While perceived barriers have often stopped employers from hiring inclusively, evidence shows that these assumptions are often exaggerated or incorrect. In fact, employers who have hired Autistic individuals for roles they are well suited for have led to lower costs, increased productivity and reliability, and less errors. Further, companies have expressed that hiring autistic employees have led to innovation and creative solutions to problems and that they have noticed benefits to having a diverse mindset when creating or marketing products. This is likely because people with autism do not conform to social norms so may not experience typical cognitive bias’. Use this link to learn more about how hiring inclusively can help your business thrive.
What does this look like in the workplace?
Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that there is variation in the level of support someone may need; but they often have a core of shared traits. The level of support and the combination of traits varies tremendously from person to person. In fact, two people with the same diagnosis may have very different behaviours and skills. In addition, there are a number of other characteristics associated with autism. However, these characteristics do not have to be present for a diagnosis:
- odd responses to sensory input
- abnormalities in mood
- an uneven profile of skill development
- strong preference for routine
- unusual fears or anxieties