I want to understand about autistic adults difficulties which they face in workplace.

Hello everyone,

I am postgraduate student and I am working on a project to understand about

difficulties faced by autistic adults in their day to day life particularly in workplace.

By research, I came to know that autistic adults are facing a lot of problems in workplace,

but I am not clear about what exact problems they face. I want to create awareness

about their problems in offices so that they get maximum support at workplace. By doing so,

the gap between autistic adults and their colleagues may disappear.

Hopefully, everyone will start understanding them better. If anyone knows about it,

could you please help me in understanding about their problems?

  • I don't know where to start with answering this question and would suggest sitting down with some of us, or email conversations or telephone might yield more in depth information, particularly as we all change over time. I would suspect there are quite a few common themes though:

    1. Noise in the office place, from computer fans to footsteps
    2. Lighting in the office place
    3. Having to interact with other people in a neurotypical way can be exhausting, autistics tend to be blunt with each other, just read a few threads on here
    4. Not knowing how to join in with group conversations
    5. Not knowing where the line is when chatting in groups
    6. Not liking telephones, or not liking to cold call someone
    7. Not knowing whether to tell people or not that one is autistic
    8. Meeting deadlines can be hard as it puts extra stress on, but for some it may be a comfort as it is something to work towards
    9. Having to jump from one task to another, I for one prefer just concentrating on one task in a day or one project in a day if possible
    10. Easily distracted by things around one
    11. Taking things to heart even when comments were not meant negatively. I had a boss that once that sued to say "that was good but....", as soon as I heard the "but" may brain would go that it can not be good and not be right at the same time.
    12. Trying to get the language right in emails
    13. Difficulty approaching other people
    14. Not knowing how to ask for help when struggling
    15. Having to follow ridged hours or coping with shift patterns, I know that my brain does not really come on line until 10am for instance so I prefer to start at that time
    16. Always worrying about putting a foot wrong, particularly with the opposite sex
    17. People not understanding my eye contact issues, that if I keep making eye contact I usually don't mean to, its just my eyes will pick up on a movement
    18. No knowing what to do when I find myself isolated because people think I am weird or creepy or or or.....
  • Yes the zoom meant i could just about manage it!

  • I thought the same thing. You can zoom into the photos a bit, and I found it just about legible that way.

  • The design looks nice but how is anyone else reading the text? For me it is far too small to be able to read anything, even when the photos are zoomed in. Is there a PDF or something available? Am I looking at the wrong thing?

  • Hi Cassandro...There are still corrections to be made. Thanks for pointing out...the book will be reprinted.

    Thank you

  • Also it looks like the quotation attributed to 'Cassandro' should have been attributed to DragonCat16.

    The quotations look more powerful when pulled out like that.

  • Without you guys it wouldn't have been possible. Thanks for your support.

  • I really like the design. Thanks for getting our opinions out into the world so that we can be better understood.

  • no probs... good luck with the book!

  • Thank you so much Jonesy. Apologies for putting your name on the wrong quote. I am going to reprint the book again. Therefore, I will correct it there. Thanks for letting me know. I really appreciate it.

    Thanks for your support.

  • Book looks great! However I do believe you have attributed a quote to me that was not mine. On the final page before the Bibliography there is a quote which starts "They don't see just how naive they are..." I don't think that one came from me although I do agree with its contents. The quote earlier in the book about florescent lighting on the other hand is definitely me.

  • Hey guys...hope all are having a good day. I have updated and designed book finally. The link to the book is https://www.behance.net/gallery/65322939/Ongoing-major-project-Autism.  Could you all please have a look? It would be great.

    I am extremely in debt of you guys. Thank you for helping me and discussing your problems with me. I have tried to include each of yours name. Sorry, could not include all. However, I have given credits to all in my acknowledgments and bibliography. 

    Please guys, if you have any suggestions or critique, you can write it down in the page on behance below the book.

    Thanks again. Love all

  • I hear what you are saying. Because, one of the things autistic people are known for is taking things literally which the manager didn't understand or dealt with the situation accordingly. I hope you don't feel too disheartened. You are great at what you do. Don't let anyone make you feel like it is your fault or your less inferior. You are doing more than most people would.

  • The computers were working normally to begin with, but there was a mandate to have Windows 7 replaced with Windows 10. But beyond just replacing the operating system, I also had to re-install all the missing software the following day.

    While I tried to get the remaining computers up to date for the next 5 working days, I was then asked to prepare some other computers for somebody else, but I told him I couldn't do it because I was following my manager's instruction. He then complained to my manager, who told me to start the other task despite the fact that I hadn't finished the first.

    By the end of the week, neither task was completed and the computers were due to be used the next day.

    But it was my manager's manager who told me in a meeting that he didn't mean for me to do all 300 in one day. But I have no other way of interpreting the instruction, and I don't dare contradict him.

  • I can see the dilemma. I suspect some typical people might be able to pick up a subtext between the lines like 'there's no reason not to start immediately, but it's not highly critical'.

    I don't really understand the negative consequences of the misunderstanding, apart from that you perceived the request as something that turned out to be unrealistic, and therefore got stressed. Did you also overestimate your ability to start the re-installations? Even remotely, 300 is a lot!  (Or in fact did your manager, but then claim that wasn't what he meant?)

  • I already knew how it works. The problem was with the amount of computers.

    During a meeting with my manager's manager about the misunderstanding, I was told that he didn't mean for me to set them all going in 2 hours. But if that's the case, then why did he say "all"?

    If I don't follow instructions to the letter, I get a telling off for not following instructions. If I do follow instructions to the letter, I'm told not to take my manager so literally.

    I can't win.

  • Oh ok, sorry for the late response. I understand where you are coming from. I am sorry about the conclusion of that particular situation. Perhaps the manager could of been more specific and explained it more clearly, actually take the time to show you how it works and then take it from there.

  • Not as extreme as the uncle Bob / Bob's your uncle example, I was once exchanging messages with my manager and he asked how many computers needed Windows re-installing. I said about 300 and his response was to just set them all going.

    Now when he used the word "all", I set about trying to get them all done in the remaining hour or two left in the day, but felt that I couldn't meet expectations when only 90 of them had been started and I had to leave the building for the night.

  • There a few components to 'barriers' or 'restrictions' someone that an adult with autism will find things challenging. For example, retaining information seems simple for some, but for others not quite. It helps to go step by step and keep it short, simple and easy to interpret information.

    Another element, is perhaps one you may have known it is social communication. For e.g. how to read 'between the lines' or how to start a conversation. You might of notice that people with autism or specifically adults have a literal way of understanding. Plus, things like jokes, sarcasm, common phrases an sayings.

    For e.g. 'Bob's your Uncle'. For someone non-autistic they would refer to something being sorted or job done. On the other hand, an adult with autism would think Bob as an Uncle/ Uncle Bob.  Typically, most people on the autistic adults find forming relationships, friendships a challenge due to not understanding someone else's emotions or feelings whilst trying to express their own unsure how to go about it.

    Having a routine is not uncommon for most autistic people as some may prefer to know in advance what is happening. Transition can be compromised if shown correctly, sensitivity (sight, smell, sound, taste or touch). There are two different types of sensitivity intensified (hyper-sensitive) or under-sensitive (hypo-sensitive). Depending on the severity and extent of the sensitivity this can cause anxiety, stress or physical pain.