It’s no secret that autistic people can become valuable assets when given the chance to shine in employment. Amongst many other qualities, we’re reliable, we’re precise and we’re determined. But making sure that we can give our all in an occupation, isn’t the sole responsibility of a manager or an employer. In fact, the first step to unlocking an autistic person’s true potential is normally one which must be taken by the autist themselves.
In today’s article, I want to discuss why it’s so important for an autistic person to let their manager know that they are autistic; by describing two personal stories where I did and didn’t share this information. Also, as this article is technically the second in my painfully, uncreatively titled ‘How do you tell someone you are autistic?’ series, I will be including a section at the end of this post, on how to approach the subject of autism with a manager or a colleague.
The Disadvantages of not telling an Employer you are Autistic:
Back in the days before my knees made a weird crackling noise every time I stood up, I worked at a pretty big retail store in the centre of a super busy shopping location. No doubt, like some other autists, I thought that as I was more than capable of producing great results without assistance, I didn’t need to tell my manager of my situation, nor was it in their best interest to know.
Other than a few late signs-ins (as the result of trying to balance school, a job and trying to make the top 10 leaderboard on Pac-Man Championship edition), I was actually doing really well: I had a great sales record, customers’ compliments galore and I even got tasked with mentoring new members of staff. To the untrained eye, I looked like a model employee. However, this was only on the surface.
Behind the scenes, this relatively simple job, quickly became a cause of incredible anxiety for me, as every time I arrived at the store, the products and their places within the shop would have shifted to new locations. This turned every new week into a never-ending game of ‘Where’s Wally?’, which was made even worse by the managers’ love of swapping the staffs’ weekly job roles – In their opinion, giving everyone a new duty, every week kept things feeling ‘fresh’. However, for me, it meant starting each week feeling as ‘fresh’ as a gym sock, which has been left in a locker over the summer holidays.
This wasn’t the fault of the company by any stretch, but my decision to not tell anyone I was autistic had left me visibility agitated and needlessly stressed. Furthermore, these feelings would grow from dread of upcoming change on the day of the shift, to feeling frantically upset days before I went to work. I hated it: I hated the job, I hated the company and now if I even hear a song that they used to play whilst I was working there, it brings back old feelings and my mind becomes a storm of stress.
The Advantages of telling an Employer you are Autistic:
A few years after my first job, I found myself working in a similar role, at a slightly smaller store. I can’t tell you an exact date when it happened, but not long after starting, I half blundered my way into a conversation where I told the stock room staff that ‘I am opposed to change’ and that ‘I am autistic’.
As anyone who has worked in retail will tell you, gossip spreads like wildfire and, as if someone had wrapped the handle of a candy cane around my neck and given it a yank, I quickly found myself sat sitting in front of one of my managers, in a locked room with a bunch of ominous looking records (there was also a framed picture of sloth in an astronaut suit, which to this day I still can’t explain).
The manager, who discussed my autism with me, was nothing short of incredible and after giving me the usual response of ‘my cousin’s wife’s sister’s goldfish’s original owner was autistic’ we talked about the ways in which she and other members of staff could support me.
Although she didn’t believe me, when I said that doubling my wage could help me to work better, we did come to the agreement that if every shift began with a tour of the shop where someone could explain what had come in and where things had moved to, then I would definitely feel more comfortable in my role.
This probably doesn’t sound like much (because it really isn’t), but it made a huge a difference during my time at that company. I genuinely looked forward to working at that shop, because it was one of the most predictable things in my life. In turn, I became so familiar with the locations of products – thanks to my morning store walks, that I became the go to guy, for staff who couldn’t find products. In fact, I loved working that job so much, that the moment I returned home from China (a story for another day) the first thing I did was called that store to see if I could get my job back.
How to tell an Employer you are Autistic:
So, as you can see telling a manager you are autistic can make a world of difference when working. This is why today I thought I would end by giving some tips and advice on how to approach the subject with an employer.
Although, many of the points I raise in my ‘How do you tell a friend you are autistic’ post, also apply today, there are two in particular which starting this conversation in the work place:
1. Choosing the right time: When to tell your work that you are autistic is probably the biggest question you will ask yourself when starting a new job. Do you mention it on your C.V.? Do you bring it up in the interview? Or do you wait for them to get to know the real ‘you’ before you mention it? Granted the answer to this question has been made a lot easier for me, now that my most recent job role says “Founder/creator of Autistic & Unapologetic”. But nonetheless, it is a question I am all too familiar with.
Hopefully, as I have made clear from the previous examples, the best possible time to mention that you are autistic, is as early as possible. I understand the worry that if you fill in a disability box when applying for a job, a potential employer may read it as ‘disadvantaged’, ‘weak’ or ‘slow’. However, The Equality Act of 2010 forbids this kind of discrimination and states that the only time any form of disability can be brought up during employment, is when the employer is asking how they can help the employee.
However, we’ve all seen the news and there’s no real assurance that this kind of discrimination isn’t going on behind closed doors. This is why if I had to name the ideal moment to tell someone you are autistic, I would say maybe leave it off the C.V. for now and find a way to work it into the ‘have you got any more questions?’ section of the interview.
Try to phrase it as a positive and make sure you are clear that any small changes you require are going to make a big difference to your output and, as such, benefit them – at the end of the day it’s still an interview, so you want to show that you are dedicated to performing to the best of your ability. Alternatively, if you are already in a role and have missed this opportunity, fret not, because it is never too late to it bring it up. 
2. Finding the right words. Unfortunately, telling a manager that you are autistic isn’t as simple as slipping them a note stating ‘Autism + Employee = Me’. Autism is a spectrum condition, which means that even if your manager happens to be a leading autism researcher in a past life, they still won’t be able to get you the support you need, unless you explain thoroughly what you require.
Taking the time to choose your words and potentially even practise what you are going to say with a friend or family can definitely help smooth out any misunderstanding down the line. However, if you are worried that you might get stage fright when the time comes, try penning an email instead and remember to write it with the mindset that the person receiving it could be completely clueless when it comes to autism.
The key point to this tip is that when it comes to telling a manager you are on the spectrum, you’re not telling them that you have autism, but explaining what makes you autistic:
- how it affects you
- how it can impact your work
- how your employer can support you to reach your potential
It’s been said a thousand times at this point, but words are powerful things. Choose the correct ones and, pretty soon, both you and your employer, will see the glory and benefits which come from having an autistic member of staff.
Carry on the Conversation:
What are some of the experiences you’ve had telling a manager you are autistic? Have you had any jobs where explaining your diagnosis has made a difference? Share your experience in the comments below.
As always, I can also be found on Twitter @AutismRevised and via my email: AutisticandUnapologetic@gmail.com.
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Thank you for reading and I will see you next Saturday for more thoughts from across the spectrum.
