The company I work for has a policy of Stand-Up meetings that every employee has to do once a month. We can talk about anything, a product we are working on, something inspirational, but nothing controversial like politics or religion. The duration of the presentations must be between 5 min and 30 min.
I decided to do Autism in the Workplace as I noticed one of our clients exhibiting typical stimming behavior during a dinner we were having. I was pretty scared before the time as I used myself and my son as examples during the presentation. (In a household of four, 3 of us are confirmed Asperger).
Al lot of famous people are autistic (Asperger or High Functioning). Some of those that acknowledged it are: Susan Boyle, the guy who created Pokemon, Angelina Joly,
What Is Autism?
The causes of autism spectrum conditions (ASD) are ultimately genetic but there are likely to also be environmental factors that interact with these. The changes in the pattern of brain development are evident from at least 2 years of age, and are likely to reflect prenatal and perinatal factors.
Question: Can it be cured?
No, not yet, but coping mechanisms can be learnt
Autism is usually characterized by delayed development of difficulties in the following areas:
- Social Communication
- Social Interaction
- Social Imagination
How does Autism Present Itself?
- Appear unresponsive
- Lack of eye contact
- Does not make friends with peers
- Unusual or repetitive language
- delayed or impoverished language development
- cannot initiate or sustain conversation
- does not play make-believe of pretend
- pre-occupation with narrow interests
- unusual or repetitive gestures or actions - stimming
- rigid routines
- fascination with object parts
At work
The Workplace
•The
workplace is stressful!
•It
is noisy!
•The
lights are flickering, or too bright from one side!
•Your
train of thought or work is interrupted!
What can be done to cater for Autistic people in the workplace?
•Make sure instructions are concise and specific. Try to give the person clear instructions right from the start about exactly how to carry out each task, from start to finish. Don’t assume the person will infer your meaning from informal directions. Provide instructions in writing, not just orally. It can be helpful to ask the person to repeat back instructions so you are sure they have understood.
•Create a work environment which is well-structured. Assist with prioritizing activities, organizing tasks into a timetable for daily, weekly, and monthly activities, and breaking larger tasks into small steps. Some employees will appreciate precise information about start and finish times, and help getting into a routine with breaks and lunches.
•Clarify expectations of the job. You may need to be more explicit about your expectations for a staff member with an ASD. In addition to the job description, you may need to explain the etiquette and unwritten rules of the workplace.
•Provide sensitive but direct feedback. Make sure it is honest, constructive, and consistent. If the person completes a task incorrectly, don’t allude to or imply any problems – instead, explain tactfully but clearly why it is wrong, check that they have understood, and set out exactly what they should do instead. Be aware that the person is likely to have been bullied in the past, so be sensitive in giving criticism and give positive feedback wherever appropriate.
•Regularly review performance. As with any employee, managers should have regular one-to-one meetings with the person to discuss and review performance and give overall comments and suggestions. When managing a person with an ASD, brief, frequent reviews may be better than longer sessions at less frequent intervals.
•Provide training and monitoring. When a person with an ASD starts a job or takes on new responsibilities, clear and structured training is invaluable. This can be provided informally on the job, by a manager, colleagues or a mentor, or may take the form of more formal training.
•Provide a mentor or buddy in the workplace – an empathetic colleague who is willing to provide support, advice, and assistance with integrating socially into the workplace.
•Offer reassurance in stressful situations. People with an ASD can be quite meticulous, and may become anxious if their performance is not perfect. Let them know you expect they will make mistakes and that it’s not a problem if they occasionally arrive late due to transport problems or other unpreventable factors.
•Appreciate the employee’s sensory sensitivities and allow her or him to make adjustments such as wearing earphones, changing the type of light bulb, or taking breaks from situations of high sensory input such as loud noises or strong odours.
•Be aware that eye contact can overload the employee’s sensory system and do not misinterpret a lack of eye contact as disrespect or inattention.
•Accommodate the employee’s need for predictability and routine. When possible, provide forewarning of any changes and allow the employee time to adjust and transition.
•Give clear and direct feedback to the employee if he or she behaves in ways that seem disrespectful or are inappropriate to the situation (such as interrupting others, publically “correcting” a manager, or making a distasteful joke).
The positive side!
Employing autistic people can bring an interesting and innovative perspective to the workplace because:
•They can be Focused on things that interest them
•They can by Consistent if they are in the right place
•They sometimes see the bigger picture.
•They look at issues differently
•Most are Visual thinkers
•Most become experts in their field.
Conclusion
Dr. Stephen Shore once said, “When you meet one person with Asperger Syndrome, you’ve met one person with Asperger Syndrome.”
There is more variability than similarity among people with ASDs.
Their difficulties emerge from a common cluster of traits, but the intensity of each trait lies along a continuum.
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