HR Management & Compliance

Do You Include Autism in Your Diversity Training?

Patty Pacelli, author of the book, Six Word Lessons for Autism Friendly Workplaces, gives us her expert insight into the employer benefits from becoming an autism-friendly workplace. Her book addresses issues including disability laws, reasonable accommodations, unwritten social expectations, and the best and worst jobs for people on the autism spectrum.

Pacelli says that with practical knowledge and understanding, it is possible to create a work environment where companies as well as workers with autism thrive together, and workers can seamlessly fit into a productive workplace.

The following Q&A addresses several aspects of working with autistic individuals.

Q: Why should an employer become an autism-friendly workplace?

A: If businesses are autism-friendly in their work environments and policies, they will have better access to the sometimes extraordinary, specialized skills and strengths that only people with autism can provide. Companies will be viewed more favorably if they offer working conditions for all employees, with or without disabilities. An autism- friendly workplace will demonstrate to the community how different types of personalities and skills can work together to lead to better business and productivity.


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Q: What are the strengths workers with autism can offer an employer, and how can an employer best capitalize on them?

A: Their strong, intense interests will make them the most successful, loyal employees, because they are very passionate about their interests and will be some of the most productive people you would ever want to have working for you. Because they actually take comfort in routine, they will be the most reliable employees, and they are very conscious of time and following rules, so they will never be late or forget regularly scheduled duties.

Q: What industries should actively seek people with autism, and what is the best way for them to go about this?

A: Industries that involve technical, detailed work, such as data entry, and anything that requires looking for errors or abnormalities in data are good fits. Jobs that require repetition and memory can be easier for people with autism than for others, which could benefit many different industries. Again, because they take comfort in routine and repetition, they enjoy and do well at jobs others might find tedious or boring.

One way to actively seek people with autism is to connect with colleges and university autism and disability programs or centers, including community colleges and trade schools. Our son was involved with an excellent example, Bellevue College Autism Spectrum Navigators in Bellevue, Washington.

Also, private agencies and “school-to-work” transition programs connect employees with autism to appropriate companies and industries.

Q: How can Human Resources make the hiring process easier?

A: Human Resources can instruct interviewers to give autistic applicants options for showing their skills, such as a practice activity or test, rather than expecting them only to verbally describe their qualifications.

Q: What company cultures are best for people with autism?

A: Company cultures with flexibility in workstations, noise levels, lighting, and worker locations are best for people with autism. Allowing a variety of working methods is helpful, with an open and accepting attitude toward working in a different manner from the methods of coworkers, and an atmosphere of freedom to ask questions and request different ways of doing things. Being able to have a structure and schedule that is not frequently changed or interrupted is also helpful, with plenty of visual or written instructions, as well as expectations they can refer to.

Q: Should people with autism self-identify before an interview?

A: In most cases, they should not self-identify, but if they feel they are doing unusually poorly in an interview and can’t avoid identifying their autism, it can sometimes be a help.


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Patty Pacelli is an editor, author, entrepreneur, wife, and mother of two adult children, one with an autism spectrum disorder. She promotes autism awareness by serving on the board of directors of the Seattle Children’s Autism Guild. For more information, go to http://www.autismfriendlyworkplace.com.

Elaine Quayle is an editor and has over 30 years’ experience in publishing, including positions with the New York Times Magazine Group and publishers of scholarly texts and banking publications. She has been at BLR since 1994 and works on a variety of products, including newsletters, book supplements, special reports, and articles for HR.BLR.com.

In tomorrow’s Advisor, we’ll learn more from Pacelli about integrating autistic employees into the workforce, plus we’ll showcase a dynamic, easy-to-use resource that helps you train on dozens of key HR topics in only 10 minutes.

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