The critical thing to remember is that everyone with Autism Spectrum Disorder is different.

“No two autistic individuals are alike; the key adage goes that if you have managed one autistic individual employee, you have managed one autistic employee.”

The core elements of supporting individuals with ASD in the workplace is generally good employment practice. Firstly, one needs to get to understand the individual. Secondly, it is important to focus on the employee and develop him or her on key job duties. Thirdly, it is critical that a supportive and friendly work environment is established (this may include training on disability for staff). Fourthly, ensure that the organisation’s support structures are activated so that the individual has the necessary support. Fifthly, provide accurate and clear directions and give constructive feedback on performance.

Specifically, it is essential to provide unambiguous instructions, breaking processes down stage by stage and providing constructive feedback and clearly setting out where the employee has gone wrong. Written guides or pictures can often help.

As individuals with autism find it difficult to deal with change, it is helpful to inform the employee with autism of the change in advance. Additionally, it is advisable to make incremental change rather than radical changes to the employee’s work schedule or environment.

The culture of the workplace should be explained clearly; and literal, language should be used. One should not expect the individual with ASD to make inferences and interpret subtleties quickly. It helps if the manager clearly articulates the intention behind actions and the perspectives of others.

The autistic employee should be made aware of the culture of the organisation and how it applies to them.

As people with autism are often sensitive to distractions, it is essential to provide a distraction-free work environment. Please bear in mind that people with ASD can often be sensitive to smell, sound and light. One should remember that additional rest breaks may be necessary.

Work with the autistic employee to find out where their skill set is. Some professionals with ASD that our expert psychologists have assessed prefer to leave presentations, and interpersonal negotiations to other staff in their team whilst they focus on the technical aspects. Some people with ASD that our psychologists have assessed prefer to work independently or remotely, and if this can be accommodated for it often brings huge benefits in terms of output and creativity for the employer.