Sensory
Realizing the Benefits of Autistic
Inclusion
in the Workplace
By Steve Andrews
Founder & CEO
of Platinum Bay Technologies
Autistic people tend to have a heightened sen-
sitivity to environmental stimuli, including
sensitivity to light, sound, motion and scent. I
personally wear sunglasses even on cloudy days
when I’m in Seattle, and a lot of visual motion
can induce a seasick-like effect for me. Also, my
ears don’t filter sound, and competing noises can
be quite overwhelming to the point of meltdown.
For others, perfumes or other scents can literally
make them sick.
Social
Autistic people tend to struggle more than the
neurotypical population with social dynamics.
Quite often, the social stigmas of a “culture fit”
during a hiring process are enough to exclude
Autistics from the workforce. In addition, typi-
cal inter-office interaction can be draining and
overwhelming to the already sensitive Autistic
nervous system. An Autistic person can typically
only handle so much “input.” The casual social
interactions that most people engage in at work
can often feel like additional information that the
Autistic person is tasked with processing, which
feels overwhelming. This can get in the way of
that Autistic person performing well in their
actual work.
Political
I
f you were to ask the parents of an Autistic young adult what their number
one concern for their child’s future was, what would they say? “Will they
graduate high school? Will they get a job? Will they be able to support them-
selves? Will they be able to live rich and fulfilling lives?” The list of concerns
and questions goes on and on.
They are often right to be concerned. Recent statistics suggest that there are
millions of unemployed or underemployed Autistic individuals (70-90% by
some estimates), yet these individuals tend to have wonderful skills, talents
and gifts that we need in our workplaces, including different perspectives that
bring innovation, attention to detail, focus, honesty and loyalty. Hiring Autis-
tic people should not be viewed as a charity or feel-good effort. In fact, there
are numerous business benefits that can positively affect a company’s bottom
line. To realize these benefits, we must first understand the unique challenges
Autistic people face in the workplace.
I was largely clueless to office politics during my
career. I would tell the Senior Vice President that
he was wrong, assuming my honesty would be
appreciated. From my perspective, I was being
informative in the spirit of meritocracy and con-
tinuous improvement. I didn’t realize that there
is an unwritten hierarchy around communica-
tion in the workplace with rules that everyone
else intuitively understands and follows. Autistic
people tend to be honest and direct. Quite frank-
ly, this should be viewed as a strength.
Executive Function
Executive Function challenges, including time
management, organizational skills, prioritiza-
tion, and handling ambiguity can be difficult for
Autistic people, especially if they haven’t been
exposed to those skills or learned how to navi-
gate them.
Challenges in the Workplace
It’s not laziness that keeps Autistic people out of the workp lace. In fact, when
Autistic people find their passions and purpose, lazy is the last descriptor
anyone would use for them. Rather, it is the dynamics of the traditional work-
place that often present tremendous barriers to employment. Here is a break-
down of some of the unique challenges Autistic people face in the workplace.
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ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
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