Working with autistic colleagues by a former WeCanWork Intern

To mark World Autism Acceptance Week 2023 (27 March – 2 April), I’d like to explain why it helps if employers have an autism-friendly culture.  And to signpost to some resources that indicate what an autism-friendly culture consists of.

Many autistic people don’t know they’re autistic.  And even if they do, they might not want to share this with their employer or colleagues.  So it’s helpful if employers have an autism-friendly culture because then autistic people – whether they know they’re autistic or not – have a work environment that includes them.  A bit like a wheelchair user being able to access a building because it already has a ramp installed.

Here are some resources that give practical steps that employers and co-workers can take to work successfully with autistic colleagues.

Working with autistic colleagues

• 10 top tips

Autism Equality in the Workplace

• a booklet that identifies 10 barriers for autistic workers and suggests ways that employers can remove those barriers

Too much information in the workplace

• a short video in which some autistic workers give examples of workplace adjustments that help them

‘Autism in the Workplace’

• an online training module provided by the National Autistic Society

Accessible environments

• guidance on how to make physical environments autism-friendly

Accessible information

• guidance on how to present information in an autism-friendly way

Designing for users on the autistic spectrum

• guidance on how to make your web content autism-friendly