Preparation to the jobinterview: give the person with autism the interview questions in advance so that he can prepare for the interview
The interview method: concise, with clear and direct questions, ask concrete examples, test the skills of a potential employee by having a task performed
Avoid abstract language: many people with autism interpret this literally.
Avoid hypothetical or abstract questions: 'Where do you see yourself in ten years' time?" can be very difficult for people with autism to answer, as they may find it impossible to make future projections -> what should a WM do to
do?
Open-ended questions are sometimes problematic, as someone with autism may find it difficult to determine what and how much to say about their experience.
Allow an intermediary to the conversation: the intermediary can rephrase questions to make them easier to understand: job coach
Give the candidate extra time to complete written tests
When asking questions, allow for processing time and don't keep repeating the same question over and over. Not too many instructions at once.
Give the candidate the opportunity to demonstrate their practical skills
Make the job package autism-friendly:
Ask the employee what he or she needs to function properly.
Let the employee do work that he or she is good at.
{mlang en}Communicate clearly; give clear, unambiguous instructions.
Put the tasks clearly on paper.
Distinguish between priority tasks and 'reserve' tasks.
Avoid 'unstructured' time in the task package (such as, for example, 'waiting').
Provide a step-by-step plan or a task analysis for each task.
Make clear where, when and to whom questions can be asked.
Discuss changes in the range of tasks and provide sufficient explanation.
Show where assignments lead to within the bigger picture.
Do not rely on non-verbal communication to be picked up. Ask clarifying questions: what are you going to do first, what do you remember from this conversation, ...
Evaluate regularly and then ask as explicitly as possible about any bottlenecks
Make the work environment ASD-friendly:
Take into account a possible hypersensitivity to stimuli such as light, smell and sound.
Design the workspace visually sober and well-arranged.
Limit auditory stimuli
Provide a quiet place to spend breaks.
Hang a clock in a clearly visible place.
Announce touches in advance.
Provide sufficient physical space between colleagues
Take into account social skills support
Always use concrete and clear language in all your spoken and written communication.
Complement your spoken and written language with diagrams and drawings.
Do not make unrealistic or unnecessary social demands.
Ensure knowledge and understanding among colleagues.
Provide a fixed point of contact/'buddy' in the workplace, for example a colleague. This buddy acts as a social mediator
Thinks along about a good workplace context (places, employer, colleagues)
Provides a good welcome
Recognizes signals when things are going less well with the colleague with ASD
Thinks along about reasonable adjustments to the range of tasks or the work environment
Explains the unwritten rules, traditions, etc. in the workplace
Translates situations, e.g. When is it an informal work moment, was it a joke or cynical comment that should not be taken literally, etc.
Provide predictability.
Create clarity in relationships and functions, explain clearly who does what in the company.
Always explicitly introduce new colleagues and trainees.
Discuss the course of the morning and evening greetings used in the company.
Communicate clearly the absences of important contacts (eg because of illness or leave).
Discuss the course of the breaks.
Dlearly announce 'festivities' and training courses and discuss their progress.
Give enough time to process information, for example, let there be silences in a conversation.
This booklet provides practical guidelines for the employer or for the employee with autism and his colleagues to make the work environment as good as possible!
With a little understanding and some minor adjustments, many people with autism can thrive in the workplace, with major benefits for companies. Get inspired by this 10 suggestions!