Embracing How Different Our Brains Are with Elena Sabinson (S4:E6)

Work Better

We all know the workplace has to support a lot of diverse needs and it could probably do a much better job than it does today. But that can be really hard because there’s a gravitational pull toward sameness. It’s just easier to establish a pattern and stick to it. So how can we embrace how different our brains are when we are designing the workplace? Elena Sabinson (she/they) is a neurodivergent researcher passionate about the role design can play to help all people flourish. She is an assistant professor of environmental design at the University of Colorado Boulder and received her PhD in human behavior and design from Cornell University. Elena was diagnosed later in life with autism and ADHD. Elena’s personal experience and research on neurodiversity along with their expertise in architecture and design gives us ideas for how the workplace can do more to support all of our different brains. Additional resources: Learn more about Elena Sabinson’s work and research https://elenasabinson.com/ Read insights about how to design moments of joy at work www.steelcase.com/WBnew Get the latest workplace design, insights and research: www.steelcase.com/subscribe Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.