This interview first appeared on HR.BLR.com and was conducted by BLR editor Elaine Quayle.
Q: What are some best practices to help workers with autism learn job-related tasks and assimilate into the workplace?
A: Give them a little extra time to get used to their new routine and environment and give them a lot of instruction on what to expect, in writing that they can refer back to. Assign someone they can ask questions of and encourage them to ask when needed. Let others know to be direct with instructions and phrase them in positive, specific language, such as “Start working at 9:00,” rather than “Don’t be late.” Allow them a routine and structure and try to train within those.
Q: What are facility-related accommodations employers can make for workers with autism?
A: It is best to have workstations that are quiet and located away from break areas, options for dimmer lighting, and a place to get away for short breaks and be alone and quiet.
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Q: What skill sets or personality traits make for the best managers for workers with autism? How can supervisors be trained to manage these workers successfully?
A: Those who are calm, understanding and patient, and organized and who have good verbal and written skills make the best managers, as well as people who don’t “fly by the seat of their pants,” interrupt, yell, or “spring things” on workers. Managers should be good planners and anticipate possible scenarios, keeping all employees, especially those with autism, informed about future deadlines or events. Managers should be given knowledge of common traits, strengths, and weaknesses of workers on the autism spectrum so they will know what to expect during hiring, training, and integrating these workers into the workplace.
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. She wrote Six Word Lessonsfor Autism Friendly Workplaces to help adults with autism, like her son Trevor, achieve their career dreams and contribute their exceptional talents to the workforce. 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. A graduate of Cedar Crest College, Elaine also attended the Fairfield University Graduate School of Communications and holds a Human Resources Certificate from Gateway Community College.
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Out-of-the-Box Supervisor Training
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As its name implies, this product trains managers and supervisors in critical HR skills in as little as 10 minutes for each topic. 10-Minute HR Trainer offers these features:
Trains in 50 key HR topics, including manager and supervisor responsibilities, under all major employment laws and how to legally carry out managerial actions from hiring to termination. (See a complete list of topics below.)
Uses the same teaching sequence master teachers use. Every training unit includes an overview, bullet points on key lessons, a quiz, and a handout to reinforce the lesson later.
Completely prewritten and self-contained. Each unit comes as a set of reproducible documents. Just make copies or turn them into overheads and you’re done. (Take a look at a sample lesson below.)
Updated continually. As laws change, your training must as well. 10-Minute HR Trainer provides new lessons and updated information every 90 days, along with a monthly Training Forum newsletter, for as long as you are in the program.
Works fast. Each session is so focused that there’s not a second’s waste of time. Your managers are in and out almost before they can look at the clock, yet they remember small details even months later.
Evaluate It at No Cost for 30 Days
We’ve arranged to make 10-Minute HR Trainer available to our readers for a 30-day, in-office, no-cost trial. Review it at your own pace and try some lessons with your colleagues. If it’s not for you, return it at our expense. Click here and we’ll set you up with our 10-Minute HR Trainer.
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