Autism as a Competitive Advantage in the Workplace
Many consider autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to be only a hindrance, or a disease that needs to be cured. Job recruiters will – sometimes subconsciously – avoid autistic candidates because they deem them to be inferior or less capable of performing the job. These preconceived notions about autistic people and implicit biases have led to an unemployment rate of over 80% for people on the spectrum. This number is ridiculously high, even higher than the unemployment rate for those with Down syndrome.
While purposely not hiring autistic people is a discriminatory practice and therefore a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this does not stop recruiters from discriminating against the autistic community. Many claim that checking the “neurodiverse” box off on your job application eliminates you from the applicant pool right at the get-go; employers see that and put you in the “pass” pile. Therefore, many neurodiverse candidates – especially those who are good at masking – simply neglect to check that box off as to not disclose their neurodiverse status. But autistic people should not feel forced to hide who they are. Recruiters should welcome them into the workplace with open arms. Though diversity is championed in the workplace for women and ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+, why do recruiters not want to hire the neurodiverse?
For sales recruiting or other jobs heavy on social connection, recruiters could argue that autistic people simply lack the charisma necessary to converse with people and be persuasive. While this may be partially true, it is a gross generalization that does not apply to everyone on the spectrum. And while certain industries may have different needs and solely select candidates based on outward appearance and mannerisms, other industries should be more forgiving.
Research suggests that autism is a competitive advantage in the workplace, as employees on the spectrum bring unique strengths such as attention to detail and tolerance for repetitive tasks. One study has shown that autistic employees are up to 140% more productive than their neurotypical counterparts due to their high level of focus and ability to concentrate for an extended period of time. People with ASD also have superior creativity – beneficial in jobs pertaining to design or marketing – and memory, which may aid in accounting especially. The point is, there’s a wide assortment of jobs in which autistic people can succeed and even thrive. From kindergarten teaching to software engineering, the skillset associated with autism can translate to virtually any endeavor.
