Autism can be job asset
May 19, 2016 by Marlene Y. Satter
Although people with autism may have a harder time finding a job than some others, employers may not realize that the disorder can actually bring with it some talents that are exceptionally useful in the workplace.
According to an NPR report, some 40 percent of people with autism spectrum disorder have a higher jobless rate than people with other developmental disabilities. But many with the disorder are classed as high functioning, and although they may have a tough time with face-to-face job interviews, their talents can provide employers with substantial rewards.
And some companies are paying attention, actively recruiting people with autism spectrum disorder and even providing recruiting and training programs that can act as models for other companies.
Companies ranging from Microsoft to Walgreens, Capital One to AMC Theaters and even Procter & Gamble are heading the charge, although thus far, their recruiting efforts haven’t netted a lot of new employees.
But the report quoted Leslie Long, vice president of adult services for the advocacy group Autism Speaks, saying that some people with autism have hidden talents that can be extremely valuable for businesses, such as intense focus or skills with numbers and patterns.
Another positive for employees with autism is the fact that they find comforting the repetitious tasks that can drive other employees to distraction. Detail-oriented tasks, such as handling large volumes of paperwork, can be right up their alley — and catching errors in such cases is easy for high-functioning autistic employees with the right skillsets.
And it’s not difficult to accommodate the special needs of such employees. The company Specialisterne USA, which helps people with autism find work as consultants “in information technology and other sectors with technically oriented tasks and jobs,” says that it can be as easy as changing the lighting or allowing them to take frequent breaks.
