In the UK and elsewhere, it’s well-known that autistic people are disproportionately underemployed and unemployed. Only about 3 out of 10 autistic adults are currently in full-time employment and those that are face a pay gap that’s roughly a third less than their non-disabled counterparts.
But why is this exactly?
Research involving autistic individuals has identified a number of common barriers to employment, including a lack of self-confidence, fear of judgment, and insufficient support in the workplace.
Another study points to inaccessible hiring processes as a factor. It hightlights that the traditional use of interviews where social and communication skills are required to succeed place autistic people at a significant disadvantage.
The study suggested that instead, employers could consider practical selection processes where autistic people can demonstrate their skills and abilities without any pressure to mask.
In my experience, people with autism can sometimes struggle to overcome their self-limiting beliefs without the right encouragement and support. However, where support is provided they can often thrive and do amazing things.
While the statistics paint a fairly bleak picture for autistic people right now, innovative and forward thinking employers will see it for what it is: a huge untapped reservoir of potential talent simply waiting to be found.
In this post, I’m going to explore the benefits of employing autistic people. We’ll see how their fresh and unique perspectives can challenge the narrow, single minded approaches that many businesses struggle with, leading to better innovation and more positive outcomes.
1. Attention to Detail
People on the autism spectrum often have an exceptional eye for detail with research showing they frequently outperform their neurotypical peers in visual search tasks. This makes them highly valuable and sought after in precision related roles such as quality control, data analysis and coding.
Recognizing these benefits, major employers such as Microsoft and the UK’s GCHQ have already launched dedicated hiring programs to leverage autistic talent in software development and cybersecurity where attention to detail is important.
2. Expert Knowledge and Focus
Autistic people often develop an intense focus on their special interests which can include activities, hobbies or subjects. This can lead to them to being subject matter experts in their fields, with many displaying an encyclopedic level of knowledge.
When autistic people enter a state of flow they can maintain an intense focus on the matter at hand for hours at a time, unlike neurotypical employees who can become distracted or bored more easily.
These attributes are useful in fields such as research and engineering where there’s often a need to maintain focus on the task at hand.
3. Innovation & Problem Solving
People with autism often think outside the box more than others and their unique perspective on the world enables them to excel in creative thinking. While historically, much of the focus has been on the challenges associated with autism, it’s equally important to highlight the benefits that employing autistic people can bring.
Research in this field suggests that autistic people can bring valuable contributions to creative industries such as advertising and marketing, design and fashion, and music and performing arts.
4. Honesty & Integrity
One of the most well documented traits of autism is the preference toward honesty over deceit. Autistic people tend to communicate in a fairly straight forward way and, certainly based on my own experience and from what I’ve seen in others, we like to avoid office politics and ambiguity wherever possible.
This can be a useful asset for employers with high ethical standards, such as B Corp certified corporations. In such places, autistic people’s commitment to integrity can contribute to building trust and ethical teams.
5. Reliability & Consistency
Autistic people tend to like structured routines and predictability and are less likely to deviate from established processes. For employers, this can help to ensure consistency in their work, leading to higher levels of accuracy and attention to detail.
Their preference for guidelines and protocols makes them ideal candidates for certain roles, such as accounting and quality assurance.
6. Strong Work Ethic
Some research suggests that when matched with a job that properly suits their skills, autistic people are up to 140% more productive than the average employee.
I’ve seen first hand how autistic people often display immense dedication to their roles and carry a strong sense of professional responsibility.
This means that autistic people can excel in roles where personal accountability is required, such as healthcare, teaching and project management.
7. Productivity & Efficiency
Autistic people have a tendency to develop unconventional yet extremely effective ways of streamlining work processes.
One notable example is Temple Grandin, who in the 1970s and 1980s famously re-designed cattle handling systems in America, making them more efficient and humane. Today, more than 50% of American cattle plants use her design.
The autistic minds’ ability to see patterns, identify inefficiencies and propose better solutions can lead to significantly higher productivity outcomes for companies across a whole range of sectors.
8. Reduced Employee Turnover
The fact that many autistic people like stability and routine means they’re more likely to remain committed to a business that supports their needs. According to a director of a leading HR firm, autistic employees are “loyal and diligent and are a lower turnover risk”.
Businesses that promote and facilitate inclusive working environments can often reap the benefits, with autistic employees become long term assets that bring consistency and expertise over a period of time. This leads to reduced recruitment and training costs.
9. Improved Workplace Diversity and Inclusion
By actively recruiting autistic employees, businesses are investing in a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
The benefits are supported by research conducted by McKinsey & Company, which showed that businesses that rank in the top 25% for diversity are 15% more likely to achieve higher profitability than their competitors. The research also discovered that companies leading in diversity outperform their peers by 35% in terms of profitability.
This surely isn’t rocket science? Common sense tells us that workplaces that embrace neurodiversity will attract the top talent from a bigger pool, in turn strengthening its overall competitiveness.
10. Positive Impact on Workplace Culture and Team Dynamics
By promoting neurodiversity friendly policies, businesses create a culture where different working styles are valued and included, leading to improved collaboration and teamwork.
Businesses that prioritize inclusivity report having higher levels of employee satisfaction and better overall morale.
Conclusion
We know that autistic people can bring valuable strengths to many businesses, including attention to detail, a strong work ethic, and innovative ways of thinking.
As some of the leading businesses in the world have already discovered, employing autistic people is about more than just inclusivity, it’s a smart business decision that benefits the bottom line.
By promoting the recruitment of autistic people, forward thinking employers can unlock a wealth of talent and give themselves a competitive edge.
