April was Autism Awareness month, also referred to as Autism Acceptance month, a month observed to promote awareness, understanding, inclusion and celebration of autistic individuals.

It is estimated that around 700,000 people have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the UK – more than 1 in 100 people. Including the families of those individuals, autism is part of daily life for around 2.8 million people.

What actions did HR Prime take?

We have delivered two notable sessions in April, to support with both managing neurodiversity in the workplace, and also supporting those with autism.

Firstly, Tracey and Sam delivered an employment session to job seekers working with ECL. This group was aimed at young adults with autism, and focused on writing and tailoring their CVs for roles, completing applications, interview skills, and overall job search support. The group were engaged and excellent feedback was received regarding the skills, and confidence gained.

One of the main concerns from the group was sharing their diagnosis with employers, and feeling that this would cause discrimination, and reduce their chances of employment.

Our next session was our April Lunch and Learn, where Stuart Braybrook from ECL joined as our guest speaker to talk about managing neurodiversity in the workplace. A brilliant session aimed at supporting managers to ensure equality within the workplace.

How can you support neurodiverse staff as an employer?

First of all, we would encourage all companies to embrace employing staff with neurodiversity. Understanding their needs, and adapting practices, policies and protocols to enable them to succeed at work is essential.

Very importantly, remember that one size does not fit all – every individual will need a different approach, different support, and different communication. Take time to talk to your staff and understand how you can support them.

From an interview or pre-employment perspective, areas such as making interviews accessible (think about locations, questioning style and the clarity of questions), sending out interview questions in advance, and offering adjustments, can make the process much less stressful for applicants.

If you need support to consider or implement adjustments, please contact us on team@hrprime.co.uk