Employing People with Autism
The potential of people with autism is widely recognised by companies who have employed individuals with the condition.
These individuals have two key things in common – they are highly valued employees and they have a form of autism. They thrive in their workplaces because of their individual strengths and experience, their enjoyment of their jobs, and because they have a particular aptitude for their role.
See interview by Tyne Tees TV News with ESPA Autism Works, broadcast on 13.12.11 here
So why should you employ someone with autism......?
Many people with autism are highly intelligent and well educated. In addition, they often display the following characteristics:
• ability to concentrate without distraction on one particular task for lengthy periods
• reliability
• accuracy (often 100%)
• close attention to detail and an ability to identify errors
• technical ability (many have excellent IT skills and qualifications)
• detailed factual knowledge (often encyclopedic)
• excellent memory
• conscientiousness and persistence.
In short, a person with autism may be better at a particular job than someone without. Where people with autism have learned and settled into a job, they are often very highly regarded and valued by both management and colleagues.
• ability to concentrate without distraction on one particular task for lengthy periods
• reliability
• accuracy (often 100%)
• close attention to detail and an ability to identify errors
• technical ability (many have excellent IT skills and qualifications)
• detailed factual knowledge (often encyclopedic)
• excellent memory
• conscientiousness and persistence.
In short, a person with autism may be better at a particular job than someone without. Where people with autism have learned and settled into a job, they are often very highly regarded and valued by both management and colleagues.
- Having a diverse workforce brings benefits to staff and business alike. Managers who have worked with people with autism have commented that they have learned to communicate with their whole team more effectively and to organise and prioritise work better. Immediate colleagues are likely to benefit in similar ways, bringing advantages and greater efficiency to a whole team.
Thousands of people in this country have disabilities. They may well be clients or customers of your business. Employing a person or people with autism sends a message that you are positive in your attitude to disabled people, value the qualities they have to offer and are a socially responsible employer.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) stipulates that employers have a duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ in the workplace and in the recruitment process for people with disabilities. Since 1 October 2004, this Act applies to all employers regardless of the number of people they employ (except the armed forces).
- Reasonable adjustments in the case of a person with autism can often be made both readily and economically. For example, people with autism may process information and instructions more easily if they are written down rather than spoken or if a task is broken down into component parts. Similarly, asking clear, specific questions in an interview will make it easier for a person with autism to provide the information you are looking for. If you are interested in the potential benefits a person with autism could bring to your workplace, you may well find you need to make relatively minor adjustments to ensure they can work effectively and efficiently.
When looking for staff, an employer hopes to find the person with the best skills for the job, and it makes sense to appeal to a wide range of people in the recruitment process. Yet people with autism are often hugely disadvantaged in typical recruitment processes. Many find getting a job much harder than doing or keeping it – meaning that employers are missing out on a potential pool of talent.
The successful employment of a person with autism, as with any member of staff, relies on focusing on an individual’s strengths, abilities and skills.
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The key is to treat each person as an individual and avoid assumptions about their likely performance because they have autism. People with autism can make a valuable contribution to company workplaces. They very often make particularly reliable, hard working and motivated employees. Many are good at paying close attention to detail, are highly meticulous and maintain a high level of accuracy. In addition, jobs of a repetitive nature, whether basic or highly complex, often appeal strongly to people with autism, meaning that they may excel in areas where other employees lose focus and concentration. There is also strong evidence that people with autism are often extremely keen workers who thrive in a structured, well organised work environment, leading to high attendance records and potentially a lower staff turnover.
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Paople with autism often much the same interests as anyone else
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“I have always been impressed with Reggie's enthusiasm, zeal and product knowledge – particularly the latter, which is much better than mine”.
N Johnston, Virgin Megastore Receiving Department |
“Mark joined Max Fordham's as a drawing filer, quickly grasping the complex procedure. He applies care and attention to detail, constantly using his initiative to improve efficiency. He regularly attends progress meetings where his input is invaluable and he supervises temporary cover within his group”.
M Jones, Partner/Head of Administration, Max Fordham LLP |
“I have been very impressed with the way that Katherine has approached and completed her work. As a direct result of this I offered her a full time position as a Data Administrator at Circle 33”.
S Lewis, Technical Audit Manager, Circle 33 |
