The government has launched an autism employment review to better understand the barriers to securing and remaining in work that many autistic people face.
Led by Sir Robert Buckland, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism and Conservative MP for South Swindon, the review will consider how the government can work with employers to help more autistic people get into work.
It will look at how employers identify and support autistic employees, the working practices or initiatives that could reduce stigma and improve the productivity of autistic employees, and what could be done to prepare autistic people looking to join or rejoin the workforce.
It will also consider how employers can benefit from having a neurodiverse workforce, and how the adjustments and initiatives that benefit autistic people also help others including people with ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
Autistic employees
HR professionals lack training on neurodiversity – report
How an ‘Empowerment Passport’ can enable disability and neurodiversity adjustments
Buckland said closing the autism employment gap would provide both individual fulfilment and a productivity boost for the economy.
Fewer than three in 10 autistic adults in the UK are in employment, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.
Tom Pursglove, minister for disabled people, health and work, said: “We know autistic people can face barriers moving into employment and staying there. This is often down to the employers themselves not having the tools to support autistic people, or truly understanding the value of a neurodiverse workforce.
“This important review will provide us with vital information to remove these barriers and help more autistic people start, stay and succeed in work by ensuring more employers provide truly inclusive places to work. I look forward to seeing the recommendations from the review.”
Dr James Cusack, chief executive of the UK autism research and campaigning charity Autistica, said: “The benefits for autistic people and society will be huge if we can give autistic people the opportunity to work and thrive in employment. That’s why as a charity we want to see a doubling of the employment rate for autistic people by 2030.
“We are delighted to support the government on this vital review which will enable us to move from awareness to evidence-based action. This will help us to rethink how we approach autistic people’s access to work and perhaps drive a wider rethink around how we accommodate everyone in work, as we all think differently with unique strengths, challenges and needs.”
Recommendations from the autism employment review are expected to be reported in the autumn.
Jim Moore, employee relations expert at HR consultants Hamilton Nash, said that employers are sometimes apprehensive about employing an autistic person, but they can bring great benefits to businesses including strong technical skills, attention to detail and exceptional concentration.
He said: “We are pleased to see this employment review intended to improve the job prospects of people with autism, but the devil will be in the details.
“Employers can make a number of reasonable adjustments to help an employee with autism. These could include providing screens around desks, noise-cancelling headphones or a quiet working location. It might involve assigning them an office mentor to guide and advise, or allowing them to focus on one task rather than multitasking.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
“Dealing with challenging behaviours can make some employers hesitant about supporting an employee with autism. Displays of anger, inappropriate outbursts or meltdowns can happen, but generally only in more severe cases. How autism affects a specific individual should be taken into account when evaluating a situation, including whether other reasonable adjustments can be made to address the issue and support the employee.”
HR Consultant opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more HR Consultant jobs
