Only around 3 in 10 working-age autistic people in the UK are in employment. That figure comes from The Buckland Review of Autism Employment, published by the government in February 2024. Many autistic people want to work and have the skills employers are crying out for. The barriers are mostly in how organisations hire and how workplaces are run.
Hiring processes need reviewing
Recruitment is where many autistic candidates fall at the first hurdle. Vague job adverts, unstructured interviews that reward small talk, surprise tasks and tight time limits all test how well someone performs under neurotypical social rules, not how well they would do the job. Autistic candidates come away exhausted and discouraged, and employers miss out on people who would have been excellent hires.
Much of this could be fixed with fairly basic changes. Clear, accessible job descriptions, questions shared in advance, and a straightforward way to ask for adjustments go a long way. Our guide to making the interview process accessible sets out more.
Yes, it helps when autistic candidates know the reasonable adjustments they can ask for and how to spot a neurodiversity-friendly employer. But the responsibility for change shouldn’t sit on their shoulders. It sits with everyone else: allistic and neurotypical colleagues, hiring managers and leaders.
Unconscious bias is holding us back
Change starts with recognising our own bias. Unless you or someone close to you is autistic, your picture of autism has probably been shaped by TV and film. Media portrayals tend to focus on a narrow set of stereotypes, and they rarely show autistic people simply doing their jobs well. We explore this further in our post on autism representation in the media.
In reality, autistic people bring a wide range of skills and experience to work, just like anyone else. Many value honesty and directness, and many have deep expertise in their areas of interest. They interact with the world differently, and good workplaces make room for that.
Any leader who resists small changes to hiring or workplace culture should ask themselves why. Adjustments tend to improve performance, morale and efficiency for whole teams. Sometimes the real gap is not in the candidate’s skills but in the leadership skills of the people doing the hiring.
Why neuroinclusion should be a priority for employers
Many younger workers talk about neurodivergence openly, and many expect employers to take inclusion seriously. Organisations that don’t build neuroinclusive workplaces will find it harder to attract and keep talent, and word spreads fast online. Putting people first is not at odds with profit. Treating staff well tends to pay off in retention, productivity and reputation.
Think of it this way. You wouldn’t turn down the best candidate for a job because they have a nut allergy and the boss likes snacking on cashews in the afternoon. You’d switch the snacks, maybe to fruit or a packet of Walkers. The boss might even prefer the change, and realise cashews were only ever a habit. Most adjustments for autistic people are like that: small, cheap and better for everyone once they are in place.
The ability to change this is already in our hands. Small adjustments made with difference in mind can have a big impact on who gets through the door and who stays.
How Enna can help
Closing the autism employment gap starts with your hiring process. Our neuroinclusion audits review your recruitment and workplace practices and show you exactly where autistic candidates are being lost. Our Neurodiversity Deep Dive workshop helps hiring managers and HR teams understand autism properly and spot their own bias. You can also explore how we help employers reach neurodivergent talent.
If you are autistic and looking for work, browse our jobs board for roles with employers committed to neuroinclusion. To talk about your organisation’s next steps, book a call with us.
