Episode 28: Work get-togethers: connection, not conformity

Culture by Neurodesign

Work get-togethers are meant to be fun and engaging, right? But the fact is that they’re only fun for a vocal minority of your organization—and an exhausting ordeal for others.

In this episode, I explore how team social events usually default to an extrovert-friendly mold, leaving introverts, neurodivergent team members, and those facing personal challenges feeling drained, overlooked, and pressured to conform.

I break down the self-fulfilling prophecy of workplace socials, why simply making them “optional” is cowardly and not a real solution, and how to design team gatherings that enable connection without forcing conformity.

You’ll hear about practical strategies inspired by neuro-inclusion best practices—which benefit not only neurodivergent people, but for anyone who has ever found a work social exhausting rather than energizing.

Listen now and rethink the way we build team culture.

I'm Lisa, and I take inspiration from neurodivergence-inclusion to help leaders create cognitively inclusive cultures that connect people with different cognitive styles, empowering everyone to contribute their best.

I’m Dr Lisa Colledge, and I help ambitious leaders build future-ready teams they trust to deliver now and adapt to whatever’s next — driving engagement, performance, and enduring resilience.

Learn more about building Neuro-Inspired Teams that outpace, outperform, and outlast your competition.