• Replies 6 replies
  • Subscribers 84 subscribers
  • Views 423 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Workplace struggles

Saral0u1s3

Does anyone struggle in their workplace. I’m currently going through borderline discrimination based on the fact I’m autistic, my colleagues are isolating me because they find me too “difficult” to work with and my boss is trying to force me into a neurotypical box.

I don’t know how to handle it, it’s overwhelming me. Does anyone have any advise or any resources / materials that might explain the situation to all my colleagues and bosses who are struggling because I’m different?

Parents

  • Can you tell us what specifically is triggering the overwhelm for you?

    If you can work it out then there is a chance you can use the HR option of "reasonable adjustments" to get a change made here.

    You will need to disclose to the company that you are autistic - showing them a diagnosis is a good way to do this although I don't think it is mandatory.

    They are also only obliged to make these adjustments if they are considered reasonable and are to ensure you are not legally discriminated against becase of your autism.

    From what other people have said here the responses are very mixed and the understanding of autism is very sparse.

    I personally found trying to educate my boss and colleagues about autism was a fast track way to an early end to my contract - they didn't want anybody "wrong in the head" working with them in spite of the fact I had been their manager for 4 years previously before going freelance and not having any problems.

    My advice would be to hope for the best while planning for the worst. If the overwhelming has already started then it is hard to stop if snowballing and if the company are not forthcoming in helping you then it isn't going to fix itself.

    I would start looking for another job that is accepting of your autism so you at least have a plan B.

  • in reply to Iain

    The fact that I am constantly trying to explain how I am different to them is causing me the overwhelming. The company are aware of my autism and I already have some reasonable adjustments in place but my team and bosses and still excluding me and “pushing me out” because they are struggling to handle someone who thinks and does stuff that is different from “normal”

Reply
  • in reply to Iain

    The fact that I am constantly trying to explain how I am different to them is causing me the overwhelming. The company are aware of my autism and I already have some reasonable adjustments in place but my team and bosses and still excluding me and “pushing me out” because they are struggling to handle someone who thinks and does stuff that is different from “normal”

Children
  • in reply to Saral0u1s3
    Saral0u1s3 said:
    The fact that I am constantly trying to explain how I am different to them is causing me the overwhelming.

    It is important that you understand this - you are creating this pressure in trying to fix an underlying problem.

    You have the control to take that pressure off yourself and change the approach, if you are willing. You have seen that your colleagues are unwilling to learn or engage which is their right so long as it is not discriminating against you, so why push to try to force them into doing something they don't seem to want to do.

    Others have said here that they found that disclosing their autism has led to them being squeezed out of their jobs (my experience too) as I think the neurotypicals do not know how to deal with us and seem almost afraid to have us around, acting weird to their perceptions.

    There are enough ways for management to make life uncomfortable enough to make you want to leave without breaching the standards that coud lead to a discrimination case so it is worth removing as many stressers as you can to make work survivable,

    Work does tend to be a very tribal environment so when you consider that diagnosed autistic adults make up about 1% of the population (3% in children) but only about 20% of us are actually in work then that makes us about 1 in 500 of the workforce - we are a very small minority which is probably why there is little known about us and our needs.

    Realistically to survive you are the one who needs to cope for the most part. Definitely ask for Reasonable Adjustments if these help but my advice is to engage with a therapist who is skilled in treating autists and let them help you cope better with the issues that are causing anxiety / fear / anger etc.

    Should we have to do this - no, but society isn't ready for us and making a stand will almost certainly go badly (extra anxiety and resentment from colleagues) based on what I have seen and experienced, hence this line of adopting a defensive approach.

    You are the only one you can trust so that is where I would focus my efforts.