7 Mistakes HR Professionals Make When Accommodating Employees Living on the Autism Spectrum By Sarah Taylor

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1 7 Mistakes HR Professionals Make When Accommodating Employees Living on the Autism Spectrum By Sarah Taylor Sarah Taylor - Next Level ASD Consulting - 1

2 7 Mistakes HR Professionals Make When Accommodating Employees Living on the Autism Spectrum By Sarah Taylor Autism Spectrum Disorders are becoming more and more prevalent in our society. Studies indicate that in North America, the number of diagnosed cases of Autism grew dramatically in the 1990 s and early 2000 s. In fact, statistics from 2014 indicate that 1 in 68 people in North America were diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and in some parts of the US that rate is as high as 1 in 34. Although the media tends to focus on autism as a childhood disorder, the fact is, all children grow up. And contrary to the belief of many, an autism diagnosis does not come hand-in-hand with an intellectual disability. The reality is that more than 50% of people on the autism spectrum are of average or above average intelligence. Simply put, this means that almost all businesses in the country, whether knowingly or not, have at some point employed a person living on the spectrum. The problem is, most business owners, managers and human resource professionals are ill equipped to understand and accommodate the barriers common to those with social thinking differences. This article outlines some of the most common mistakes workplaces make in accommodating employees who live on the autism spectrum. Sarah Taylor - Next Level ASD Consulting - 2

3 1. Feeling There Is Nothing They Can Do If the Employee Has Not Disclosed a Disability Due to a fear of being stigmatized, unfairly treated, and ultimately dismissed from their employment, employees will often delay or avoid declaring that they live on the autism spectrum to their employers. However, the very nature of the disability makes it a challenge for many employees with autism to pass as neurotypical. Challenges with social insight, perspective taking, understanding sarcasm and even in making small talk with fellow employees will likely alert employers, managers and HR professionals to the fact that something may be different about the ASD employee; but they may also feel as though their hands are tied until there has been a disclosure of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. In order to decrease the stigma of disclosure within their organizations, employers can proactively educate staff, including managers and human resource departments, on Autism Spectrum Disorders, Asperger s Syndrome, and different patterns of thinking/learning styles that impact the workplace. Companies can also be proactive by developing comprehensive strategies that address management practices, the way the work is structured, how people communicate/interact with each other every day, and the necessary supports/resources available to employees. In addition, companies can promote the services that are in place to help employees who are living on the Spectrum. Sarah Taylor - Next Level ASD Consulting - 3

4 Giving employees information about the resources and services that are available increases the likelihood that the employee will acknowledge the issues and seek help. 2. Not Expecting Change from the Employee All people, whether or not they live on the autism spectrum, are capable of change. Many Managers and Human Resource Professionals fall into the mental trap of not expecting a change in the performance or skills of employees that have requested accommodations for conditions that are innate, chronic or ongoing such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger s Syndrome or Nonverbal Learning Disorder. What often follows, is a workplace culture where neurotypical employees are expected to simply tolerate inappropriate behaviour. Failing to address workplace conflict, performance issues or other barriers creates a dishonest culture that negates growth on the part of the Management and the Employee. This sort of behaviour often has the exact opposite effect than what well-meaning human resource staff intend. Joel Smith, who works as an IT supervisor for a government agency has been diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum. He says, I work best when people working for me will tell me in black and white terms what they need to do their job - I'll miss subtle hints, I'd prefer someone to just come out and say what they are looking for. Similarly with interpersonal issues or conflicts among subordinates - I need to know what is going on, and I might not "just pick up Sarah Taylor - Next Level ASD Consulting - 4

5 on it". I don't talk differently to upper management or subordinates - I don't "translate" between the languages. I suspect a lot of autistic bosses got where they were not through social networking but rather through ability. So don't feed them bull about their area of expertise. Because people on the Autism Spectrum are often concrete thinkers, who fail to understand subtleties, providing them with indirect feedback or no feedback regarding performance or failing to provide measurable indicators for improvement will often lead to feelings of insecurity and frustration. Being honest, providing direct feedback and expecting improvement are the most powerful tools in affecting lasting change. 2. Investing In High Cost Solutions That Yield Small Returns Rather Than Effective, Simple Solutions Because of a lack of information about how to make accommodations, many companies choose to let go of highly skilled staff who live on the autism spectrum rather than find solutions that allow for retaining talent and creating opportunities for stigmatized employees to stay employed. However, the cost of employee turnover is higher than you think. A recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) predicted that every time a business replaces a salaried employee, it costs 6 to 9 months salary on average. For an employee making $80,000 that s $40,000 to $60,000 in recruiting and training expenses. Sarah Taylor - Next Level ASD Consulting - 5

