By David and Stephanie Eubank

Remote and hybrid work have transformed how teams collaborate, but some organizations overuse mandatory camera-on policies. While intended to foster engagement, these policies can harm neurodivergent employees—such as those with ADHD, autism, or anxiety—by increasing cognitive load, sensory fatigue, and stress. Inclusive leadership requires balancing visibility with accessibility (Hamdani et al., 2023; Deloitte, 2023).

Cognitive Load and Sensory Fatigue

For neurodivergent individuals, constant video presence can be overwhelming. ADHD employees may struggle with sustained attention when visual stimuli compete for focus, while autistic employees may experience sensory overload from prolonged eye contact and screen glare. These factors reduce processing capacity and hinder performance (Hamdani et al., 2023; Vatalidis, 2025).

Anxiety and Appearance Pressure

Mandatory cameras amplify anxiety for those who fear judgment based on appearance or environment. Women, in particular, face heightened scrutiny and unrealistic beauty standards, adding emotional labor that detracts from cognitive resources (Diehl & Dzubinski, 2024; Toegel, 2025). Neurodivergent employees may find professional attire physically distracting, pulling attention away from knowledge delivery.

Bandwidth and Technical Barriers

Beyond psychological impacts, camera-on mandates can degrade meeting quality. Video streaming consumes bandwidth, causing freezing and audio delays—issues that disproportionately affect employees in rural or low-resource settings. Allowing cameras off improves accessibility and reduces stress (Bronner, 2024).

Leadership Strategies for Neuroinclusive Camera Policies

Leaders can create balance and trust by implementing these strategies:

• Make camera use optional, not mandatory. Encourage choice to reduce anxiety and sensory strain (Gabriel et al., 2021).
• Provide agendas and materials in advance to support cognitive processing (Vatalidis, 2025).
• Offer multiple participation modes: chat, audio-only, or asynchronous updates (Hamdani et al., 2023).
• Normalize attire flexibility and avoid appearance-based judgments (FlexJobs, 2025).
• Create quiet/no-meeting windows to reduce fatigue and allow recovery (Deloitte, 2023).
• Solicit feedback on comfort and accessibility preferences and adapt policies accordingly.
• Model empathy by occasionally turning the cameras off yourself to reduce stigma.
• Educate teams on neurodiversity and psychological safety to foster inclusion.

Conclusion

Camera-on policies are not inherently inclusive. Neurodivergent employees can create barriers to engagement and performance. Leaders who prioritize flexibility, accessibility, and empathy will build trust and unlock the full potential of diverse teams.

References

Bronner, S. J. (2024, February 20). The surprising reason you should turn your webcam off during meetings. Inverse. https://www.inverse.com/innovation/the-surprising-reason-you-should-turn-your-webcam-off-during-meetings

Diehl, A., & Dzubinski, L. M. (2024, November 18). Lookism impacts women at work no matter how they look. Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/91229638/lookism-is-alive-and-well-and-getting-worse-heres-why-your-appearance-is-judged-more-than-performance

Deloitte Center for Integrated Research. (2023). Building the neuroinclusive workplace.

FlexJobs. (2025, April 21). For remote work, casual outfits or business attire? https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/flexjobs-remote-work-style-pulse-report

Gabriel, A. S., Robertson, D., & Shockley, K. (2021, October 26). Research: cameras on or off? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/10/research-cameras-on-or-off

Hamdani, M., Hamdani, N., & Das, M. (2023). How to help employees with ADHD address the challenges of remote work. MIT Sloan Management Review.

Toegel, G. (2025, March 4). Appearance anxiety can affect women’s self-esteem – but it doesn’t have to be a drag on their performance at work. IMD. https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/human-resources/appearance-anxiety-can-affect-womens-self-esteem/

Vatalidis, N. (2025, February 5). How to support neurodivergence in the workplace with remote and async work. Remote.com. https://remote.com/resources/insights-center/support-neurodivergence-workplace-remote-async