5 Steps To Empowering Highly Sensitive People In The Office By Professor Lynda Holt

Let’s start by de-bunking a few myths surrounding Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). First, it is not a mental health or neurological disorder, but neither is it a choice – people don’t choose to be highly sensitive, and they can’t be less sensitive just because it’s inconvenient. 

High Sensitivity is a neurodivergent trait experienced by between 15-20% of the population. There are multiple theories about sensitivity, all suggest that some people are more strongly affected by what they experience. The term HSP was first used by Elaine Aron in the early 1990’s. 

Those who have the trait literally process sensory information more deeply and sometimes more quickly. Not all people with HSP are impacted by the same stimuli – noise could be distressing to one person, emotional distress to another. Most people know their own triggers and work hard to mitigate them.

In layman terms, people with HSP are feeling and experiencing sensory stimuli, like noise, chaos, and emotions much more intensely, so their environment and social interactions can quickly leave them over stimulated, unable to focus and exhausted.

High sensitivity can be challenging in the workplace and is especially daunting for those returning after a period of home or hybrid working. Renegotiating environments, relationships, workloads can be stressful for all of us, and the more intensely you experience stimuli the harder it becomes. 

While it’s easy to focus on the challenges HSP brings to the workplace, it also brings a lot of advantages. Highly sensitive people are likely to be more empathetic, they probably notice emotional and environmental changes more quickly than some of their colleagues, and they often have an eye for detail, can be creative and because they often think more deeply, they take time to reflect before responding. 

So yes, HSP is real. Managed well, highly sensitive people are a great asset to your team or business. Professor Lynda Holt CEO, Health Service 360, and Honorary Professor of Social Leadership, University of Salford explains how you create an environment where they can flourish: 

1. Seek to understand – those who identify as HSP may have widely differing needs, triggers and tolerances. Make sure you take the time to understand the people in your team or business. When you pay attention, and don’t judge, most people will tell you what they need – not always with their words, sometimes through behaviour, where they flourish and where they struggle. Don’t bluff – be authentic and if you don’t know, ask.

2. Respect and value contribution – Many people with HSP have spent most of their lives being told to be less sensitive, to toughen up or to stop taking things so personally – they can’t. The fact that they are so empathetic, thoughtful and connected is a real asset. They will support others, notice what has been overlooked and are excellent team members – if they are not over stimulated. As they connect so deeply, meaningful work is essential to motivation, so be sure you talk about where their contribution fits into the bigger picture, and why it matters. 

3. Help to manage environmental stimuli – there may be some environmental things you can do to support their productivity, like quiet workspaces (or noise cancelling headphones), interruption free times, manageable deadlines, working alone if needed, flexible and frequent breaks. Let’s be honest some of these things are good for everyone’s work environment.

4. Be honest about what you need – most people with HSP feel safer and do better when they have some control and can plan, so ensure you are clear in your communication, talk where projects are at – sensitive people hate surprises, rushing and shifting expectations, so if things are fluid and subject to change ensure they know and can be prepared. When you give feedback do it carefully, it will be taken to heart.

5. Talk about HSP in neutral and positive ways – don’t focus on perceived negatives or challenges. Neurodiversity brings a richness and variation of skills to teams and businesses, be careful not to stigmatise HSP – or any other neurodiversity.  

And finally, if you think you are a HSP leader, boss or teammate, own your uniqueness, use your gift and ask for what you need.