The employment statistics (or lack thereof) for British Columbia’s autistic population makes for depressing reading. A recent study found that almost 80% of the province’s 50,000 adults diagnosed with ASD were either unemployed or underemployed, where they are in jobs where their unique skills and talents are underused and underpaid. There are many possible reasons for this, from a society-wide misunderstanding about what autism is (and what it isn’t) to the way that modern hiring practices are heavily biased towards neurotypical applicants. However, with some planning, it’s easy to help adults with autism get into and stay in the workplace.
Before The Job Begins
Once the job has been secured, there’s plenty to do to help a new autistic worker to get set up even before they set foot through the door on their first day:
- Practice the commute – it sounds strange, but there can be a lot of anxiety about the simple process of just getting up, out of the house and to work on time. Spending time with the autistic individual on rehearsal runs before the job starts will help to build new routines and reduce stress about their first day.
- Discuss accommodations – even if they chose not to disclose their condition during the hiring process, the new autistic hire will need to sit down with their new supervisor to talk about possible accommodations that they will need to succeed. These could be legally stipulated through a 504 plan, or just suggestions, such as reduced overhead lighting and meeting agendas ahead of time, to make their work day as manageable as possible.
- Staff training – helping adults with autism in the workplace is more than just working with that individual. The mindset change that is required from every member of your existing team is so large that you will want to engage with a neurodiverse and ASD employment expert to provide staff training. At minimum, this should cover what autism is (and what it isn’t) and what they should expect from their new colleague. It should also cover ways to change their language and working habits to become more inclusive.
During Onboarding
Onboarding refers to the first days and weeks of a new hire, and represents the time when all the minor kinks get worked out. Good support strategies during this time include:
- Appoint a mentor – mentoring a new autistic employee is one of the best personnel decisions you’ll make. It should be someone with the skills and interests to advocate for your new hire, as well as to provide them with an informal channel to ask questions and work out how to navigate the workplace.
- Regular feedback – autistic individuals need regular, positive feedback to be at their best in the workplace. They can struggle to understand some social cues, and while neurotypical employees understand the nuance of “no news is good news” when it comes to work, your autistic hire needs to hear words of encouragement as well as any corrective feedback that their supervisors may have.
- 360 reviews – finally, you should be planning weekly review meetings for the first couple of months with everyone around the new hire; their supervisor, colleagues and personnel from your autism talent management agencies, as well as the employee themselves. These meetings will help to catch any immediate problems as well as setting the stage for the more formal review process.
Post Hiring Support
Once the onboarding process has been completed, your new autistic hire should be settled into their new routine, and you’ll start reaping the benefits of neurodiversity in your workplace. Some simple post hiring support practices include:
- Ongoing staff training – as your staff get used to their new colleague, they will inevitably have more questions about autism. Organizing staff training through your autism talent management agency is a great way for everyone to learn more.
- Regular check-ins – just because things are going smoothly, you shouldn’t give up on the regular meetings. As your new hire becomes more comfortable with the people around them, they will feel more at ease asking for different accommodations or challenging themselves to integrate further into the neurotypical working lifestyle.
- External support – finally, you should always have the contact details of your autism talent management agency on hand. They will always be willing to provide any post-hiring support necessary, from simple advice about how to handle difficult situations to ways to help the autistic worker to think about the next steps in their career. With everyone working together, the autism employment support numbers will quickly improve.
