7 Strengths Autistic People Bring To The Workplace
According to the latest research carried out in the UK by the Office of National Statistics, only 22% of autistic people are in any kind of employment, even though many report wanting to be. Given that the employment rate is 80% among non-disabled adults and 54% for all disabled adults, the autism employment gap is particularly troubling. If autistic professionals are up to 140% more productive than an average employee when properly matched to a job that fits their skills, why is the employment rate so low?
Every autistic individual is different, as well as their specific working environment, so it would be impossible to cover all the reasons why autistic people struggle with either finding work or staying in work. That being said, in my opinion, one of the fundamental and common reasons for the shocking autism employment gap statistic - asides from the lack of autism education - is the lack of an empowering autism narrative that focuses on autistic people's strengths. This is particularly the case at work which can serve to really hinder autistic employees’ full potential.
The Harvard Business Review published an article in December 2021 entitled “Autism Doesn’t Hold People Back at Work. Discrimination Does.” There is one sentence that particularly struck me: “when we assimilate into systems that discriminate against us, we may unwittingly perpetuate discrimination”. This is food for thought because by feeling like we have to assimilate into a neurotypical workplace by trying to fit in and “mask”, this is actually strengthening the idea that autism is a deficit rather than a strength. And this happens all the time.
This is why an empowering autism narrative is vital: because autistic people often feel like they are made to feel “less than” their neurotypical colleagues. And by empowerment, I don’t mean showcasing how autistic strengths are “superpowers” to employers. It’s not about making the case that our skills excel by comparison to others’. Rather, it’s about empowering autistic people to realise that their different way of thinking is just as beneficial as neurotypical colleagues. As for employers, why wouldn’t they want to embrace both perspectives?
Like a yin-yang effect, neurotypical and autistic co-workers bring different strengths to the table that can harmoniously complement each other, despite their differences. Neither is “better” than the other, but what they both bring to the table is invaluable. By valuing both neurotypical and neurodiverse perspectives, rather than pitching one against the other, that’s when autistic people can create the most value to their teams. As we move into 2022, this is what we need to be thinking about and focusing on.
To get there, we need to start by focusing on how the autistic perspective is just as beneficial, to empower autistic people and inform employers. Here are seven key strengths autistic people bring to work based on the findings from this research study, which involved asking 66 autistic people to complete an online questionnaire about employment-related strengths that they had experienced.
Autistic people typically have an excellent attention to detail
While theoretically, neurotypical people can be more adept at multitasking, autistic people prefer to focus their attention on one thing at a time, and in detail. As someone on this thread on Quora put it: “If most people’s attention is like a floodlight, then for people on the autism spectrum it’s like a spotlight”. This is especially the case if the task at hand involves something to do with their “special interests” - particular topics that incite a passionate and intense level of focus for autistic people.
In the research study previously mentioned, one participant (a sewing machinist) commented: “Because of my very strong focus on small details, I am able to provide a consistently high standard of work for my clients.” Another participant, a former editor, noticed small errors in their colleague’s work. Their attention to detail enabled them to spot errors that others may have missed. As a result, this collaboration between neurotypical employees and autistic employees can be seen as mutually beneficial as they can help each other out.
Autistic people are creative and innovative
In the past, research into autism has focused on savant abilities such as the ability to perform rapid mental mathematical calculations, or draw detailed scenes from memory. But autistic people have more to offer than skills associated with left brain thinking: the ability to be creative. There are numerous autistic actors, artists, musicians, poets and writers. And creativity is more than just being good at the arts, it’s about brainstorming when it comes to problem solving or an ability to see patterns that other people can’t.
“Autistic people are famous for thinking outside the box. When it comes to solving conflicts, this enables us to come up with often unconventional ideas.” - Childcare worker
One prominent example is Temple Grandin. She’s an American scientist, animal behaviorist and autism advocate. She revolutionised the livestock industry by developing stress-free facility designs for cattle and keeping them calm through every phase of their lives. Her ability to think outside the box, and empathy for animals enabled her to develop systems that led to cattle being treated humanely and increased profits at the same time. This ability to be creative is an asset to any organisation.
Autistic people can hyperfocus on specific tasks or topics
Research shows that autistic people have a stronger aptitude for focusing on tasks. Autistic people tend to enjoy spending time concentrating for extended periods of time on activities that appeal to them, such as indulging in their “special interests” - ranging anywhere from trainspotting to being crafty. The benefit of this intense focus means that autistic people can channel this into difficult tasks such as work, especially tasks their colleagues tend to enjoy less.
