AN UNTYPICAL WORKFORCE

A different mind is a terrible thing to waste

An ideal employee might be described as having an extraordinary capacity to focus, with an excellent concentration span, a remarkable eye for detail, and a gift for tasks that require precision.

These are all gifts that an individual with autism might possess, and as such they could represent a great, untapped potential resource for business. As many people are wary of telling their employer about a diagnosis, and in women especially it is very underdiagnosed, it’s likely that part of your workforce may already contain an element of autism.

If this is the case, what would happen if you actively sought out these skills and employed people who are autistic (with ASD as it’s known), and might your business prove more productive? There aren’t any solid figures to tell us how many people in the UK have autism, however it would be reasonable to assume it would be comparable with a country with a similar culture and standard of living, like the USA. If that is the case, as many as 1 in 68 people may have ASD.

Symptoms can vary wildly; people with ASD can be nonverbal and unable to communicate or live independently, or have symptoms that are barely noticeable – and everything in between. Autism and Asperger’s (a high functioning form of autism which is included in ASD) is a vast spectrum; although 48% of those with autism will have learning disabilities, people with Asperger’s do not, they are of average or above average intelligence.

In addition to this, ASD seems to effect males and females differently. There are far more males diagnosed (five times more), but it is likely that this is to do with diagnosis criteria, and what traits doctors are on the lookout for. Given that symptoms vary wildly for different individuals we know that employment won’t be suitable for everyone. Many do want to work, however only 16% of those diagnosed have a full-time job, and another 16% are in part-time work. One of the best ways to improve these figures is to demonstrate how employers can benefit their business and staff, by hiring from the autistic pool.

Businesses can benefit in some unexpected areas. People with ASD have a different way of looking at things and may have the ability to spot problems before they become an issue. They can thrive in jobs that require a strong attention to detail and extreme focus for long periods of time.

Employers have also reported individuals with ASD can spot solutions that have been missed by other team members. Although staff with a different way of looking at things and strong work ethic are clear advantages for a company, businesses are discovering more unexpected benefits as well.

Microsoft has started a program to actively encourage more people with ASD into the workplace. They found that having these different perspectives helped them create products that worked for people with ASD, as well as the general population. As so many people have ASD, this is a large number of potential consumers to target. It’s very likely that creating autism-friendly products will enable businesses to increase their sales and market share.

Microsoft and other employers have reported a third benefit – clarity of communication. People with ASD need clear instructions and clearly defined job roles, which means that businesses focused on employing them have had to train their non-ASD staff differently.

Managers have had training on how to communicate clearly. They are also working with all their staff to see what their learning style is – do they learn better when watching, listening or doing? Managers are asking for feedback on their management style and how staff are doing.

One employer who responded to a 2016 study by the National Autistic Society said; “Besides the more accepted advantages of people who think and look at the world differently, there are benefits to us being more tolerant of disabilities and differences which might be invisible or ambiguous. For example, managers being more explicit about tasks, direction, challenging judgements and prejudice and generally being more openminded.”

Hiring those with autism has resulted in a more engaged workforce with a better understanding of their jobs and what is expected of them.

What can employers do? In a 2008 message from adults with autism called ‘I Exist’, they suggested steps employers could take to be more inclusive; including understanding their needs, meeting their needs and leading the way by accepting and recruiting those with ASD. As a starting point, employers might want to make sure that job descriptions match the job being offered. If a role has minimal communication required, is it necessary to include ‘excellent inter-personal skills’ as a personal requirement? Could interviews be made a more practical experience where candidates can show you what they can do? Even small steps like communicating your business is an ASD positive employer, and encouraging people to disclose a diagnosis, can make a big difference.

Another way to encourage people with ASD into the workplace is to offer trials, this helps the person, who may struggle with social and one on one situations, show you their capabilities.

Lastly, if you are an ASD positive employer, and you have disclosures, you can make changes to make sure your new employee is happy and stays on. Making sure they have clear instructions and ask how they learn best. Even allowing them headphones to keep out noises can make a huge difference, especially in an open plan office!

Many businesses want their employees to work more efficiently; clarity of communication up and down the management chain, tolerance toward others, gaining new perspectives and a focused team are the stuff profits are made of, to say nothing of the benefits in having a happy workforce. To think that this may be achieved by increasing the neurodiversity of your staff is something that many haven’t thought of. Perhaps it’s time to start.