Hello fellow neurodivergents,

I’m applying to a job that I’m really excited about for various reasons, about to have my second interview so things are looking good but obviously I’m not guaranteed anything yet.

The only problem is it’s an office job, and specifically an open concept office.

Right now I have a remote job and I’m honestly not that bummed about working in an office. It’s super close to me and I could use the physical and mental work life separation. I’d prefer a hybrid job but meh. Besides, if I really end up hating it I can just quit, I think I’m pretty hireable. I want to make a life change.

I’m nervous about the open concept part, and I have some questions but also I’d just be happy for anyone to talk about their experience.

  • Are people going to be annoyed at me if I fidget, move around, and pace a lot? All of these activities help me think and soothe my anxiety.
  • Are people going to be like, constantly looking at my screen? Am I going to feel judged the whole time?
  • I have the classic ADHD “do double the work in half the time, do nothing the other half”. Am I going to be judged on my work output, or how busy I make myself look?
  • If I have downtime, would it be acceptable to read a book or something?
  • If I have a chat with my coworker sitting next to me, is the whole office going to hear it? Am I going to be interrupting and bothering everyone? I like talking to my coworkers.
  • Did you disclose ADHD to your boss? Did you get any accommodations for it?

Like I said, I’d just be happy to hear anyone’s experiences.

  • gdog05@lemmy.worldEnglish
    12·
    9 days ago

    I want to add, you will likely find your own solutions to these problems to make things more bearable. But you’ll likely be on your own in the process. The office is made for and made up predominately of an idea of business perfection and mostly contains neurotypical people. They will not understand your issues if you ask for ways to navigate your needs and the environment. But, you will likely find the things you need to manage. It might be a little scary and overwhelming at first. But it’s definitely not impossible. Give it some time before giving up and you might even find new ways to thrive.

    You will quickly find that neurotypical people also find their own ways to cope in this environment. They’ll just seem more normal to everyone when they do it.