Do stress assessments in the work setting work for autistic employees if they are designed for neurotypicals?

Hi, I work for the NHS 3 days a week.  Our service has been reorganised at short notice, we have been relocated, given new technology without adequate training and we are short of staff.

We are all stressed in various ways and the Managers are monitoring this.  My line Manager wants to do a Stress Test on me (I'm an Aspie), does anyone know if such tests for Neurotypicals are appropriate to Aspies/Austists??   Things that stress me (not achieving things and noisy overcrowded meeting rooms are not what stress NTs).  Has anyone any experience of this?

Parents
  • Thank you for your advice.  I had my Supervision with my line manager but she was unable to access the Human Resources website with the Stress Test on it, so she said she would email it to me.  I am familiar with the HADS as I've used it on patients.  I know I'm not depressed as I'm quite happy away from work.  I took a short article from Spectrum about the autonomic nervous system in autism which mentioned anxiety, sleep, heart and digestive problems.  My line manager is very willing to make reasonable adjustments but I do have to clearly explain what helps and why as she doesn't have any real understanding of autism.  One problem is the Team Meetings are much larger, noisier and draining.  At the first one we were told we would be "named and shamed" if we didn't see enough patients, then there was to be an "ice breaker" after the coffee break - during which I was overwhelmed, in tears and informed my line manager I needed to leave.  I explained later in an email that sensory overload, fear and unpredictability were all factors and prior knowledge of the meeting contents would help.  I have asked for additional help with using the iPad we've been given and asked for 1:1 tuition instead of a group IT Lesson that they tend to organise.  As we are all remote working now, there aren't colleagues around to ask about the new IT system, so I think I'm justified in asking for this help.  Another big stressor, is being with stressed colleagues (we are all stressed) and trying to be supportive to them.  As this situation is new to me, I can only work out a strategy to manage it, after something has already happened eg a colleague ringing in the evening telling me about their stress. I've decided not to answer such a call again as that's my relaxing time.

    I'm not so worried about the stress test now but I do want to excuse myself from the next Team Meeting purely because it's on my birthday and I don't want to feel drained & shutting down at the end of the day.  The daft thing is, the anxiety prevents me from remembering what was said in the meeting anyway, I may as well just read the Minutes!

Reply
  • Thank you for your advice.  I had my Supervision with my line manager but she was unable to access the Human Resources website with the Stress Test on it, so she said she would email it to me.  I am familiar with the HADS as I've used it on patients.  I know I'm not depressed as I'm quite happy away from work.  I took a short article from Spectrum about the autonomic nervous system in autism which mentioned anxiety, sleep, heart and digestive problems.  My line manager is very willing to make reasonable adjustments but I do have to clearly explain what helps and why as she doesn't have any real understanding of autism.  One problem is the Team Meetings are much larger, noisier and draining.  At the first one we were told we would be "named and shamed" if we didn't see enough patients, then there was to be an "ice breaker" after the coffee break - during which I was overwhelmed, in tears and informed my line manager I needed to leave.  I explained later in an email that sensory overload, fear and unpredictability were all factors and prior knowledge of the meeting contents would help.  I have asked for additional help with using the iPad we've been given and asked for 1:1 tuition instead of a group IT Lesson that they tend to organise.  As we are all remote working now, there aren't colleagues around to ask about the new IT system, so I think I'm justified in asking for this help.  Another big stressor, is being with stressed colleagues (we are all stressed) and trying to be supportive to them.  As this situation is new to me, I can only work out a strategy to manage it, after something has already happened eg a colleague ringing in the evening telling me about their stress. I've decided not to answer such a call again as that's my relaxing time.

    I'm not so worried about the stress test now but I do want to excuse myself from the next Team Meeting purely because it's on my birthday and I don't want to feel drained & shutting down at the end of the day.  The daft thing is, the anxiety prevents me from remembering what was said in the meeting anyway, I may as well just read the Minutes!

Children
  • It sounds like team meetings could be much better managed - naming and shaming is just a form of bullying! I feel like our workplace often runs meetings for the sake of it, and I could have got the same messages from an email. Reading the minutes sounds like a good idea.