When leaders talk about workplace design, they often focus on the physical space. But the environments that shape how people think, collaborate, and perform are just as much about processes, expectations, and unspoken norms. If we want every brain to thrive at work, we have to examine the systems that quietly determine who gets supported — and who’s left to adapt.
My special guest today is Nikki Drader-Mazza, and she’s simplifying how to design workspaces where every brain thrives. This conversation challenges how we think about neurodiversity, inclusion, and what it actually takes to build workplaces that work for more people — not just the non-neurodiverse majority.
Here’s how.
My special guest today is Nikki Drader-Mazza and she’s simplifying how to design workspaces where every brain thrives.
We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including:
- What we really mean by neurodiversity and the newer term “neurodistinct” — and why the language we use matters more than we might think.
- Why “workspace design” isn’t just about the physical office, and which parts of the work ecosystem most influence whether every brain can thrive.
- Why it’s critical to examine the assumptions baked into systems designed for the non-neurodistinct population — and the risk of leaving those systems unchallenged.
- Why stigma around accommodations still exists, and how leaders can begin to dismantle it in meaningful ways.
- …and ultimately, the first assumption or system leaders and HR teams should take a hard look at when designing workplaces where every brain can thrive.
Q: Are you ready to learn how to design a workspace where every brain thrives? If yes, this one is for you.
It’s time to #DoTheThing!
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<What’s catching my eye this week>
- 3 hours of (free) focus music for deep concentration - Quiet Quest - Study Music
- Hire Mary Baird to teach your senior leaders about creating a better employee experience for your workforce - The Simplifiers
- 50 powerful questions to help you reflect - The Institute of You
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My challenge for you this week:
How are you going to take what you’ve learned in today’s episode and take action by designing a workspace where every brain thrives? What’s one thing you’ll do differently? Share it with me, privately or publicly. Snap a photo of you doing the thing, and send me a DM over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesimplifiers) for added accountability and support!
Links, books and apps mentioned:
Resource: Find Nikki Drader-Mazza on LinkedIn - click here
Resource: What’s the difference between equity and equality - The Annie E. Casey Foundation
Resource: About Universal Design - Centre for Excellence in Universal Design
Resource: The Universal Design Theory of Accessibility - Kristi Dawn Riggs
Book: America's Bitter Pill: Money, Politics, Backroom Deals, and the Fight to Fix Our Broken Healthcare System - Steven Brill
Opportunity: Nikki has two ongoing projects still sourcing participants:
- Managers of neurodistinct employees interested in sharing their experience are invited to participate in a 30-minute compensated interview.
- Individuals with a diagnosis of autism who are about to start or recently started a new job (in the last month) are invited to participate in a compensated survey study on their experience onboarding to their new organization.
- Contact Nikki via Linkedin direct message, to let her know you’re interested in participating.
Podcast: How to practice empathy without burning out, featuring Joseph Cope - The Simplifiers Podcast
Podcast: How to be a better leader (guided visualization) - The Simplifiers Podcast
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About Nikki Drader-Mazza:
Nikki Drader-Mazza - She is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate and teaching fellow in the Department of Management at the University of North Texas. Her research centers on stigma and marginalized groups in the workplace, with a focus on neurodiversity. She studies the pre-employment, career management, and well-being of neurodivergent individuals navigating historically neurotypical workplaces.
Her work has been featured in outlets such as the Journal of Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, and Journal of Management Scientific Reports.
Where Nikki hangs out online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-drader-mazza-a3173a78
Nikki’s vote for the perfect guest on The Simplifiers Podcast:
Virginie Lopez-Kidwell - She is a Management Associate Professor as well as the Director of Professional Graduate Programs in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business at the University of North Texas. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky in Management in 2013.
Her research interests include social networks, the role of affect in organizational behaviors and social dynamics, as well as power and dependence in workplace relationships. She has published in the Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Consumer Behavior, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Group & Organization Management, Social Networks among others.
She also conducts consulting and funded projects with various organizations to research, optimize, train, engage workforce and improve performance using latest organizational psychology tools, including social network analysis. She received the 2020 Junior Outstanding Researcher Award by the G. Brint Ryan College of Business, as well as the 2019 best researcher and teacher awards by the department of Management in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business.
She teaches at the undergraduate, MBA, doctoral and executive level various courses and workshops on topics such as: Organizational Behaviors, Emotional Intelligence, Conflict Resolution, Negotiation Skills, Power & Influence, Navigating Socio-Political Dynamics in the Workplace, Personal Effectiveness, Social Network Analysis. She is also an Executive Education/Consulting adviser for the Professional Development Institute at UNT.
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Thank you to our sponsors: the Town of Addison
This episode is sponsored by the Town of Addison economic development department, reminding you that the town of Addison is a great place to work with over 200 restaurants and more than 70,000 employees in just 4 square miles. For more information visit: addisoned.com. And also, thank you to the Town of Addison for bringing me in as the keynote speaker at their January 2026 HR Summit for Addison-based HR executives.
