Creating An Autistic Friendly Work Environment

Currently in the UK, there are more than 700,00 people that have been diagnosed with autism, however, only 15% of them are employed full-time. Therefore, it's often the case that many employers have little to no experience of working with autistic team members and in order to combat this issue, we’ve created a list comprising of 10 ways employers can create an autistic friendly-work environment:

1. Workplace - As autistic people are very sensitive to sensory overload, it helps to reduce input wherever possible. By providing blinds, not using bright neon lights and keeping background noises to a minimal will help them complete their work tasks with minimal interruption. 
2. Meetings - Autistic people are very keen on having a plan laid out ahead for the tasks required of them. So agreeing on appointments in advance, offering an outline of meeting topics will help them feel prepared and minimise anxiety.
3. Consistency - Being consistent with meeting plans, work routines and office changes will be greatly appreciated by autistic employees. Also announcing these changes well in advance will also help them to be less stressed about the impact they will have.
4. Social Rules - Autistic people struggle to pick up and act on social norms that are second nature to people without autism. Letting them know of any specific social rules within the company culture such as first name or last name addressing and an open-door policy will help them settle into their role easier.
5. Structure - Allowing autistic people to access one continuous contact person allows them to maintain a healthy and open relationship with their point of contact, this can help them stick to targets and understand what's expected of them.
6. Communication - Managers need to communicate tasks as concisely as possible, avoid ambiguity and details when explaining new assignments. Regularly doing so prevents an information overload from happening which can hinder their progress.
7. Assumptions - It's important that colleagues and managers make an effort to get to know autistic people and their unique traits. It’s easy for people to assume that autistic people aren’t interested in socialising with the rest of the team when in fact they most likely need their own time to recharge in isolation.
8. Interruptions - In order to get the most productivity out of autistic employees it's important to avoid unnecessary interruptions as it might take longer than usual to regain focus on their work.
9. Feedback - Due to their difficulty of interpreting facial expressions and non-verbal cues, autistic people will really appreciate clear verbal or written feedback on their progress and work efforts.
10. Criticism - Sometimes autistic employees might be very straightforward in pointing out criticism and might care more about the task at hand than social obligations. Therefore, it’s worth remembering that they are making an effort to help and don’t mean to cause offence.

This list not only shows employers how to create an autistic friendly-work environment, it’s also a list outlining best practice as a people leader in any environment regardless of disability or neurodiversity. 

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