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If you’re an employer, you might be wondering, what’s the point of creating an autism inclusive workplace? Why should we bother investing our time, effort and resources when the broader conversation around DEI seems to be shifting?
The answer is twofold. First, because you want your customers and employees to recognize you as the ethical and forward-thinking brand that you are, and second, because you’re looking for an untapped talent pool that can give you a competitive edge.
The statistics on autism employment are truly staggering and highlight the need for more autism inclusive workplaces.
Only 30% of autistic adults are in employment, 48% experience bullying or harassment at work, and there’s an alarming 33% average pay gap between autistic and non-disabled employees.
While the reasons behind these numbers are complex, as an autistic person, I can tell you from experience that much of it comes down to a lack of patience, respect, and understanding in the workplace.
Thankfully, things are slowly beginning to change.
Some of the world’s most successful employers understand the need to create autism inclusive workplaces to attract a wider pool of talent. Companies like Microsoft, JP Morgan Chase & Co, and SAP have launched initiatives to harness the deep focus, analytical thinking and problem-solving strengths of autistic professionals.
But you don’t have to be a global corporation to take advantage of our unique talents.
Whether you run a small business or a multinational enterprise, there are straightforward steps you can take to build an autism inclusive workplace: one that will allow autistic employees to flourish while helping your organization to reach its full potential.
Consider Your Recruiting Process
Many employers simply don’t appreciate that traditional recruitment and selection methods have been unconsciously designed to highlight autistic challenges while overlooking autistic strengths.
For companies that need to sift through candidates quickly and efficiently, the dominant approach can seem appealing. When trawling through a whole bunch of resumes, you’re looking for a specific set of characteristics that are proven to convert.
At the next step, the job interview is seen as the most reliable way to gauge how well candidates can handle pressure and think on their feet while allowing you to decide if they’ll fit the company culture.
In an interview, hiring managers can assess someone’s confidence, eye contact, and spontaneity, all of which are typically seen as important.
But none of these things are accurate pre-determinants of a candidates actual job performance and most of them will significantly disadvantage autistic applicants.
Simple Steps to Improve Inclusivity
There are some simple yet effective steps you can take to make the application and interview process more autism friendly.
Firstly, if you’re outsourcing recruitment to agencies that rely on automated filtering or AI screening tools, then ask yourself what might you be missing. More importantly, are you confident that these tools won’t eventually lead to a workforce where everyone thinks, acts, and behaves in the same way?
Basic common sense tells us that a lack of diversity stifles innovation and creativity and I don’t need to spell out the business risks of adopting that approach, do I?
In terms of interviews, providing the candidate with a list of questions in advance (after all, you want to see them at their best, so why not?), ensuring the panel has a basic understanding of autism and other forms of neurodivergence before the interview, and incorporating a couple of breaks in between questions to allow the candidate time to reset.
You might not realize it, but an autistic candidate isn’t just thinking about how best to answer your question. They’re also constantly analyzing how they’re being perceived. Am I making enough eye contact? Too much? Does my face look friendly? Do they think I’m weird? Am I oversharing, as I sometimes do?
They’re trying to filter out all of this noise as they try to pull their attention back to your question to give the best answer they can.
Speaking from personal experience, grappling with this internal dialogue and self-criticism can be exhausting, and small adjustments to the process can make a huge difference for us.
In addition to interviews, autistic people can often struggle with vague job descriptions or those that lack clearly defined expectations.
The solution here is really simple: take a moment to review the job advert from an autistic perspective.
Ask yourself, “How many assumptions are being made here”? and “Have the responsibilities and expectations been explained using clear and inclusive language that everyone can understand”?
You should hopefully find that taking a little bit of time to provide this extra clarity makes a big difference in attracting neurodivergent talent.
Offer Flexible Working Arrangements
I know this can be a polarizing topic, with remote work advocates on one side and the “that’s how it’s always been done” traditionalists on the other.
I say that with a bit of humor, but there’s a serious point here.