6 This is more expensive than the cost of educating all staff and the entire Human Resource team. As with most things, small tweaks can lead to big changes. 3. Thinking That the Employee Is Faking It or There Is Nothing Really Wrong With Him/Her or Expecting Rainman-Like Skills and Abilities Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition that affects how a person interacts with other people, experiences the world and processes information. The spectrum in ASD means that an affected person s difficulties can range from barely noticeable differences to severe limitations. In the workplace, the employee on the spectrum may be the one who arrives at work early, stays late every night and produces more than double the reports as any other member of the team. But the opposite could be true as well. He or she may be the employee who constantly struggles to meet deadlines, always is late for meetings but is completely capable of doing the job. Dr. Stephen Shore coined a phrase: If you ve met one person on the Autism Spectrum, you ve met one person on the Autism Spectrum. And just as we all have quirks and differences in how our struggles present in the world, so it is in the world of ASD. The workplace accommodation of people with an ASD depends on the individual and the degree of their abilities. Sarah Taylor - Next Level ASD Consulting - 6

7 5. Thinking the Employee Has an Attitude or Behaviour Problem The deficits common in people on the Autism Spectrum are usually related to communication rather than to attitude. Social communication problems can often be confused with attitude problems. For example, a person who doesn t understand gestures, sarcasm or contextual cues may seem standoffish because they never laugh at the jokes shared at the lunch table. Or that person may seem perpetually angry or arrogant, because they don t take the time to share in small talk before the meeting. Changes in the mode of communication, awareness and the social culture of a workplace can be enough to shift a high potential employee from struggling with job expectations, into the best possible position for success. 6. Thinking the Employee is not interested in Social Connection Many people who live on the Autism Spectrum prefer working on their own over working with a team. This is usually due to the struggle that many people with ASD have with reading social signals. For this reason, many find it less stressful complete work assignments on their own rather than to try to navigate the social implications involved in the dynamics of a team. Sarah Taylor - Next Level ASD Consulting - 7

8 Similarly, many employees on the autism spectrum may avoid company parties and large social gatherings. This may be due to the overwhelming sensory demands (e.g., all the noise, lights, and smells) or the social demands, or maybe a combination of both. However, these struggles do not translate into not being interested in social connection. All people need to feel connected, accepted and safe to function at their best. The reality is that both Neurotypicals and those on the Autism Spectrum are usually trying to do a good job, get along with each other, and communicate effectively. But, differences in expectations, communication style, and social behaviors can mean a lot of frustration on both ends, as well as less than optimal work from the team. The better each group understands the other, the more the workplace can benefit from the advantages of diversity. 7. Trying To Handle It on Your Own If you have smart, skilled employees who need to improve their communication skills or ability to manage their time and resources, coaching from a professional who is familiar with how to maximize the potential of employees who have Asperger s Syndrome or similar Autism Spectrum profiles gets results. Neuro-diversity in the workplace is an advantage to any team, but the autism spectrum brings strengths as well as difficulties. Work teams can benefit from the goal-directed focus, Sarah Taylor - Next Level ASD Consulting - 8

9 strong work ethic and loyalty, and straightforward approaches common to those on the spectrum. But the social differences may be difficult for Neurotypicals to deal with. There is help available. If your organization needs help supporting or making accommodations for employees who live on the autism spectrum, please click on the link for more information or phone Sarah Taylor is the Owner and Principle Consultant at Next Level ASD Consulting. She began her career in Autism Treatment in Sarah s many years of experience as a Psychometrist have developed her skills in assessment, consultation and advocacy for people who live on the Autism Spectrum. This wealth of knowledge provides a framework to help companies develop inclusive policies and procedures, provide sensitivity training and education about Autism Spectrum Disorders to employees and managers, and provide employment coaching to individuals with ASD, Asperger s Disorder and Nonverbal Learning Disorder. Sarah Taylor - Next Level ASD Consulting - 9