Associates and the co-lead of the company's neurodivergent ERG, CAInfinity. "Then they asked us to weigh in on things like the color palettes, furniture and accessories the room was going to feature and we got to provide feedback."  

Souza and her ERG also shared recommendations on things like lighting and sound-proofing, as those are both common workplace challenges neurodivergent folk — particularly those with sensory sensitivities — face in physical settings. And while those obstacles often get in the way of a neurodivergent employees' ability to succeed, they are not often addressed. 

"I felt so seen and validated," Souza recalls. "There's a really powerful saying in the disability justice movement that says: 'Nothing about us, without us.' And this project exemplified that. When a company is doing this kind of initiative for a particular affinity group, the members of that affinity group should be consulted and part of the process." 

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About a fifth of the population identifies as neurodivergent, according to the National Library of Medicine, which is equivalent to around 65 million members of the workforce. And yet, research published in the Harvard Business Review indicates that unemployment rates run as high as 80% for neurodivergent individuals. Much of that has to do with the fact that most workplaces aren't built with neurodivergent individuals in mind — a fact that Sue Slater, the VP of employee experience at Curriculum Associates, wanted to change.

Curriculum Associates has an open floor plan with a standard cubicle layout throughout the office that doesn't offer much privacy should an employee need it. Most conference rooms have glass walls that make them bright and airy, but do little to block out distractions should someone feel overwhelmed. There is a snack bar and a basketball hoop in the center of the space that promotes conversation and fun, but could also be considered loud and distracting to certain neurodivergent members of their staff. 

Slater knew that all of those aspects, which were once strong selling points, could quickly begin to work against them if they didn't find alternative solutions.  

"When we started to bring people back into the office, we started to think about what could attract them — and what could potentially keep them out," Slater says. "One of the things that we knew about working from home is that people could adjust their environment to their needs and that physical space affects productivity. We wanted to create a space that was warm, inviting, and allowed people to have more of that comfort experience."

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Slater and her team worked hand-in-hand with the building's facility manager and staff for approximately six months to create the reset room. The room is equipped with different kinds of chairs, bean bags, a sound machine and a privacy screen on the one glass side. It also has an indicator on the outside that lets everyone know whether the room is in use, and people are encouraged to use the space for as long as they need it. 

For Souza, who now works remotely full-time, the room was more than just the temporary escape her afternoon walks provided. It gave her the tools to do her work comfortably and successfully without the physical obstacles that once stood in her way.

"My favorite feature are the lamps with adjustable lighting because I suffer from floaters, so I can't handle bright light for long periods of time," she says. "I also prefer the sound machine because I have tinnitus in both ears, so I'm not comfortable in full silence." 

It was those kinds of instances that Slater and her team wanted to make room for, and what she urges other companies to try and make room for as they refine their return-to-work mandates. Because while it may seem like a large investment to retrofit an entire room to cater to the needs of one affinity group, the cost of leaving them out might be higher.  

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"People want to feel seen and heard and have their needs met," Slater says. "We can't do everything right, but we can create a psychologically safe space where they can be themselves and that supports productivity. Even from an efficiency and investment standpoint, it's a no-brainer because we know psychological safety is the underpinning of what makes a company successful." 

Though the reset room was created with neurodiverse people in mind, it isn't just an asset for that affinity group. In fact, Slater shares that the space is often used by employees who don't identify as neurodiverse to take personal calls, read and work in silence, or just take a break during a stressful workday. It's important for employers to understand that catering to the needs of neurodivergent workers, even if they're few, benefits all employees in the long-term, she says. 

More than that, however, the inclusion of neurodiverse talent is critical for companies that want to honor diversity, equity and inclusion goals, and help end the harmful stigma and stereotypes that surround them. 

"Fostering inclusivity for neurodivergence is just as important as that of identity-based groups like BIPOC and LGBTQ employees," Souza says. "All of these identities and affinities coexist in our society and in our culture, so we need to be just as proactive in encouraging and maintaining a sense of belonging among all employees, because everyone deserves to feel seen, heard and validated."