Designing for Psychological Safety: Managerial Attitudes and ADHD Disclosure in Workspaces
Tracks
Marquis - In-Person Only
| Monday, September 28, 2026 |
| 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM |
| Marquis Room |
Overview
Ruby Barlow, Victoria University Of Wellington
Key Learnings
1. What psychological safety looks like in workplace contexts and how it shapes ADHD disclosures
2. Managers attitudes and experiences supporting and understanding neurodivergent employees: successes and barriers.
3. The importance of embracing a “nothing about us without us” lens, valuing and incorporating perspectives from employees with ADHD, managers to inform human-centred solutions.
Speaker
Ms Ruby Barlow
Masters Student
Victoria University Of Wellington
Designing for Psychological Safety: Managerial Attitudes and ADHD Disclosure in Workspaces
Presentation Overview
Navigating disclosure in the workplace is a complex and deeply personal journey for employees with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This research examines how ADHD disclosure currently occurs within office environments and explores how design can support conditions that foster safe disclosure. A mixed-methods, participatory design approach was used, including semi-structured interviews, a survey, affinity analysis, participatory workshops, and usability testing, supported by a literature review.
Secondary research identifies two primary forms of workplace disclosure: proactive and reactive. Proactive disclosure is associated with more positive outcomes for both employees and organisations, yet disclosure remains a complex and often uncertain decision for individuals with ADHD. Research categorises disclosure into two types: proactive and reactive disclosure. Reactive disclosure occurs after workplace issues have arisen, and the employee feels mounting pressure to explain themselves. In contrast, proactive disclosure occurs before any workplace misunderstandings occur.
Findings from this research indicate that psychological safety has a positive correlation with proactive disclosure, while stigma consciousness is negatively correlated. Qualitative insights from Ruby’s research suggest that managers are willing to understand and support employees with ADHD, but they lack practical systems that guide inclusive workplace practices.
Literature highlights the importance of managerial support in order to develop physiologically safe environments. Therefore, rather than focusing on adapting ADHD employees to existing workplace expectations, this project develops design interventions aimed at managers. The design solution aims to support awareness of psychological safety and provide guidance for creating more supportive environments for neurodivergent teams.
Participatory methods with employees with ADHD and managerial professionals informed the development of the solutions, and Māori perspectives on ADHD and neurodivergence were considered to challenge deficit-based narratives and broaden understanding of cognitive differences in workplace contexts.
Secondary research identifies two primary forms of workplace disclosure: proactive and reactive. Proactive disclosure is associated with more positive outcomes for both employees and organisations, yet disclosure remains a complex and often uncertain decision for individuals with ADHD. Research categorises disclosure into two types: proactive and reactive disclosure. Reactive disclosure occurs after workplace issues have arisen, and the employee feels mounting pressure to explain themselves. In contrast, proactive disclosure occurs before any workplace misunderstandings occur.
Findings from this research indicate that psychological safety has a positive correlation with proactive disclosure, while stigma consciousness is negatively correlated. Qualitative insights from Ruby’s research suggest that managers are willing to understand and support employees with ADHD, but they lack practical systems that guide inclusive workplace practices.
Literature highlights the importance of managerial support in order to develop physiologically safe environments. Therefore, rather than focusing on adapting ADHD employees to existing workplace expectations, this project develops design interventions aimed at managers. The design solution aims to support awareness of psychological safety and provide guidance for creating more supportive environments for neurodivergent teams.
Participatory methods with employees with ADHD and managerial professionals informed the development of the solutions, and Māori perspectives on ADHD and neurodivergence were considered to challenge deficit-based narratives and broaden understanding of cognitive differences in workplace contexts.
Biography
Ruby Barlow is a Master’s student and UX designer researching how ADHD is understood within office environments. Her work explores how employees with ADHD navigate disclosure, including the forms disclosure takes and who individuals choose to disclose to. Using qualitative research methods, she also investigates managerial attitudes toward fostering psychological safety. Ruby’s research aims to bridge the gap between organisational awareness and the lived experiences of employees with ADHD by developing design-informed approaches that reshape leadership practices. Her work focuses on supporting managers to better understand ADHD and create psychologically safe environments that adapt to diverse cognitive needs.
