Zach - Hi. I'm Zach Zaborny from EPIC Assist
and I'm here today to talk to you about on the job support
being on the autism spectrum as a person with lived experience.
Tony - And I'm Tony Attwood, and I'm going to go through what you need to know
and to do to keep that job and to keep it in a level
that you feel comfortable and that you're successful.
When you start a new job, it's always a good idea
to meet with someone with Human Resources or one of your bosses
as soon as possible, to highlight any accommodation requests.
This ensures that you're entering into a work environment
that enables you to work effectively and to your best potential,
which is ultimately beneficial to both you and the organisation that you're working for.
Overcoming certain barriers that you may face on the job,
is something that is beneficial to think about from the start.
Would you benefit from more structure?
Would a process map defining your role be useful?
Any sensory issues should be raised with HR or your supervisor and/or managers as well.
These may include wearing dark glasses or hats for light sensitivity
or even changing particular lighting in the office.
What about noise?
Is there a space that you can retreat to when you're stressed or overloaded?
For instance, EPIC's office has a refresh and recharge room
where people can go should they feel the need for quiet or time out.
Address any barriers early on in the job,
ideally on the first day or before commencing work.
Though, we understand that throughout life,
things can happen and things can change.
That's why EPIC offers ongoing support even after obtaining work.
It's all about the journey and helping to meet your goals
for long term, gainful employment.
Tony- So, you got the job. You're there.
And what we want, is for you to stay there and enjoy it.
And, on the job, we have the concept of self-advocacy.
That is the ability to seek information, to make sure your needs are understood,
and that you're getting the information necessary for a good job.
Part of that is knowing, am I doing a good job, and to ask those sorts of questions.
In part, it is in self-advocacy, being assertive.
And if there are any issues, it may not be what you say, it's the way you say it.
And not to offend or to be misperceived, and, again,
you may rehearse with someone you know well, what your concerns are in the job
to prepare yourself as to how to explain your concerns succinctly,
without potentially offending or confusing your line manager or your colleagues.
I do recommend, as much as possible, to identify someone,
who may be officially appointed or you identify,
who is Asperger friendly. They almost speak 'Aspergerese'.
They read you, they know you, they know the challenges that you face.
When you spot that person, it may be appropriate to seek
their guidance as a mentor, in terms of understanding the culture,
the unwritten rules, the social hierarchy.
All those sorts of components may not be obvious to you.
Or various people that have a personality
that may need a certain adjustment in your style.
Neurotypicals are very good at adjusting their style according to personality.
And it would be useful to find out from someone how to adjust your own style.
So, you have the job. What are the keys to success?
I suppose, in a way, the classic Asperger characteristic is the quality of work.
People with Asperger's have a very high standard, not necessarily imposed by 'the boss.'
But their own sense of integrity and self-worth.
Be careful that this doesn't become something that takes
beyond what the employer is expecting, as you seek perfectionism.
But it' also, in a key to success, it's coping with a number of components.
The social part, not necessarily in work circumstances,
but in break times and after work, going to a café or a pub,
which is totally different from being a colleague in the work production.
So how well you may cope with the social culture that develops in non-work time.
It's also coping with the pressure.
That there may be deadlines, there may be things that need to be done
and to remember to manage your anxiety and that may be somewhere
you need to go for advice on anxiety and the workforce,
especially what I call, performance anxiety.
It' also coping with change, because you started off on one job,
and one of the problems can be you're so good, you're promoted.
But you may be promoted into an area that you feel less comfortable with.
For example, the actual production, should we say,
the work requirements may be fine - you repair that machine perfectly.
However, if you are then put in a managerial role, in charge of a group of other people
with their personality clashes and all those sorts of components, may not be your skill.
It's also coping with the sensory issues and the exhaustion at the end of your day.
So one of the things you may have to do, is say, okay, I'm good at my job
but it drains me. And at the end of the day I am absolutely exhausted.
So when you go home you will need to have a number of activities or solitude,
or playing with a pet, or being on the computer, that refresh you at the end of the working day.
And another one as I've alluded to before, is emotions and you may know
that your moods can be cyclical and it may not be a particular reason
but the tide of anxiety's coming in, or the tide of sadness.
And you may need to talk to someone about strategies to ensure
that moods don't affect your work performance.
The next area is barriers in a way, I suppose, one of the major barriers is attitudes.
An understanding of you being different, not defective but different.
And some people really can't cope with people who are different.
This can be a reason for bullying, teasing, rejection and humiliation.
And unfortunately this may have been a part of your school experiences,
but it doesn't necessarily end when you start in the workforce.
It is a human characteristic you need to be aware of.
Fortunately, such actions are certainly less acceptable in the workforce
than in the playground, but the line manager needs to know what's occurring,
because bullying and teasing will affect your work performance and team cohesion.
So, those are the main points that I would say in terms of on the job needs.
Thankyou.