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Social Skills have too high a premium in the workplace?

Atypical

In the world of employment there is a significant focus on social skills and the ability to ‘play the game’. Arguably, this is one of the greatest barriers to many on the Spectrum and could account for many injustices in this regard. The ability to a job, with or without adjustments, is often trumped over whether someone is the ‘right’ person. I’ve been told that the right person is needed because the time spent at work is longer than with Partners. Others think of the workplace as a family and  feel it’s important to recruit someone who they can ‘get along with.’ Indeed, if someone doesn’t come across as sociable or likable, an application can be dismissed very quickly. Statistics suggest that ASD people are often not given a fair chance and this was rightly highlighted in the NAS ‘Could you stand the Rejection?’ (Link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h8iF0TAmyr4).

I believe this occurs from a misunderstanding/misapplication of Equality and Diversity. My reading is this, Equality and Diversity is about embracing difference and accommodating this in a work environment. This might create more work and necessitate a change of culture but in doing so, the benefits outweigh any inconvenience.

I’ve always leaned towards strengthing legal protections and enhancing powers of regulators. What are your views?

  • in reply to Plastic

    Similar culture in most of my work places, Plastic.  I still never expected it in an autism charity, where people are working with autistic individuals all day long.  I'm feeling resentment from certain staff members because I get on so well with the service users and most of the other staff.  Some people don't like not being top dog - even though I'm not about attaining that position.  I just like to do my job properly.  I think it maybe started when I started complaining about how some staff seemed to be slacking on mandatory responsibilities like paperwork.  Also, I said the cleaning wasn't being done properly - which it wasn't.  Very slap-dash.  But you can't afford to be lax on these kinds of things when clients' lives are at risk because of infection or bad food hygiene.  The other thing, of course, is that I don't play any part in the gossip and the cliques.  Some people just seem to be doing the job because it gives them daily access to their friends.  They ignore clients' needs in favour of constantly playing with their smart phones.  The most useless ones are the ones who seem to get their wishes favoured the most.

    After today, I can't see myself going back.  But I dread the thought of going back onto sickness benefits.

  • I worked in an engineering office for a while - none were proper engineers, they were fitters and glorified maintenance men and it had a 'lad' culture (even though most were in their 50s) and I really didn't fit in - it was all farting, sexism, football and beer. They were all mates of the manager so no matter how useless they were, they survived and got performance pay rises.

    They resented anyone competent, smart and eloquent because it made them all look bad. They really hated anyone who noticed they were falsifying data and 'accidentally' cancelling jobs if they might exceed their service requirements (forcing the end-user to reinstate the job which  reset the calendar).

    It was interesting to study them like a troop of monkeys. You could see the ring-leaders, the enforcers, the submissives, the up-&-coming new leaders etc.

    I noticed it took 3 months before a new-starter began to mimic their language & behaviours to become accepted into the group.

    I got shuffled out of that department.

  • in reply to Martian Tom

    That is such a shame Tom. If there is anywhere we ought to be able to thrive it is working in services for autistic people. Unfortunately they are sometimes no more accepting of autistic employees than other organisations. It feels so much worse when they don't help us overcome barriers given their mission and purpose. 

    One of the things I struggle with is working out at interview the real dynamics and culture of the team I would be joining if I got the job. On one occasion I had done some casual work and knew I would be micro-managed. I still took the job, having convinced myself through logical argument that the positives outweighed the negatives and I could cope. I quickly realised this was a big mistake but felt I had to stay there as I knew what I was getting into whenI took it on! 

    Even when a recruitment consultant helped me get a job things didn't go any better. After I accepted and resigned my previous post I discovered administrative systems were chaotic, team dynamics were dysfunctional, and illegal things were happening. Employers are often less than honest about the reality of the role, office environment and working relationships when they recruit. Perhaps extended job trials would be better than interviews in some circumstances? 

    I would love to find a benign workplace where I can relax, be a goldfish, and get on with my work. Sadly there seem to be piranhas lurking everywhere. Perhaps I need some new employment survival strategies? Or maybe it is finally time to give up on trying to fit in? We urgently need organisations which are truly inclusive for autistic people so our confidence in our competence doesn't get undermined.

  • in reply to Sunflower

    When I interviewed for my current job, my ASC was seen as a positive attribute, and I felt reassured that I would at last be working in a place where my condition and needs were properly understood and accommodated.  Sadly, recent events have shown that not to be the case.  Our senior manager clearly has no proper understanding of ASC.  He's just a senior manager.  And we have a certain number of staff who aren't especially good at the job.  Partly, I suppose, it's a problem inherent with the low-paid care sector.  Having started the job with a high degree of confidence, I'm now once again feeling like a goldfish in a tank of pirhanas.

  • This is an interesting topic for discussion. I've been involved in recruitment in the past and I've always tried to focus on someone's abiiity to do the job (with whatever adjustments are needed). When discussing candidates with other members of the panel I've quite often had to challenge prejudicial views about appearance, gender, disability, personality and capacity to 'fit in'.

    Recruitment is a difficult area to regulate. Large organisations sometimes insist on everyone on interview panels doing relevant training. They may also have someone from HR present to make sure proper process is followed. It's still incredibly hard to make sure that principles of equality and diversity are upheld.

    In smaller organisations I've come across really good and really bad recruitment practice. A lot depends on the values of the people involved. Diversity among senior managers can help to promote inclusion - those who have experienced discrimination themselves may try to ensure others are not similarly disadvantaged (but this is not always the case).

    When organisations recruit people who are clones of current employees they fail to expand their collective mindset. We need to persuade them that languishing in the comfort zone of groupthink just encourages inertia. Diversifying the workforce is the best way to innovate and excel.

    It would be very interesting to know your views on strengthening legal protections and enhancing powers of regulators. Do you have any specific ideas about what could be done to improve things and bring about real culture change?