Often in the workplace we give quick, verbal information to each other either face to face, or by telephone or sometimes even by using gestures. Autistic people may find it difficult to process information this way due to a number of factors such as obtrusive noise, a processing delay, not picking up on non-verbal gestures and hints, or if they are experiencing anxiety.
We have found that a common, preferred way of receiving communication is in writing. This gives the autistic person longer to process the information, and it can be referred back to and easily clarified when needed. Whatever your employee’s preferred method of communication, your communication will be better understood when it is clear, explicit and direct – using non-emotive language and bullet points, tables, or lists, to separate information and so thereby making it easier to read.
Many autistic people are visual thinkers and have difficulty in intuitively planning and organising. The provision of visual materials, both hard copy and electronic, can be really useful in helping your employee to remain on track and meet deadlines whilst at work. Whiteboards, checklists, calendars, timetabling, using planners, and project management tools could really make a difference. There are also now some excellent assistive technology resources that are available, such as the “brain in hand” application that can also be used with smartphones in the workplace.
From knowing what is suitable to wear, understanding that we should offer our colleagues a hot drink when we are making one for ourselves or that it’s expected that we contribute to collections for birthday gifts and special occasions – the unwritten rules of the workplace are not always easily understood, or sometimes even known to exist, by autistic people.
The unwritten rules can be just as important as the written policies and procedures that we agree to when we start work for an employer, and are vital in helping to build good working relationships with our colleagues and to feel like we fit in as part of a team. Try writing down your workplace’s unwritten rules for your employee – this will provide guidance and reduce potential misunderstandings.
Many workplaces are sources of sensory input that we may not notice on a day to day basis, such as strip lighting and glare from the windscreens of passing traffic, the noise of air conditioning machines, phones or printers, smells from people’s lunches or deodorants or changes in air temperature. We may also feel comfortable in workspaces where we have personal effects displayed or if the walls are painted with bright colours.
Autistic people may struggle with any or all of these inputs and are can be much more aware of even fairly low levels of inputs. By changing the location of your employee’s work space for example, or providing noise-cancelling headphones or even by considering some home working time, the resulting sensory overload and anxiety can be greatly minimised and your employee’s productivity increased.
Similarly, your workplace may have a culture where small talk and banter are central to building good working relationships and enjoying the time that your employees spend at work. For an Autistic employee, small talk and banter can be confusing and sometimes intimidating and they can end up feeling isolated whilst at work if there is a heavy reliance on social communication. You could consider limiting banter and small talk in work, but allocate a buddy for your employee to spend some time with at breaks, lunchtimes and at work social events.
Your employee may be good at organising social events, facilities or providing information about social event opportunities. Your employee could be included as part of the team by being responsible for sharing information and planning tasks around social occasions. You could also consider setting up workplace clubs to take place during lunch times, based around activities such as chess, or film for example, to provide a way for the employee to socialise in a structured way and find other employees with similar interests.
Organisations, such as the National Autistic Society, have many free and downloadable resources available to help employers to support and manage their Autistic employees. Similarly, there is helpful information available to Autistic people, including signposting to other specialist agencies to help with all aspects of living and working with Autism.
The governments Access to Work scheme has been set up to consider funding applications for many different types of reasonable adjustments in the workplace including assistive resources, support workers, training and workplace assessments. Find out what is available both within your organisation, and also externally to help you support your employee in the workplace. We always recommend that a full workplace assessment is carried out to advise specifically what can be done to support your employee, as well as providing recommendations for reasonable adjustments in the workplace. Training for colleagues, managers and your autistic employee can also be very effective.
To find out more about these services you can contact The National Autistic Society at [email protected]