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Is doing a good job about fitting in? Or doing it well?

longman

I thought it worth posing this questions as it underlies a lot of the problems faced by people on the spectrum in obtaining employment.

We currently live in a society where fitting in is more important than ability to do a good job. The work place is a social environbment. Many hours of productivity are lost by the amount of time frittered away by employees socialising on the job, when they should be getting down to it. Promotion often depends on joining Round Table or Freemasons, whether your partner is a good cook and has people round for candlelit suppers.

The BIG problem for this country atr the moment is the capacity of employees to waste time at work.

People on the spectrum have the unusual and valuable talent of being able to focus on a job and stay with it to completion. They don't need social displacement activity.

Yet often they cannot gain or hold down a job, primarily because they cannot do the social bit.

British employers should wake up to the value of hard working committed employees not being allowed to work just because they cannot socialise.

Parents

  • Richard Branson perhaps....? He needs to keep his feet on the ground more.

    I did write to Lord Sugar, several years ago, suggesting that a competition not so far removed from The Apprentice, might be used as a vehicle to increase awareness of the potential of people with various disabilities including autism. I didn't get a reply - as you can guess - although a factor may have been that was the year someone won it who had dyslexia - I might have been suspected of being a supporter.

    However I do think we need something on the media that shows various disabilities in a better light, and does something to improve employment.

    The Government mind you would cheerily respond what about paralympic games..... but while they've used sport as a flagship for their getting disabled into work (fantasy) schemes, disability still doesn't get anyone jobs. Sport is a good extracurricular activity for job seekers, I'm not sure how far being a disabled sports person (unless you become a celebrity) makes a difference to the job market.

    It is curious also how many endurance programmes have been on the media, showing disabled people crossing the Arctic circle ior climbing in the Himalyas. I'm not sure it helps them find jobs. It might help them feel more positive about themselves, but the dignity of secure gainful employment is surely more valuable.

    But I'm sure that someone someday will come up with a good television theme that follows disabled people, including those on the autistic spectrum. into the job market and into long term careers. That is why I had the daft idea of writing to Lord Sugar. It would have been nice to have seen his reply - even if it was full of grumphhhs and swear words.

Reply

  • Richard Branson perhaps....? He needs to keep his feet on the ground more.

    I did write to Lord Sugar, several years ago, suggesting that a competition not so far removed from The Apprentice, might be used as a vehicle to increase awareness of the potential of people with various disabilities including autism. I didn't get a reply - as you can guess - although a factor may have been that was the year someone won it who had dyslexia - I might have been suspected of being a supporter.

    However I do think we need something on the media that shows various disabilities in a better light, and does something to improve employment.

    The Government mind you would cheerily respond what about paralympic games..... but while they've used sport as a flagship for their getting disabled into work (fantasy) schemes, disability still doesn't get anyone jobs. Sport is a good extracurricular activity for job seekers, I'm not sure how far being a disabled sports person (unless you become a celebrity) makes a difference to the job market.

    It is curious also how many endurance programmes have been on the media, showing disabled people crossing the Arctic circle ior climbing in the Himalyas. I'm not sure it helps them find jobs. It might help them feel more positive about themselves, but the dignity of secure gainful employment is surely more valuable.

    But I'm sure that someone someday will come up with a good television theme that follows disabled people, including those on the autistic spectrum. into the job market and into long term careers. That is why I had the daft idea of writing to Lord Sugar. It would have been nice to have seen his reply - even if it was full of grumphhhs and swear words.

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