Inclusivity has become something of a buzz word in recent decades, especially in the context of employment. But for the thousands of autistic people living in the region, career success often remains out of reach. BETHANY WALES reports.
An estimated one in 100 people in the UK are on the autism spectrum - that’s around 700,000 adults and children, with some specialists hypothesising the number could be much higher due to under-diagnosis.
But despite autistic people making up a significant proportion of the working-age population, they are seriously underrepresented in the workplace.
DWP figures show only around 30pc of autistic adults are in employment, compared with half of all disabled people and 8 in 10 non-disabled people, despite the majority saying they would like to be employed.
This is amongst the lowest rates of employment for people with additional needs or disabilities.
And although it can be tempting to assume this is down to bias by employers, studies suggest the true reasons are much more complicated.
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?
For James Kindred, the Ipswich graphic designer and entrepreneur behind Big Drop Brewing Co, an autism diagnosis later in life has helped him to make sense of the many challenges he’s faced throughout his career.
The business owner said he struggled with the rigid teaching methods at school - an issue which continued to affect him when he entered the workplace in his early 20s.
He said he quickly realised that being his own boss was preferable.
“There’s really challenges from the very initial interview process. For example, I struggle with eye contact, which doesn’t always go down well in that setting.
“I can find it very triggering when faced with unexpected things, so would find it much easier to see questions beforehand.
“I wasn’t officially diagnosed Autistic and ADHD until well into my 40s, but having a formal diagnosis has given me the ability to reflect and begin to understand how my mind works, what can trigger burnout, and start to talk about how the workplace can be a real challenge for neurodivergent individuals.”
READ MORE: Think tank calls for ‘radical rethink’ of autism and ADHD services
Since discovering he’s autistic, Mr Kindred has been actively raising awareness in East Anglia about how being on the spectrum can impact employment opportunities and people's ability to work.
He said part of the challenge for employers is that no two autistic people are the same.
He added: “We say if you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person, because we’re all very different.”
But while it can be tricky to know where to start, experts are keen to point out that making your workplace more inclusive is very achievable.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Carole Burman is the founder and director of Norwich-based Mad-HR, which specialises in a range of employment areas, including working with people facing barriers in the workplace due to a disability.
She said that neurodiverse disorders like autism require more than a “one-size fits all” approach in order to get the best out of people.
She said: “The term neurodiverse covers a breadth of traits and challenges, which vary for every individual.
“At its most basic, neurodiversity refers to differences in how the brain functions, particularly in respect of attention, sociability and learning.
“For each individual, this is likely to present differently, and may, as a result, require alternative levels of adjustment and support.
“Based on statistics alone, it’s likely that some members of your team will be neurodivergent, so embracing the diversity of different approaches could help you find the ingredients needed for business success.”
READ MORE: Aviva in Norwich starts internship for autistic teenagers
One of the key areas employers can support neurodiverse employees is in the physical office environment.
Around 90pc of people on the autistic spectrum are estimated to experience atypical sensory experiences.
This means offices, particularly open-plan ones, can bombard and overwhelm autistic employees with unwelcome sensory input, such as ringing phones, conversations and tapping of keyboards.
Ms Burman said: “Those with neurodiverse conditions may be sensitive to noise and light; consider that providing a quieter working area or break space may be useful.
“Display screen equipment (DSE) assessments can help you to identify whether employees have the right equipment and if their environment is appropriate.
“Adjustments could include anything from drawers to daily planners and screen overlays to manage screen brightness.”
She said employers should also consider how flexible working could benefit employees - especially neurodivergent ones.
She added: “Diversity in the business is about enabling individuals to work to their strengths rather than expecting them all to be good at the same things and do things in the same way.
“As such, neurodivergent people may benefit from flexibility in their work location such as working from home or hybrid working, or changes to their working hours or work patterns.
"It’s important to remember that these adjustments should work for both the individual and the business.”
Last month, the government published a new report - laying out a vision for workplace culture changes to support autistic people to start and stay in work.
For people like Mr Kindred, it is hoped that the 19 recommendations for employers will help to close the employment gap for autistic people.
Mr Kindred added: "There's a lot of forward-thinking employers out there who want to embrace the real benefits of having neurodiverse people on their teams.
"Many of the measures advised to improve conditions for autistic people are good for everyone, and can support the whole workforce.
"My feelings are that can only be a positive thing."
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