The Buckland Review of Autism Employment
The Buckland Review of Autism Employment was launched in April 2023 on World Autism Awareness Day, and over the months, hundreds of organisations and individuals have shared their experiences, ideas, and good practice.
At the moment only 3 in 10 autistic people of working age are in employment. This means that 7 in 10 of them are unable to access the independence and fulfilment that employment can bring. It also means that employers and the wider economy are missing out on the skills and energy that autistic people could be contributing, to the detriment of us all.
When it comes to employment, there is a wide range of potential barriers for autistic people.
When it comes to employment, there is a wide range of potential barriers for autistic people; poor preparation by employers, unfair hiring practices, unclear processes and outdated attitudes all play a role. Autistic people have far more negative experiences with interviews, group tasks and psychometric tests. Autistic jobseekers must navigate vague, generic job descriptions, ambiguous interview questions and challenging sensory environments, often with an emphasis on social skills rather than job skills.
Even after finding work, maintaining long-term sustainable employment remains a challenge for autistic people. Many do not receive the necessary support or adjustments to enable them to fulfil their role in the face of inaccessible sensory and social environments.
The review was launched to consider how this situation can be improved and it identified effective ways to overcome these barriers and significantly improve the autism employment rates of the next five years.
19 recommendations have been made and have been grouped into five themes:
What initiatives can help to raise awareness, reduce stigma and capitalise on the productivity of autistic employees
What more could be done to prepare autistic people effectively for beginning or returning to a career
How recruitment practices can be adjusted to meet the needs of autistic applicants
How employers can support autistic people already in their workforce
How autistic staff can be encouraged and supported to develop and progress in their career
The recommendations are mostly aimed at changing employer behaviour and are for the multidisciplinary task group to take forward. Many of the changes employers could make would help recruit, retain and develop autistic people and would also benefit people with other types of neurodiversity and disability, as well as non-disabled people. Adopting a universal ‘inclusion by design’ approach, so an autistic person need not disclose their autism to secure the support they need, could reduce the need for separate workplace adjustments and the stigma this can sometimes entail, as well as improve overall productivity.
Have you had similar experiences to what has been identified in this review? What else do you think employers need to consider to address this issue?
Get in contact and let us know.