Why and How to Create Sensory Rooms

Would you like to make your in-person or hybrid workplace more hospitable for neurodivergent and other employees, including individuals with other hidden disabilities and people who have anxiety and stress? Create one or more sensory rooms, quiet spaces that could help your employees.

Sensory rooms are usually areas that can be closed with a door. They should be white and often have:

• Extra lights/lamps, including possibly “fibre optic lights.”
• Dark window coverings on any window that shows the outside. Coverings, which could be paper and/or curtains, could make the room at least relatively dark.
• Variety of seating option (i.e., chairs, beanbags). However, if need be, there could be just one or two comfortable chairs.
• Different types of sensory items that would always, or at least generally, remain in the room.
• Plain-colored carpets to cover very patterned floors.
• Interactive bubble tubes that use changing colors to help provide soothing, visual focal points.
• Textured surfaces that provide tactile stimulation, such as cozy blankets and plush toys.
• A sign on the door that indicates whether the sensory room is in use.

Sensory rooms offer “a controlled and immersive sensory experience.” They can be used for stress reduction, emotional well-being, and other benefits. Kelly Weimer, who is Director of Autism Services at Pressley Ridge, said, “These rooms provide a space for employees to refresh and relax. A quick break is sometimes what’s needed to reduce stress and increase productivity.”

Sensory rooms may be especially beneficial in workplaces with open-plan offices, bright lights, or both, all of which can make work challenging for neurodivergent employees. In these large rooms with little privacy, employees can have a hard time concentrating, be distracted by background noise (such as phone calls and conversations), and consequently be less productive. Bright lights can distract employees and cause headaches.

As some workplaces have created and are using sensory rooms already, they are not unprecedented in offices. For example, Bayer’s campus in Iowa includes two serenity rooms, whose purpose is helping decrease stress at work. Employees use these areas to relax and recharge.

If you create sensory rooms, collaborate with employees who may use and benefit from them. They are the experts on their needs and know what elements most would help them. These individuals could help develop guidelines for using sensory rooms (i.e., the maximum amount of time that could be spent there at one time and the maximum number of users at a time). In addition, before opening sensory rooms, test the spaces for effectiveness.

You may not have the budget nor desire to create an elaborate sensory room. You may also think that you do not have enough space for one. Do not let those concerns get in the way of assisting your colleagues. A small and simple sensory room can still be beneficial. These areas may make your team happier and more productive.

Creating sensory rooms is in your interest also:

• Sensory rooms may result in less stressed, happier, and more productive employees. Therefore, costly turnover could decrease. According to recent research, the cost of replacing just one employee could be between half and four times an individual’s salary.
• Sensory rooms may make your office a better employer, potentially resulting in more neurodivergent workers. Increasing the number of neurodivergent employees could benefit your workplace, as these workers may have valuable strengths and skills. For example, these individuals maybe especially talented at attention to detail, repetition, and complicated procedures.

Aside from opening sensory rooms, you can help neurodivergent employees and others by:

• Providing them with private or semi-private offices – These offices would enable individuals to concentrate in quiet areas, making them more productive.
• Allowing them to wear headphones – Headphones do not mean that your workers are unfocused. Instead, the devices help them focus by blocking out distracting office noise.
• Giving them flexible work hours/schedules.
• Allowing them to work office-site more – However, workplace bullying is prevalent in virtual workplaces, as nearly 45% of remote employees reported facing bullying.

You could give these options to all employees, as a matter of fairness and as a way of not singling out certain types of workers. In addition, such accommodations could benefit everyone.

Sensory rooms would make your workplace more hospitable to neurodivergent and other employees. That may yield happier workers, more productivity, and less turnover.

Miriam Edelman, MPA, MSSW, is a Washington, D.C.,-based policy professional. Her experience includes policy work for Congress. Miriam’s undergraduate degree is from Barnard College, Columbia University, with majors in political science and urban studies. She has a master’s in public administration from Cornell University, where she was inducted into the national honorary society for public administration. She has a master’s of science in social work (focusing on policy) from Columbia University. She is a commissioner of the DC Commission on Persons with Disabilities. Miriam aims to continue her career in public service. She is especially interested in democracy, civic education, District of Columbia autonomy, diversity, health policy, women’s issues, and disabilities.

Photo Credit: Yan Krukau, Pexels