Sensory Challenges at Work
Your office is also your colleague's office. But you don't experience it the same way.
The filter problem
Your brain automatically filters most environmental stimuli. The AC, the tapping of keyboards, the smell of coffee — you only notice when someone points it out. With autism, that filter works differently. Everything comes in at once, at the same volume, all day. After eight hours at the office, your colleague isn't tired from the work, but from the office itself.
Sound
The radio playing all day is background noise for you, but for your colleague it's a constant stream of information that needs to be processed
Loud typing, a ringing phone, or someone whispering two desks away — the brain doesn't automatically filter these out
What helps: respect headphones as a signal, consider quiet zones, and don't take calls on speaker in an open office
Light
Fluorescent lighting flickers at a frequency most people don't consciously notice, but that can be exhausting when your brain does register it
Screens at full brightness in an otherwise dark room, changing daylight, or reflections on white walls — it all adds up
What helps: allow someone to adjust the lighting above their workspace, or use a desk lamp instead of overhead lights
Smell
Strong perfume, the microwave after someone's fish lunch, or the smell of cleaning products — for some autistic people, smell is the most overwhelming stimulus
This is hard to bring up. Nobody wants to hear their perfume is too strong. But if someone mentions it, take it seriously
What helps: ventilate well, be mindful of strong scents in shared spaces
Space & movement
People walking behind you, a desk by the entrance, or a workspace in the middle of a walkway — it keeps the brain constantly alert
Unexpected touch (a hand on the shoulder, a tap to get attention) can cause a startle response that feels disproportionate
What helps: approach someone from the front, not from behind. Give the option to choose a quieter workspace
Small gesture, big difference
You don't need to renovate the office. Most adjustments cost nothing: the radio off for a day, letting someone sit where it's quieter, or simply asking "does this bother you?" instead of assuming it's fine. Often your colleague knows exactly what would help — they just don't always dare to ask.