“Hyperfocus often helps, once I’ve got interested in a topic or task. This works well for research, when I can happily read or think about a topic for hours, days. I definitely experience flow states when thinking like this more than my non-autistic colleagues.” - Researcher
Autistic people have a strong sense of fairness and social justice
Perhaps one of the least known qualities about being autistic is that most autistic people have a clear moral code. Many of us can’t or find it difficult to lie (unless it’s a white lie). It’s important for many autistic people to stay loyal to friends, family and community. We find the concept of taking advantage of other people for our own personal gain very difficult. Obviously, I can’t speak for all autistic people and their circumstances, but the concept of knowing right from wrong very much seems to be a part of the autistic experience.
At work, this can be seen as a strength because we are less likely to take part in gossiping or bullying other colleagues. We don’t understand the need to resort to that kind of behaviour because we know how damaging it is. If something seriously wrong is going on, we can be the ones to speak up about it. Or if we are asked to cover up something, we tend to refuse. We tend to have a black and white thinking, and are less likely to see gray (and nuances) which can help us to see right from wrong.
“I have a strong sense of right and wrong, and if I am asked to cover up something untoward I refuse.” - Police officer
Autistic people have an ability to draw on personal experiences to help people
Almost every autistic person deals with some kind of challenge, personal or professional, and as a result this can mean that they use their personal experiences to be able to help others. This could be anything from understanding how difficult it is to be discriminated against, even if they may not relate to that particular type of discrimination itself, to empathising more with someone because their personal experiences lend themselves to being able to put themselves in the other person’s shoes.
Autistic people understand the fundamental desire every person has to be accepted and included. For instance, one participant in the research study who is a teacher working with Deaf students explained how being autistic helped them to engage with their students: “I am good at bridging the gap between Deaf and hearing communities– I understand both and can effectively mediate and adjust language use as autistic and Deaf mindsets/culture are both very literal.”
Autistic people may enjoy tasks that their neurotypical colleagues may prefer not to
And there’s a heavy emphasis on may, because it goes without saying that it’s essential to match autistic people up with tasks that they actually enjoy. This can vary from person to person, but typically autistic people can enjoy tasks that neurotypical colleagues may prefer not to do, especially if they involve repetition such as filing and data entry. Doing repetitive tasks can give autistic people a sense of control in a world which isn’t very orderly.
This is a strength that autistic people bring to the workplace because it enables teams to increase their productivity and maintain the best standard possible for their service users or customers. For example, one participant, a university lecturer, explained how they enjoyed the repetitive nature of teaching the same course every year:
‘‘Colleagues do not believe that I am happy to still teach the first year introduction course after 15 years doing it!” - University Lecturer
Autistic people tend to have a strong work ethic
Autistic people like to work, especially in areas they’re interested in or they thrive in. Skills like having high levels of concentration and attention to detail previously mentioned above mean that autistic employees often demonstrate having a strong work ethic. If autistic people truly love their jobs, they can even lose track of time when they’re doing them which improves performance and enables them to go into greater depth in a particular task.
“It is more important to me than to my neurotypical colleagues to ensure that all data is 100% transferred and accurate and that all processes and actions are documented thoroughly.” - University Administration Officer
Autistic people have many employment-related strengths that can be attributed to being on the autism spectrum
Autistic people have so much untapped potential to offer their organisations in the form of employment-related strengths, but only if businesses choose to be open-minded, view their autistic traits as strengths and help to create inclusive environments at work. Too often, autistic people feel overwhelmed due to the lack of understanding from bosses and co-workers and an unwillingness to make adaptations. The easiest step towards supporting autistic people at work is to recognise and encourage their strengths. Feeling supported and valued is the most effective way to help us blossom at work.
We’re not going to blossom in a workplace which doesn’t champion inclusivity, because those kinds of workplaces force us to suppress our authentic selves. But, when employers and workplaces value and support autistic employees’ strengths, as well as neurotypical employees’, they are more likely to see higher innovation, solve problems more quickly, see more employee engagement and increase their profits - things that all make business sense. Equally, if you’re autistic and reading this, it’s important to recognise the strengths you do have which can help you make better decisions about what employment may be right for you, and to recognise that you are an asset to the organisation you work for.