Autism Inclusion in The Workplace
Supporting neurodivergent employees and building a neuro-inclusive workplace is becoming one of the top priorities for businesses of all kinds, across all sectors and industries.
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As detailed in the Equality Act, employers are legally required to make reasonable adjustments for autistic employees, removing barriers to recruitment and staff retention.
How to create an autism-friendly workplace in the UK
Reasonable adjustments for autism employment include:
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Workplace changes such as dimmed lighting, quiet workspaces, screen filters, no hot-desk and the use of noise-cancelling headphones
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Communication changes, such as setting clear agendas, providing written instructions and the use of instant messaging rather than phone calls
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Flexible working hours, part-time and remote working, and additional breaks
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Tailored staff induction processes
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Advance notice for meetings
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Working trials in place of traditional interviews
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Pre-interview site visits
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Providing interview questions in advance
The Buckland Review: Employment rates for autistic people in the UK
The Buckland Review of Autism Employment was published in February 2024, led by Sir Robert Buckland and supported by Autistica.
There are approximately one million autistic people in the UK and the vast majority of them want to work.
However, statistics show that only approximately three in ten working-age autistic people are employed, compared to around five in ten disabled people and eight in ten non-disabled people.
Autistic people also face the biggest pay gap of all disability groups, receiving a third less on average than non-disabled people.
Autistic graduates are twice as likely to be unemployed after 15 months - and they’re also most likely to be overqualified for the job they have, the least likely to be in permanent roles and the most likely to be on zero-hours contracts.