Qualitative research explores key needs and resources for disabled and neurodivergent remote workers, suggesting ways to enhance their experiences.
Disabled and/or neurodivergent people form 20% of the UK working population but their experience of remote working has been overlooked in research and practice. This research gave a voice to this community of workers to express their lived experience about how remote working can help to support their specific needs. Employing a qualitative design, we interviewed 24 disabled and/or neurodivergent remote workers across various UK organizations and sectors. Using Conservation of Resources theory, we identified (through thematic analysis) eight themes associated with conditional resources that, when configured in different combinations (referred to as resource ‘caravans’) can support the development and sustenance of personal resources to fulfil three key resource needs. These key resource needs involve being able to Control the Sensory Environment, Manage Conditions and Present Authentic Self‐expressions. These needs emerged as specifically important for this group of workers and were likely to be fulfilled through remote and hybrid working arrangements. We encourage organizations to invest in these caravans of conditional resources, to enable flourishing in relation to the key needs of disabled and/or neurodivergent workers, and to promote sustainable, inclusive and fair remote working for all.
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Grant et al. (2026) studied this question.
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