Into Work champions inclusive workplaces on Autism Awareness Day
As the world prepares to observe the UN’s World Autism Awareness Day on the 2nd of April, it is important to consider an often overlooked area where more acceptance is needed, the workplace. Autistic people face significant barriers not only in getting hired, but also in their day to day experience in the workplace.
Into Work provides training and advice for employers on developing more inclusive teams, workplaces and practices. All our training has been designed with input from neurodivergent people and is delivered by neurodivergent trainers, with experience of the challenges of the workplace.
“Our mission is to empower workplaces to become more inclusive and supportive environments for autistic individuals” says Rebecca Allen, Senior Manager at Into Work. “Our training was developed with autistic people’s lived experience at it’s core
Despite an increasing number of people identifying as autistic in recent years as awareness has grown, autistic people still have the lowest employment rate of any disability group. Currently only around 3 in 10 working age autistic people are in employment, compared with around 5 in 10 for all disabled people and 8 in 10 for non-disabled people, despite research suggesting the majority of autistic people wish to work.
Autistic people are also more likely to be underemployed and held back from reaching their full potential. They face the largest pay gap of all disability groups, receiving on average a third less than non-disabled people.
There are a range of barriers autistic people face in the workplace which employers could do more to support them with. The barriers vary for every autistic person but commonly include unclear instructions, sensory overload in workplace environment, confusing social expectations and an onus on the autistic individual to come forward with their requests for reasonable adjustments. Sadly stigma, bullying and stereotyping are also often barriers.
Inclusion benefits not only the autistic individuals but the whole organisation. A neurodiverse team is more likely to generate a wider range of ideas and avoid cognitive biases as neurodivergent people can bring new perspectives and work styles. Businesses are beginning to recognise this and some of the world’s biggest companies now explicitly targeting recruitment of autistic and other neurodivergent people.
Companies that have participated in our programmes have reported increased understanding, improved communication, and a more inclusive workplace culture. One participant said of the training, “The trainers were excellent, their tone was perfect, they were patient, and knowledgeable, and seemed like incredibly nice people. The content was the perfect blend of informative and interesting and it wasn’t overwhelming in the slightest. I plan to become an autism advocate at my own place of employment, and this has given me the inspiration to do so.”
As Autism Awareness Day approaches, we at Into Work call on workplaces everywhere to prioritise and commit to creating inclusive environments. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of autistic people and build a more inclusive society for all.