STEAM
A 2016 survey carried out by The National Autistic Society revealed that just 16% of autistic adults are in full-time paid work. Another 48 % of the survey respondents had experienced workplace bullying or harassment of some type in their lives.
​
“Sadly, it is not uncommon for bullying to take place, this often happens when people aren’t aware or don’t even try to understand how autism affects an individual’s behaviour,” says Adult Autism Support manager at Resources to Autism, Charlotte Laithon.
​
“They do behave differently, but that does not warrant abuse.”
​
Autism is a lifelong mental condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate with others and experience the world around them.
Most autistic people have a literal understanding of language, and they struggle to understand facial expressions, voice tones, sarcasm and jokes. They may even express very limited or no speech, preferring to use alternative forms of communication, such as visual symbols.
​
It is classified as a spectrum condition, meaning that there are shared difficulties amongst those with the condition, however individuals will also be affected in different ways. For example, they may also have additional learning disabilities or mental health issues.
Job Hunting With Autism
Unemployment is a worry facing many people, even those with a first-class Honours, Masters or King of the World degree. If it’s hard for them, have you ever considered what it’s like for those with mental disabilities, in particularly those with autism?
By Annabel Wigginton
The 2010 Equality Act states that by law employers are required to make “reasonable adjustments” to elements of the workplace so that a disabled person isn’t facing any disadvantages in comparison to non-disabled people. But of the estimated 700,00 people with autism in the UK, only 32% of adults are in some kind of paid work, whether it be part time or voluntary.
​
And according to the survey, 77% of those who are unemployed want to work – but cannot find jobs.
​
“Employees need to be more aware of the potential benefits of employing someone on the Autistic spectrum. They are often very reliable and honest by nature and can bring new ways of thinking, which can be an advantageous,” Laithorn says.
​
The survey also found that 60% of employers say they would worry about wrongly supporting an autistic employee, with the same percentage saying they wouldn’t know where to get advice on how to support them.
​
Integrating into the workplace isn’t always easy, for both employees and employers. Kim Bindon, manager at Camphill, a residential care home in Devon for people with learning disabilities, says autisitic individuals need to find an environment where they feel safe, first and foremost.
​
“The employee then needs to provide adequate support structures for the individual, and also provide guidance to work colleagues, for it to be a successful partnership,” she says.
​
“In some cases, there would need to be more than just ‘reasonable adjustments’ made and unfortunately, in today’s market, they may be hard to resource or simply not be feasible.”
​
Looking at the bigger picture, 80% of non-disabled people are in work, in comparison to the 47% of disabled people in work.
​
The Government wishes to half this disability employment gap, which would mean that 64% of disabled people would then be in work. They have pledged to meet this figure by 2020.
​
“Employers need to better tailor the application process, as certain elements of job requirements, for example stating a need for ‘excellent communication’, which may not necessarily be vital, will immediately put off many people with Autism,” says Laithorn.
​
“They would feel there was no chance of them getting that job when they could actually have a lot to bring to the table.”
​
Autism is a part of everyday life for around 2.8 million people – if you include families affected by the condition - and so improving employment issues would subsequently have a positive impact on a large number of people.
Sadly, the statistic of just 16% of autistic adults being in full time paid work has remained static for over 10 years.
For more information and support on matters relating to autism:
https://resourcesforautism.org.uk/
​
