Autism and Employment: Understanding and Overcoming Challenges

What are the barriers to employment for autistic people?
IN BRIEF

Having a job involves more than simply knowing how to complete the assigned tasks. Even with the skills necessary to perform their duties, an autistic person may face numerous challenges in other areas of employment. That’s why it’s crucial to be well-informed. By understanding these challenges, it becomes easier to equip oneself to address them.

Workplace Barriers for Autistic People

Securing and maintaining a job often goes far beyond the ability to perform required tasks. Even if a person possesses all the necessary skills to succeed at their job, being autistic can introduce a range of other challenges unrelated to the tasks themselves. These obstacles might involve communication with colleagues, navigating unspoken workplace expectations, adapting to changes, or managing sensory and emotional overload.

This means that, for an autistic person, navigating a work environment often extends beyond their usual job responsibilities and requires additional understanding and support to overcome these unique hurdles.

List of Workplace Challenges for Autistic People

Communication

Understanding Verbal Instructions

Deciphering subtleties and unspoken intentions is often complex. Employers may inadvertently give incomplete instructions, assuming that implicit details will be understood intuitively, which is often not the case. Clear, unambiguous communication is essential, particularly for autistic individuals, who require straightforward and precise information.

Difficulties with Nonverbal Communication

Interpreting body language, facial expressions, and other social cues can be an ongoing challenge for autistic people. Expecting an intention to be understood through a facial expression alone is likely ineffective. Clear communication is paramount.

Challenges with Implicit Workplace Rules

Misunderstandings can arise if instructions are interpreted literally. Phrases or expressions might not always align with their intended meaning. For example, a phrase like “Don’t give up” could confuse someone if the context suggests they need to ease their efforts or relax. Direct and unequivocal communication helps ensure mutual understanding.

Literal Interpretation of Language

Idioms, sarcasm, and figurative language can be difficult to grasp. An autistic person might not realize when a comment is meant as a joke or distinguish between teasing and friendly humor. Using phrases that mean the opposite of what’s intended can add confusion. For example, saying, “What lovely weather!” on a stormy day might not be understood as sarcasm.

Public Speaking

Anxiety or difficulty speaking in front of a group is common among autistic individuals. Allowing them to communicate one-on-one instead may be more effective.

Asking for Help

Requesting assistance or clarification can be particularly demanding. An autistic person may fear being a bother or saying the wrong thing. They might not know who to approach or when it’s appropriate to ask questions. Clearly defining the process—who to ask and when—can be immensely helpful.

Sensory Sensitivities

Managing Stimuli

Strong reactions to sensory input such as noise, light, or touch are common among autistic individuals. Conversely, sensory messages might not always register effectively (sensory hyposensitivity). Simple adjustments, like noise-canceling headphones or dimmed lighting, can significantly reduce sensory overload.

Focus and Concentration

While autistic people often excel at focusing on specific tasks, distractions in noisy or active environments can undermine this strength.

Rigidity

Handling Emergencies or Unexpected Changes

Adapting quickly to emergencies or last-minute changes is a major hurdle for many autistic individuals. Some may freeze or become disoriented (e.g., crying, confusion, or fleeing). Respecting the need for solitude or extra time to process these events is crucial. Providing advance notice when a change is anticipated can make a significant difference.

Resistance to Change

Unexpected or sudden changes in the workplace environment can be challenging to manage.

Rigid Thinking

Adapting to new tasks or ideas may require extra effort, as flexible thinking can be more demanding for autistic individuals.

Routines and Work Habits

A reliance on specific routines to maintain productivity and well-being is often observed.

Variety of Tasks

Many autistic individuals may prefer routines and struggle with a variety of tasks. Others might feel comfortable taking on multiple roles but may find it difficult to switch quickly between them. Some will be more efficient with specific, clearly defined tasks allocated by day or time block, though this is not always the case. Therefore, the person may perform much better at work if, for example, they are allowed to group certain types of tasks together.

