Talking to adults on the Autism Spectrum most if not all have indicated the difficulities they have in finding a job and holding down employment. Most have indicated that they are fearful of being bullied or co-workers not understanding them. I know myself the challenges. In some instances I am aware of behaviours of certain staff members which may not always be appropriate. For instance are other staff members aware of how they behave?
One of the difficulties which can sometimes be encountered is start and finish times. On rare ocassions when starting and finishing a job you can feel like you are being watched over. Even though you do your job, you often wonder the sense of working altogether when in the majority of instances you have to put up with crap from other people. You can become stressed and more importantly it can cause you serious anxiety and actually affect job performance.
The biggest challenges and difficulties Aspies have in employment is finding a fair and secure work environment. One that is free of bullying and intimidating persons who just make working life impossible. They can either be aware of their actions or behave in a manner which is totally inappropriate to your well being within the work envrioment. It just makes life impossible. I know of few Aspies who simply give up and lose confidence in trying to find employment because they are afraid of being bullied again. They also fear being sacked and having to put with the nonsense of some co-workers making life extremely difficult for them.
I often have people say how lucky I am etc. Well I would like to defend my own situation. Do you really feel that experiencing difficulty and encountering bullying within a work environment is something that makes you feel lucky? Do you also feel that the difficulties in not being able to get a job due to an application process which discriminates against you by way of judging your performance on the day rather than overall ability is entirely fair? Do you also think that having to live the life of a second rate citizen missing out on the neccessary financial requirements is fair because you chose to work part time to ensure your health does not go down hill is also 'lucky'? Well I ask you then to reconsider your comments should you wish to make them. Unemployment in the Autistic Adult population remains at 12% Is this lucky? Also depression and suicide are serious risk factors?
Workplace bullying has to stop! It is clearly unacceptable and work environments need to understand just how Aspies work and participate within employment. We find it hard to understand a workplace which is purely social and structured a long the lines which make our ways of thinking and participating in employment difficult. Furthermore, supervisors and managers need to be and act responsibly to ensure both the safety and protection of all workers, especially those on the Autism Spectrum. I am concerned when I hear the stories of adults who have been sacked for disclosing they have Asperger Syndrome or for just acting differently. Furthermore it is very alarming when I hear of the stories of workplace bullying and supervisors and managers just turning a blind eye to the problem. Enough is enough Aspies should be able to obtain the same rights and opportunities of others under so called "Equal Opportunity". An end to bullying needs to stop as well as other more serious issues. The life of a second rate citizen is clearly unacceptable.
One of the difficulties which can sometimes be encountered is start and finish times. On rare ocassions when starting and finishing a job you can feel like you are being watched over. Even though you do your job, you often wonder the sense of working altogether when in the majority of instances you have to put up with crap from other people. You can become stressed and more importantly it can cause you serious anxiety and actually affect job performance.
The biggest challenges and difficulties Aspies have in employment is finding a fair and secure work environment. One that is free of bullying and intimidating persons who just make working life impossible. They can either be aware of their actions or behave in a manner which is totally inappropriate to your well being within the work envrioment. It just makes life impossible. I know of few Aspies who simply give up and lose confidence in trying to find employment because they are afraid of being bullied again. They also fear being sacked and having to put with the nonsense of some co-workers making life extremely difficult for them.
I often have people say how lucky I am etc. Well I would like to defend my own situation. Do you really feel that experiencing difficulty and encountering bullying within a work environment is something that makes you feel lucky? Do you also feel that the difficulties in not being able to get a job due to an application process which discriminates against you by way of judging your performance on the day rather than overall ability is entirely fair? Do you also think that having to live the life of a second rate citizen missing out on the neccessary financial requirements is fair because you chose to work part time to ensure your health does not go down hill is also 'lucky'? Well I ask you then to reconsider your comments should you wish to make them. Unemployment in the Autistic Adult population remains at 12% Is this lucky? Also depression and suicide are serious risk factors?
Workplace bullying has to stop! It is clearly unacceptable and work environments need to understand just how Aspies work and participate within employment. We find it hard to understand a workplace which is purely social and structured a long the lines which make our ways of thinking and participating in employment difficult. Furthermore, supervisors and managers need to be and act responsibly to ensure both the safety and protection of all workers, especially those on the Autism Spectrum. I am concerned when I hear the stories of adults who have been sacked for disclosing they have Asperger Syndrome or for just acting differently. Furthermore it is very alarming when I hear of the stories of workplace bullying and supervisors and managers just turning a blind eye to the problem. Enough is enough Aspies should be able to obtain the same rights and opportunities of others under so called "Equal Opportunity". An end to bullying needs to stop as well as other more serious issues. The life of a second rate citizen is clearly unacceptable.
