New Employer - best way to disclose ASD diagnosis

I do feel the Triad is more of a barrier than a help. Employers are not directly affected by the Triad but by any factors that make it difficult to employ someone on the spectrum. It is what they need, not what you've got.

Some things in the triad may be more problemmatic for them than others, but the big issue is often with things the Triad doesn't address.

My perception (and its just my perspective and not necessarily anyone else's) is that most problems lie with "fitting in", with what is often termed "spikey profile", sensory and organisational issues.

We all seem to be working to the Social Model - that is to say an employer should expect to make reasonable adjustments, which boil down to wheelchair ramps, stable lighting, orthopaedic chairs etc.  The Social Model doesn't seem able to address autism.

 You cannot give someone on the autistic spectrum a tool that makes things alright. There have been discussions about hand-held device for organisational prompting, but that only sorts a quarter of the problems, if that.

Fitting in is paramount. Human collective working environments are inherently social and depend on conformity and "synchromeshed" interaction. People can tolerate difference if they can put boundaries around it. People on the autistic spectrum cannot be defined that way. They "get up people's noses" often for very trivial reasons, and probably more to do with neurotypical oversensitivity than any actual work difficulty.

Spikey profile is a real problem. I had many difficulties because there are some things I am exceptionally good at and other things I'm grievously bad at. They aren't easy to separate, often involving complimentary needs. Having special interests really isn't adequate to define this because it is what people on the spectrum cannot do that has most impact.

Sensory issues are also very significant in the workplace and difficult to compensate. Open plan offices or environments with lots of machinery noises are particularly difficult, and it may not be all that practical to separate the autistic person from the workface or the lighting etc.

The triad sounds good because it is after all what the AQ and other tests are based upon. But is this really a definition of reasonable adjustments. In practice it isn't, and you can only really assess this by taking each of the triad parameters, looking around your workspace, and having a serious think about whether it makes that many odds or has any impact.

Because your employer will try to take all these points literally, and tell people working with you to be cautious about use of humour and explain things clearly (rather than loudly and slowly as if you are deaf).

There are reason why so many people on the spectrum cannot hold down employment. We seriously need to tackle this, especially in the current recessional climate and with a government that doesn't take our difficulties seriously.

Some people seem to be happy wafting the triad under employers' noses and saying that's my job done, let the autistic workers get on with it.

My personal view is we need to understand the barriers a whole lot better.

I do feel the Triad is more of a barrier than a help. Employers are not directly affected by the Triad but by any factors that make it difficult to employ someone on the spectrum. It is what they need, not what you've got.

Some things in the triad may be more problemmatic for them than others, but the big issue is often with things the Triad doesn't address.

My perception (and its just my perspective and not necessarily anyone else's) is that most problems lie with "fitting in", with what is often termed "spikey profile", sensory and organisational issues.

We all seem to be working to the Social Model - that is to say an employer should expect to make reasonable adjustments, which boil down to wheelchair ramps, stable lighting, orthopaedic chairs etc.  The Social Model doesn't seem able to address autism.

 You cannot give someone on the autistic spectrum a tool that makes things alright. There have been discussions about hand-held device for organisational prompting, but that only sorts a quarter of the problems, if that.

Fitting in is paramount. Human collective working environments are inherently social and depend on conformity and "synchromeshed" interaction. People can tolerate difference if they can put boundaries around it. People on the autistic spectrum cannot be defined that way. They "get up people's noses" often for very trivial reasons, and probably more to do with neurotypical oversensitivity than any actual work difficulty.

Spikey profile is a real problem. I had many difficulties because there are some things I am exceptionally good at and other things I'm grievously bad at. They aren't easy to separate, often involving complimentary needs. Having special interests really isn't adequate to define this because it is what people on the spectrum cannot do that has most impact.

Sensory issues are also very significant in the workplace and difficult to compensate. Open plan offices or environments with lots of machinery noises are particularly difficult, and it may not be all that practical to separate the autistic person from the workface or the lighting etc.

The triad sounds good because it is after all what the AQ and other tests are based upon. But is this really a definition of reasonable adjustments. In practice it isn't, and you can only really assess this by taking each of the triad parameters, looking around your workspace, and having a serious think about whether it makes that many odds or has any impact.

Because your employer will try to take all these points literally, and tell people working with you to be cautious about use of humour and explain things clearly (rather than loudly and slowly as if you are deaf).

There are reason why so many people on the spectrum cannot hold down employment. We seriously need to tackle this, especially in the current recessional climate and with a government that doesn't take our difficulties seriously.

Some people seem to be happy wafting the triad under employers' noses and saying that's my job done, let the autistic workers get on with it.

My personal view is we need to understand the barriers a whole lot better.