The world of work changed dramatically during COVID, pushing us to embrace technologies that made remote communication and collaboration possible. From an autistic perspective, this has been a game-changer, but I don’t deny there’s also real value in being in the office.
In person interactions help build team spirit, encourage small talk and strengthen relationships in ways that can’t necessarily be replicated online. Both perspectives are valid and have their pros and cons.
The key is finding a balance that works for everyone. I’m of the belief that to get the best out of people employers need to offer both approaches wherever possible.
If you’re firmly against the idea, then consider how it can directly support building an autism inclusive workplace that ensures your employees feel safe and valued.
Imagine navigating sensory overload in a really busy office, with fluorescent lights, ringing phones and constant chatter. Or being fully absorbed in a task only to be pulled out of it by small talk, knowing that you’re expected to engage and put on your friendliest expressions just to avoid feeling like an outsider.
Autistic people often hyperfocus on tasks, making us incredibly efficient and productive workers. But that intense concentration is mentally draining and we need time to recharge between bursts of deep work.
Again, speaking from experience, remote work allows me to fully immerse myself in what I’m doing. When I need a break, I can step away in silence, no forced conversations, no background noise, just a moment to reset. I can go and make a coffee and then get back into it.
When I’m given the space to work this way, I know that I produce high-quality and often highly complex work but that’s only possible if my needs are respected and understood. I suspect many other autistic people feel the same.
If you’re neurotypical and you struggle to picture what this feels like, try flipping the perspective. Imagine being locked in a room with just your laptop, no colleagues to chat with, no small talk, no chance to build relationships. Only complete silence, working from 9 to 5 every day.
Now, imagine that I told you this is how you’ll have to work for the rest of your career because “that’s how it’s always been done”.
How would that make you feel? Would I be getting the best version of you? Would it make you feel safe, included and valued?
At the end of the day it’s about treating people according to their needs.
Provide Autism Awareness Training for Staff
Whenever I disclose my autism diagnosis at work, I’m struck by how little most of my colleagues understand autism and other forms of neurodivergence.
This isn’t anyone’s fault. I knew next to nothing about autism myself until someone suggested that I might be autistic. At the time, I had only a vague idea of what ‘neurodiversity’ meant and that was about it.
Looking back, I suspect my pre-diagnosis understanding was pretty similar to that of most people.
The problem is that autism is becoming increasingly prevalent in workplaces and society as a whole.
A 2021 study found a staggering 787% increase in autism diagnoses between 1998 and 2018. In the past, autism was thought to be rare, affecting only about 1 in 2,500 children.
We now know that that’s not the case. Modern estimates suggest approximately 1 in 36 children is autistic, which means there’s likely to be at least one autistic person in any classroom or any reasonably sized workplace team.
It’s not that autism itself has become more common, it’s that we’ve simply gotten much better at recognizing and diagnosing it.
If we acknowledge that there’s probably at least one autistic person on our team or in our department, then surely it makes sense for those around them to understand a little more about the condition?
I’m not talking about in-depth academic knowledge, but at the very least, an awareness of typical autistic traits and how they manifest.
Providing autism awareness training can go a long way in reducing the frustration and misunderstandings that often arise between people who see the world differently.
And the best part? It doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it doesn’t have to cost anything at all. A quick search for free autism awareness resources online will give you everything you need to start making a difference.
There are fantastic free courses available through universities and the NHS, as well as plenty of informative videos on YouTube.
If you’re short on time and just want to get your staff thinking, one of my favorite videos to share is this one:
Conclusion
Hopefully we should now understand why building an autism inclusive workplace isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also a shrewd business move.
By making small, thoughtful adjustments to hiring practices, workplace culture, and training, employers can tap into the immense potential of autistic employees while at the same time creating a happier and more supportive environment for everyone.
I think most of us know that people produce their best work when they feel valued, respected and appreciated. The same goes for people with autism.
By taking these simple, often cost-free steps, companies can make sure that they’re not just engaging in positive change, they’re actually leading it.
