The Brain Charity

This review proposed that increasing employer knowledge and understanding of autism in the workplace will positively change the employment landscape for autistic adults.

Wen, B., van Rensburg, H., O’Neill, S., & Attwood, T. (2023). Autism and neurodiversity in the workplace: A scoping review of key trends, employer roles, interventions and supports.

Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 60(1), 121-140. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-230060

Key findings

• The review highlighted the low recruitment and retention of autistic adults in the workplace.
• It described a poor understanding of what resources employers need to support the development of a neurodiverse and inclusive workplace.
• It suggested that increased employer knowledge and education about autism is key to recognizing the strengths autistic adults bring to the workplace.

Overview

In this review paper Wen and his colleagues highlighted that autistic adults, compared with non-autistic adults, have difficulty securing and maintaining employment.

It outlined links between unemployment and reduced income and poor mental health and well-being. The review considered employer attitudes regarding the employment of autistic adults from 55 studies published between 2009 and 2022 in
North American, northern Europe and Australia.

It utilised studies to highlight negative workplace attitudes towards autistic adults and to underline the need to educate
employers to understand the strengths of autistic employees.

It outlined the benefits for a cultural shift towards a diverse and inclusive workplace environment. And it drew on employers’ perspectives to understand what support is needed to foster employment opportunities for autistic adults and to secure longevity in the workplace.

Strengths and challenges

The review summarised employer views and attitudes that can create barriers to employment for autistic adults. These included an underestimation of individuals’ abilities, alongside an overestimation of the challenges autistic adults experience in the workplace.

In addition, it pointed to views that autistic adults would increase costs for the organisation. The review argued that there needs to be a significant shift from the current focus on a deficit-based framework of autistic adults in the workplace to one that identifies an individual’s strengths.

While outlining challenges for securing employment for autistic adults in the workplace, the review identified several factors
associated that can have a positive impact, including previous employer experience of working with and line managing autistic individuals.

It also noted that larger companies were more open to employing autistic adults.

Creating positive workplace environments

The review outlined a poor understanding of effective workplace practices for autistic adults and specifically what organisations and employers can do to learn from each other about what it really means to develop a successively inclusive workplace.

It recommended several initiatives targeted at management and recruitment teams to promote employment opportunities and job satisfaction for autistic adults.

It suggested that employers were key to providing guidance and resources to address negative workplace attitudes and stigma and to educate colleagues about autism and autistic adults in the workplace.

In addition, the review argued for encouraging transparency and openness about neurodiversity in job applications, as well as promoting open discussions related to accommodations (performance enablers) that would support autistic adults in work.

The review also highlighted that recruitment teams can play an important role in making sure there is a good fit between job roles and applicants, and to provide support and mentoring of autistic adults to increase happiness in work and ultimately reduce turnover.