There are certainly positive sides of AS:
Quote:
The
Autism Act 2009, a response to continued poor employment rates for people with autism, was the first-ever piece of disability-specific legislation to be passed by government. The Department for Work and Pensions and the NAS have since published a guide for employers,
Untapped Talent, on taking on autistic people which highlights their aptitude for problem-solving and attention to detail, high levels of concentration, reliability, loyalty, excellent memory and detailed factual knowledge, retention, resourcefulness and technical ability.
But also some generalizations:
Quote:
Chris McGuire, head of the Guy's and St Thomas' catering services, says: "People are needlessly frightened of autistic people because they are an unknown to them. Autistic people actually make great employees because they follow instructions to the 'T'. They like continuity, and they won't make their own decisions, so there are no loose canons."
Quote:
Tips for working with people with autism:
• As long as the employee with autism consents to disclosure of their condition, provide colleagues with information and guidance on autism to enhance understanding.
• Brief, frequent one-to-one reviews are better than lengthy, irregular meetings for autistic people.
• Don't ever rely on social cues to make a point – they won't be picked up.
• If a task isn't completed correctly, don't criticise as autistic people are often perfectionists and this will upset them. Give honest, consistent and constructive feedback, and explain precisely why it was wrong.
• Ensure the autistic employee has a well-structured work environment, away from general office traffic, visual distractions and clutter.
• Be supportive around situations such as IT failures, which can be very stressful for autistic people. Give specific instructions about what to do if something breaks down; ie, don't say "use another photocopier if ours breaks down" – say "use the one on the second floor".
• Make sure instructions are concise and specific to lay out the foundations for good working practices. Don't say "give everyone a copy of this" – tell them exactly who gets a copy.
07 Apr 2012, 4:43 pm
