From Theory to Practice: How Social Media Affordances Enable Neurodivergent Employee Participation in Workplace Decision-Making
Prof. Carys CHAN
Associate Professor
Department of Management
Griffith Business School
Griffith University, Australia
Date: 17 April 2026 (Friday)
Time: 10:30-12:00
Venue: E22-2015
Host: Prof. Liwen ZHANG, Associate Professor in Management
Abstract
This presentation bridges conceptual understanding with empirical evidence on how digital technologies can foster meaningful inclusion for neurodivergent employees (NDEs). Drawing from two complementary studies, I first present a comprehensive technology-inclusion framework that identifies how social media affordances, particularly anonymity and association, can facilitate workplace inclusion across multiple dimensions. Building on this theoretical foundation, I then share findings from a 10-day experience sampling study (N= 185 NDEs) that examines how these affordances activate proactive motivational states, ultimately enabling NDEs to influence workplace decisions. The empirical results reveal that association affordances enhance both psychological empowerment and positive affect, while anonymity primarily operates through affective pathways. Notably, these digital pathways become particularly valuable when traditional interpersonal support is lacking, suggesting a compensatory rather than complementary relationship. Together, these studies offer both theoretical insights and practical guidance for leveraging social media as an inclusion tool, moving beyond general accommodation calls to specify actionable mechanisms for meaningful neurodivergent participation in organisational decision-making.
Speaker
Prof. Carys CHAN is Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources at Griffith Business School. Her research program examines work-non-work boundary management, flexible work arrangements, and occupational stress, establishing self-efficacy as a key mechanism linking organizational support to work-family outcomes. Since 2022, she has secured over A$4 million in competitive funding (including ARC Discovery and Linkage grants) and published in premier outlets such as Journal of Applied Psychology, Human Resource Management, and Journal of Vocational Behavior. Her work has garnered multiple distinctions, including the 2022 Emerald Literati Outstanding Paper Award, 2022 ANZAM-EMJ Early Career Researcher Award, 2025 Asian-Australian Leadership Award for Education, and ranking in the top 5% of work-family scholars globally (ScholarGPS, 2026). Her current research advances theoretical models of future-oriented coping while developing evidence-based interventions for tech-enabled neurodiverse inclusion and cancer survivor reintegration.
All are welcome!
