Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello All, I am a female civil engineering technician from the East Midlands with over 16 years experience of highways, rail, drainage etc. and I have recently been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged 39.
My journey began when I was signed off work with anxiety and depression in the summer. Things hadn’t been going well with the job. There had been a number of fall-outs with others, misunderstandings and so on. In fact, I have struggled to keep a job all my working life.
While I was off, one of the associate directors where I work suggested that I use the time to reflect on what triggers my stress/anxiety. Instantaneously, I said ‘noise’ in reply and mentioned that my desk neighbour’s constant, vibrating, push notifications were reverberating through my arms and driving me to despair.
Anyway, I began to research online and as one of the many things that I have been criticised about by my managers is being overly sensitive, eventually I came across some research by Elaine N. Aron concerning the use of fMRI scans to measure empathy and her theories concerning “highly sensitive persons” “affected by sensory processing sensitivity that makes them more emotional” in the Daily Mail.
I completed the questionnaire on her website and scored very highly and then when reading the FAQ section afterwards, I came across this question: How does sensitivity differ from Autistic spectrum disorders (Asperger’s Syndrome, etc.)?
In the meantime, my employer wasn’t satisfied with the two occupational health professional’s reports they had previously commissioned so they arranged for me to see a neuropsychiatrist who eventually diagnosed me after an appointment that I made privately as my employers didn’t want to pursue it any further once told after their initial probe that ASD was more than probable.
Once ASD had been alluded to, my employer attempted reductionism by means of soliciting the advice of an ergonomist, someone who would normally deal with display screen assessments and seated posture, interestingly, also behavioural safety in relation to the design of nuclear plant control panels and software interfaces - just not autism.
I am grateful to my employer in that I now know why I am a serial leg bouncer and chair rocker. In fact, my earliest memory is looking down on a pair of socks pulled right up to my knees and the obligatory pair of 1970’s t-bar shoes and having my legs smacked by a well-meaning aunt who insisted that I must behave and keep still!
However, I have encountered an awful lot of ignorance and prejudice at work having been accused of trying to use my disability to my advantage in order to see the psychiatrists reasonable adjustments concerning a quiet working environment implemented.
I have engaged with ACAS to try and get my employer to compromise over my environment but they say that letting me work out of one of their 4 x quiet rooms which are empty 99% of the time would be too disruptive to the business.
Also, I made a business case for flexible working from home by means of a statutory request following the Stevenson and Farmer review of mental health at work on the basis that I wouldn’t need time off with anxiety and depression if I were allowed to work in an environment conducive to my needs but to no avail.
I am currently signed off by my GP researching employment law precedents and waiting for the employer to conclude its deliberations and inform me of their decision in writing.
I'm hypersensitive to noise too. Two of the adjustments I have are fixed time in a private office to carry out admin. I also have a working from home day each week to help me manage my anxiety. I work in HE and private space is very hard to come by but I've found if an employer wants to implement these things they'll find a way. Although I have worked in very supportive environments, I've also worked with some numpties who go out of their way to make things difficult.
Hi there just wanted to say hi!
I am a civil engineeer, I would be the one to carry out the work you design or keep tabs on. I am ex labourer, ex machine operator, now Ganger/ Forman, site safety supervisor, etc, so less manual work, more admin, the pressure to keep up is mounting, I never enjoyed paper work, I am on the dyslexic spectrum, I can read and write it is mostly my memory or lack of that causes issues,
I can perform when needs be, act like a boss, but I just want to work and know I have done a good job that gives me satisfaction.
quite how you survive in the construction industry I shall never know, The majority of men I lead or work with are leaning towards less tolerant types, fixed stereo types, bigotted, homophobic, racists, demean women. I struggle to adapt to a less than perfect idol. Well I don’t! I just try to co exhist, it hurts my mind to do so.... but I get to be my own boss, my timing, my decisions, my way,,,,well mostly.
Hope your bosses do the correct thing for you,
Hello Lonewarrior! Great to hear back from someone in my line of work! I have been shoved, threatened, bullied and called names and experienced some shocking sexism including being touched but I love my job with all my heart and I think I am pretty good at it. I am with a huge design consultancy and I am considered to be an Autodesk Civil 3D/Infraworks 360 expert.
I help people in my company from all over the world on the Yammer forums and I am good on the phone although I have caught myself slipping my shoes off and rubbing them to self-sooth when I am put on the spot about something!
It is very elitist at the company I work for and when I sat my EngTech with the ICE one of the reviewers even said the firm was arrogant!
I really identify with what you said about just wanting to work and make a good job of things. I just wish that my employer and I could work things out and make a fresh start with some simple adjustments like letting me work out of one of the empty quiet rooms or to come in and be briefed and take a chunk of work away to do at home.
Thanks for wishing my bosses do the right thing and thanks for your time!