Welcome to Aspergers at Work

Every employee is unique and possesses very individual skills and abilities.  This is no different for autistic individuals.  Just like any other employee, autistics can work in a variety of different professions and have interests in various different fields.  Examples of autistic individuals include Susan Boyle, the Scottish singer, Dan Aykroyd, the Canadian American actor, Temple Grandin, the American professor of animal science and best-selling author, Satoshi Tajiri, the Japanese creator of the Pokémon character and CEO of a game development company, and Greta Thunberg, the environmental activist.

Autistic indivdiuals may possess a variety of special and, in some cases, exceptional qualities and abilities which can be of particular interest to an employer, such as reliability and conscientiousness, a logical way of thinking, extensive and highly technical knowledge in a particular area of interest, problem-solving skills as well as a keen sense of justice.

However, some autistic people have difficulty finding and keeping employment.  This may be due to poor social and communication skills or sensory issues which make interviewing for a job or working in a normal office environment difficult.  Just like any employee, autistic employees may require certain workplace adjustments in order to facilitate the recruitment process and for the working relationship to be sustainable. 

In order to ensure a successful and long-term working relationship, it is important that the employer understands what autism is and works together with the employee to develop an appropriate strategy.  In most cases, only minor workplace adjustments are necessary in order to be successful. The individual must also be prepared to be flexible and to adjust to the new situation.

This section is dedicated to providing information to HR professionals, managers and employers on the characteristics of autism, the unique and special abilities autistic individuals may possess, and what it takes to successfully recruit and integrate an autistic employee into the work environment.