Welcome back to our Accommodations Series, where we have been examining what accommodations can look like across a variety of important settings. 

We took a closer look at accommodations in K-12 school settings in Part 1, examining them through the lens of Individual Education Plans and 504 Plans. 

In Part 2 we covered accommodations in postsecondary education and the ways that student needs can change in a higher workload and less structured academic setting. 

In Part 3 we will be taking a closer look at accommodations in the workplace.

While Autistic people in the workplace are still protected by many of the same laws that legally entitled them to accommodations at the school and postsecondary level, the workplace offers a completely different dynamic from a school setting and comes with its own challenges, dilemmas, and obstacles to navigate. 

Autistic people who have received an official diagnosis are entitled to reasonable accommodations under the law. One wrinkle to this legal protection, however, is that to receive it you must disclose to your workplace that you are Autistic, and whether or not disclosure is a good idea is not universally agreed upon. 

People who disclose may be entitled to certain accommodations but fear they will not be considered for certain positions or responsibilities if they are labelled a certain way.

It is ultimately up to each individual to gauge their comfort level in their own workspace, whether they wish to disclose. For those who are concerned about potentially negative consequences of disclosure, one thing worth considering in this post is that many workplace accommodations do not require intensive resources, and it may be possible to justify your need to a boss without disclosing. 

While your organization has more leeway to say no to such a request without the legal protections of the ADA, it is a worthwhile option to consider if you don’t feel safe disclosing in your current work environment but would still benefit from certain accommodations. 

So let’s take a closer look at what those accommodations might look like!

One of the most crucial components of work in many offices is productivity, and many of the accommodations we might seek out in an office are ultimately tools that help us to be more productive with the work time we have. 

While we want to emphasize that it is important to offer accommodations for their own sake and because accessibility is important, it is also true that many accommodations do essentially function as productivity tools, allowing someone to do better work than they otherwise might if they had to navigate the same task without any accommodations. 

If you feel that a particular accommodation would be helpful to you completing your tasks but you do not wish to disclose in your workplace, sometimes arguing from a place of wanting to be more productive can make a big difference! 

Some examples of accommodations for completing tasks might include:

• Text-to-speech software

• Screen reader software

• Permission to use specialized equipment

• Breaking down tasks into smaller components

• Using software with built-in accessibility tools

• Remote work tools

Another essential component of functioning in a workspace is being able to access that workspace in the same way everyone else does. 

One way this can often be overlooked when it comes to Autistic employees is the way that the sensory features of an environment or frequent close contact with coworkers can also make a workspace feel more stressful and less productive. Just because someone is able to physically access a workspace does not mean they are able to use it in the same way. 

Some accommodations that can help to bridge the gap include:

• Modifying office lighting to be less harsh

• Allowing sensory dampening items such as sunglasses or headphones

• A quiet decompression space

• Permission to take more frequent shorter breaks or one longer break

• Permission to work remotely for some portion of responsibilities when possible

• Permission to use sensory objects during work time

One component of communication we have covered already in this series is alternate communication tools, but there is so much more to communication than just the method, and that especially rings true in an office setting where everyone needs to work together as a team but might also come with some attached social expectations. 

Just as important as the tools we use to communicate is the style of communication that helps us function best and how that can be incorporated into an office setting. A classic example comes with people who struggle to quickly transition between tasks. 

A quick interruption might not feel like a big deal to the person making it, but might amount to a major setback for someone who built up a lot of momentum on that task and can’t just start right back up again. 

There are lots of different ways we can plan to account for different communication styles.

• A ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign for when someone is engaged with an important task

• An agreement to designate specific office hours for asking questions or checking in

• An agreement to send requests in the form of an email first if it is not an emergency

• Submitting a written report rather than a presentation at team meetings

• Breaking down big project deadlines into smaller more discrete tasks

We hope this post has offered some ideas on what accommodations can look like in the office, and that they can range in complexity from productivity tools to changes in planning to simply adjusting for a wider range of communication styles. 

The more we can do to accommodate individual needs when it comes to a workspace the more we can focus on the task at hand and meeting our career goals! 

If you have an experience related to workplace accommodations that you would like to share then we would love to hear from you. Just drop us a line at hello@autismgrownup.com and if you are an ally seeking to create a more accommodating workplace then check out our free toolkit! Otherwise stay tuned for Part 4 where we will be focusing on accommodations in the community.