Incomplete Tasks

Interruptions that prevent someone from completing a task can be frustrating. On the positive side, the strong desire to finish what they start can be an asset in the workplace.

Transition Management

Switching between tasks or different parts of the day can be especially draining. During these transition periods, an autistic person might be less available for interactions or less capable of performing at their usual level.

Social Interaction

Unstructured Social Contexts

Situations where roles and tasks are undefined, such as meetings or coffee breaks, can create discomfort. Autistic individuals might struggle to determine what to say, how to act, or how to position themselves socially.

Teamwork

Collaborating in teams, particularly with more than two people, often requires greater effort for autistic individuals. Understanding turn-taking, roles, conversational pacing, interruptions, and power dynamics can be particularly challenging. Providing clear turn-taking rules, avoiding interruptions, maintaining calm tones, and defining roles can be helpful. In some cases, limiting teamwork to pairs or individual tasks might be necessary.

Understanding Goals and Expectations

Implicit or vaguely defined objectives are likely to cause confusion. Clear, explicit communication of goals and expectations not only benefits autistic employees but also improves clarity for all team members.

Functioning

Time Management

Task prioritization and meeting deadlines can be significant sources of stress. However, many autistic individuals take punctuality and deadlines seriously, which can be a great asset in the right environment. For those who struggle with time perception, tools like visual timers (e.g., TimeTimer) can be highly effective.

Need for a Structured Environment

A well-defined, structured work environment can enhance efficiency, providing reassurance and helping individuals approach tasks with confidence.

Setting Priorities

Determining task order and managing interruptions can be anxiety-inducing. Clear schedules, straightforward priorities, and unambiguous instructions help alleviate uncertainty.

Emotional Regulation

Managing emotions in the workplace can be particularly challenging for autistic individuals. Unlike non-autistic colleagues, they may find it difficult to suppress or delay emotional expressions. Tears or anxiety might emerge unexpectedly. Instead of asking them to mask their emotions, offering time and space to recover can be much more effective.

Hyperfocus

Autistic people often exhibit intense focus on topics of interest, which can be an advantage or a challenge. While this focus benefits long-term tasks requiring minimal distractions, it can lead to forgetting other tasks. Simple tools like reminders or timers can help balance this strength.

Stress Management

Heightened sensitivity to stress from tasks or interpersonal interactions is common. Respecting individual preferences and accommodating their needs can significantly reduce stress, resulting in a more comfortable, productive workplace.

Organizational Challenges

Organizing work, documents, or materials can either be a strength or a challenge for autistic individuals. Structured organizational methods tailored to their needs can help reduce stress and improve efficiency.

Fatigue and Burnout

Prolonged exposure to an unsuitable environment or lack of understanding of their needs can lead to intense fatigue, often from the constant effort of adapting to social contexts. However, addressing even one or two primary challenges with appropriate tools or adjustments can drastically improve the situation.

Personal and Professional Fulfillment

Masking

Masking, or the effort to conceal autistic traits to fit in, often leads to extreme fatigue. Autistic individuals are frequently encouraged to suppress their true selves, requiring significant energy and potentially limiting their potential. Creating a judgment-free environment where individuals can embrace their authenticity—such as expressing themselves through stimming, humor, or sensory tools—allows them to thrive. This approach benefits everyone involved.

Self-Awareness and Self-Esteem

Many autistic individuals are highly attuned to how they are perceived and judged by others, often shaped by experiences of criticism and negative feedback. Recognizing this sensitivity and adopting a positive approach—highlighting their strengths and accomplishments—can help build their confidence. This encouragement fosters personal and professional growth, enabling them to recognize their value within the team.

Career Choices

Finding a career path aligned with their interests and skills can be challenging. Visualizing the future, managing uncertainties, and recognizing their unique talents may require support. Autistic individuals may also limit their career progression for the comfort of familiarity. Career coaching or specialized guidance during key transitions in adulthood is essential to unlock their full potential.

Valérie Jessica Laporte

Writer and content creator (in French) about autism