What is autism?

Autism is a spectrum condition that encompasses a wide range of different traits. It is a neurological condition that affects different people to different degrees and in different ways, which means that some autistic people require more accommodations than others. Autism can be lived through:

• Social communication differences
• Difficulties with eye contact
• Sensory differences
• Intense focus on personal or academic interests
• Focusing on detail rather than the bigger picture
• The desire for repetition and routine
• Anxiety and other related disorders

There are many other attributes associated with autism, and not all autistic people experience them in the same way. Therefore, if an employee explains to you that they are autistic, it may be best to ask them how their condition affects them personally before making assumptions. 

While some of these attributes might complicate an autistic person’s daily life, they can also provide them with strengths that help to carve a unique niche in a field of study or excel in a highly specialised role. Therefore, autism can be seen not as having a disorder, but as a neurological difference that means people who have autism can see and interact with the world differently to people without it.

What is neurodiversity?

Autism falls under the umbrella of what’s known as neurodiversity. The term neurodiversity was coined by the autistic sociologist Judy Singer, who created it to help people with autism and other neurological differences self-advocate for their own perspectives and unique strengths.

Neurodiversity also can include other neurological differences such as ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, epilepsy, learning disabilities and is sometimes considered to include mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

This term is often used to describe the natural differences that people have in the way that their brains work. Everyone has their own unique way of seeing the world, but some people face greater challenges because of this than others. Often neurodiverse employees can enrich a team by providing unique skills or solutions.

Autism and work

If you work or are looking to employ people who have autism, you might have to have certain accommodations in place that can help them feel comfortable on a day-to-day basis. While many people with autism are very capable and skilled in a variety of areas, they may find some elements of working in an office environment challenging, for example. Below are some examples of what a person with autism might find challenging about a traditional work environment: 

• Disruptions to working schedules
• Noise, light and visual stimuli in the office
• Socialising with colleagues and clients
• Multitasking
• Becoming overwhelmed at work
• Disclosing their diagnosis without stigma from colleagues

However, people with autism can present various strengths helping them to excel in particular fields. Autism means that our brains work in a different way, so as for any candidate assessing people on an individual level will help you get a better feel for their suitability in your company’s recruitment process. Some people with autism develop particularly strong skills including:

• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to concentrate for long periods of time
• Strong memory
• Problem-solving
• Ability to relate to other people with autism and who are neurodiverse, including clients and customers
• Providing a different perspective to the workplace

Autism workplace accommodations

If you have people with autism in your team, then consider what accommodations you currently have in place for them. Perhaps ask your employees what they feel about those that are already in place, as well as where there might be some room for improvement.

These don’t have to be large, expensive changes. Sometimes changes that may seem small can have a huge impact on the wellbeing of your employees who need support with their jobs to accommodate for their autism. While each employee may have their own preferences, below are some possible accommodation examples to consider:

• Allowing for flexible working, such as working from home or flexible hours
• Allowing for wearing of noise-cancelling headphones
• Extra time to read over information and complete tasks
• Interpersonal coaching
• Ergonomic equipment that promotes sensory comfort
• Screen filters that make computer screens seem less bright
• Time-out zones for sensory breaks
• Job specifications adapted to an employee’s requirements
• Allowing employees to work in a quieter part of the office
• Warning of any changes to their daily routine well in advance

While some of these accommodations may require a larger budget, some of them simply require moving to a different part of the office, or allowing employees to wear their own headphones while working. Often, these changes do not disrupt or affect other people and are therefore often beneficial in the long-term. 

Interviewing a candidate with autism

If a candidate tells you that they are on the autistic spectrum early in the recruitment process, you can make adjustments that make it easier for them to perform well during an interview. When interviewing candidates you want to see their strengths and weaknesses, and a candidate with autism might be able to better showcase theirs with the right adjustments in place. 

Consider breaking down interview questions or prompts into more specific ones, so instead of asking a candidate about themselves in a general way – such as ‘tell us about yourself’ – you could ask the following:

• What qualifications do you have?
• What strengths have you shown in your work or education?
• Tell me how you resolved a personal conflict with a colleague.
• Explain how you solved a technical problem at work.
• Explain how you helped a customer to find the product they were looking for.

Not only may this be a great way to help a candidate to open up, it can also help you to hone in on their skills, personality and suitability for a role.

Identifying reasonable adjustments

Identifying reasonable adjustments such as providing workplace accommodations to your employees is important if you want to stay compliant with UK equality law. While not all people with autism consider their condition to be a disability, it may be considered a disability from a medical and legal standpoint in the UK. This means that employers are required by UK law to make reasonable adjustments to make sure that employees with disabilities, or physical or mental health conditions, are not ‘substantially disadvantaged when doing their jobs’, according to the UK government website. 

According to the Equality Act 2010, your recruitment process can’t severely disadvantage a disabled candidate. You can still ask a candidate early on during the application process whether they have a disability so that you can make reasonable adjustments to the interview process if needs be. A reasonable adjustment takes into consideration the costs and practicability of the adjustment, and so an employer may make a decision on what is reasonable based on the resources that are available. For more information on how to provide reasonable adjustments, please read the UK government website. 

While autism awareness falls on one day, employers can work to improve conditions for autism in the workplace all year round. By simply discussing possible accommodations and reasonable adjustments with their employees, employers can learn what makes them most comfortable – helping them to perform to the best of their abilities. It’s also important for employers to remember that no person is the same, and it’s usually best to ask employees what support they need rather than assuming it. Finally, autism and other neurodiverse conditions can enrich businesses by contributing unique skill profiles and perspectives to the team.