# Autism in the workplace ## Interview with [[Auticon]] employee on [[Ask a Manager]] First link: - [interview with an employee at a majority-autistic company — Ask a Manager](https://www.askamanager.org/2021/03/interview-with-an-employee-at-a-majority-autistic-company.html) The company is called auticon, here is their interview process: - [Recruitment process for consultants - auticon](https://auticon.us/careers/recruitment-process-for-consultants/) This quote jumped out: > [!quote]   Asking a lot of questions can come off as insubordination, but I do so to make sure I really understand things and can run with them. My colleagues understanding this makes me a better decision maker as I don’t have to second guess myself. Similarly, I explain my perspective to help people understand it, which can come off as egotistical. At auticon my level of self-awareness is refreshing, and it helps to build a safe environment for others like me. and > [!quote] Autistic life is often exhausting — we process things differently and the world is not designed for us, plus it’s a constant struggle to convince others that our perspectives are valid. People don’t understand that they don’t understand. This is referred to as the Double Empathy Problem: our traits and methods aren’t wrong, they’re just very different. > Working as an autistic person has meant I needed to accommodate a lot of teaching/explanation and internal bias. That’s a job in itself, and it demands a lot of vulnerability — people take that for granted. At auticon this is recognized, so I have much less stress/anxiety to manage and more capacity to focus on my job. ## Auticon website The general page of [[Auticon]] about [[Autism]] has some good quotes: > [!quote] People on the autism spectrum perceive things differently than non-autistics. Non-autistic persons usually perceive holistically and subsequently break perceptual input down into singular modules and details. Autistic persons on the other hand are more likely to initially perceive basic structures and details and then integrate this information into holistic concepts. Within occupational contexts, this alternative perspective on one and the same concept bears a significant potential for additional insights. > [!quote] Having one or more special interests is common for people with autism. Special interests are highly intensive hobbies in which the individual gathers comprehensive expertise and technical knowledge. Typical special interests of people on the autism spectrum are logically or systematically structured domains including mathematics, physics, languages, music, engineering, IT or statistics; although some also thrive in creative areas or the humanities. > [!quote] Many people with autism are able to recognize patterns in large structures or data sets quickly and effortlessly. Due to their ‘bottom-up’ perceptual style, deviations and errors flag up immediately. This unique skill is highly valuable in the analysis and evaluation of mass data but also within compliance and quality assurance frameworks. > [!quote] Many people with autism don’t need to search for errors – errors or deviations simply pop up like a red flag. Some people on the autism spectrum go as far as saying that mistakes cause them physical discomfort. ## Blog post: Creating an autistic-friendly workplace This looks really great and I look forward to reading it: - [Creating an Autistic-Friendly Workplace · Public Neurodiversity Support Center](https://coda.io/@mykola-bilokonsky/public-neurodiversity-support-center/creating-an-autistic-friendly-workplace-95)