Read some helpful hints
There are many things in an everyday workplace environment that might make life harder for autistic people that their neurotypical colleagues might not notice.
For example, someone turning up late to a meeting might be a small annoyance for a person without autism, but might cause a great deal of stress to an autistic person who has carefully planned their day around it.
Kelly and Hester Grainger are the co-founders of Perfectly Autistic, which they set up to increase awareness and understanding of autism and neurodiversity in the workplace. Kelly was diagnosed as autistic at 44 and with ADHD at 45, and Hester was diagnosed with ADHD when she was 43.
They spoke to the Mental Health at Work team to share some of the ways we can make our workplaces more autism-friendly.
Lighting Many workplaces make use of fluorescent overhead lighting. However, big lights are often harsh and can be overbearing for an autistic person. Adjusting the brightness to a more natural level can help us feel more relaxed, and our stress levels to drop. A quiet space By having a quiet space for a us to decompress, we can take stock of the day and recharge our batteries. This is especially helpful when we might be feeling overwhelmed, and need a little time to ourselves before getting back to work.
Food and smells Strong smells can cause genuine anxiety and stress to an autistic person. Making sure your staff have a place to eat lunch away from their desks will really help.
Meetings As well as being on time for meetings, it’s a great idea to ensure your team knows about meetings in advance where possible. Many autistic people like to plan their day around events, and so having a meeting sprung on them at the last minute can be stressful.
Learn more about creating an autism-friendly workplace
