Working in an office can be stressful for anybody. But for the neurodiverse—people with everything from sensory issues to ADHD to a range of differences—the clamor and buzz of office life can impede not only their work but their quality of life. 

Now an elegant, innovation solution has been devised by Dallas-based Hollman Inc.—an industry leader in locker design and solutions led by Founder and CEO Travis Hollman (whose wife, incidentally, is “Real Housewives of Dallas” star Stephanie Hollman). 

Hollman recently launched MeSpace, a new company that manufactures what it calls first-of-its-kind, adaptive workstations designed specifically for neurodiverse professionals.

Why the launch is doubly personal for Hollman

MeSpace Founder and CEO Travis Hollman with MeSpace workspaces in background. [Video still: MeSpace]

Hollman was inspired to launch MeSpace for both personal and professional reasons. The father of a neurodiverse son, Hollman is himself a neurodiverse entrepreneur, Through the new venture, he’s leveraging his leadership of the world’s largest manufacturer of locker solutions to create MeSpace—and aiming to ensure that people like him can succeed. 

“We’re on a journey to unlock the potential of neurodiverse individuals and boost productivity and innovation for the entire workforce,” Hollman said in a statement. “Today, about 20% of the workforce is neurodiverse, and studies show a strong increase in the diagnosis for younger generations, with over 50% of Gen Z identifying as neurodiverse and an even greater percentage of Gen Alpha.”

“This next generation of neurodiverse workers are innovative thinkers who excel at complex problem-solving,” Hollman added, noting that these are “the exact skills demanded by companies as AI increasingly replaces many repetitive office tasks. If given the right environment, I firmly believe neurodiverse people will change the world, and that’s why we launched MeSpace.”

Sliding doors, ‘ghost mode’ windows, and adjustable light and colors 

Photo: MeSpace

The neuroinclusive workstations enable these professionals to have control over their environment—along with the ability to customize “a safe and secure workspace that meets their unique sensory needs” in a variety of ways.

Designed with a modern, comforting aesthetic, each workstation has a door that slides closed when desired for a calmer, less-distracting environment. A window in the brand’s O Series workspaces provides a sense of openness, but for enhanced privacy and focus, the window’s “ghost mode” can be activated, turning the clear glass opaque. 

Also in the O Series, “biophilic” textured materials enhance mimic natural patterns and surfaces, creating a calming and stimulating environment that improves “overall well-being and connection to nature within the workspace,” the company said. 

Other O Series features include sound-blocking walls, a sit/stand desk, and adjustable light levels and colors to create a personalized backdrop of focus and comfort.

‘The Swiss Army Knife of the office’

Kay Sargent, a workplace design leader for HOK and neuroinclusive consultant, said that today’s employees “are largely forced to adjust to sterile, standardized workplace environments, but MeSpace has designed an innovative workstation that enables individuals to tailor their environment to fit their unique needs.”

“By creating the Swiss Army Knife of the office, solutions like MeSpace not only benefit those with extreme sensory challenges, but they also benefit the mean,” she added in a statement. “Today, we are all impacted by noise, clutter, smells. Companies around the world have been looking for a solution that not only supports neuroinclusivity, but fuels performance for everyone.”

MeSpace offers a warehouse model as well. [Photo: MeSpace]

Helping companies ‘help their employees to succeed’

“With neurodiverse unemployment rates of about 40%, a customizable working environment is often the major difference between them succeeding or not,” Hollman said. “MeSpace is the first company to create an environment specifically designed for the neurodiverse, and we’re excited about the momentum we’re seeing as leading companies look to leverage our workstations to help their employees succeed.”

MeSpace is just the latest venture for the highly active Hollman, whose other launches have included the Marshmallow Fun Company; the creation of Vacation in a Bottle, the first “relaxation beverage”; and the launch of MTV’s “Bully Beatdown,” for which he served as co-executive producer.

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