Introduction
When a manager notices that an autistic employee is struggling in their role, it can be difficult to know what to do. You want to be fair and supportive, but you also need to maintain performance across your team.
If your autistic employee isn’t performing as expected, try not to jump to conclusions. Work out the root cause first, whether that’s an organisational issue, a capability gap, a performance concern or a need for reasonable adjustments. This guide takes you through how to handle it, step by step. For more background, our guide to autism in the workplace covers the basics.
1. Start with curiosity, not assumption
Autistic employees may experience barriers at work that aren’t immediately visible. That might include sensory challenges, communication misunderstandings, unspoken expectations, or an environment that simply doesn’t work for their brain.
Instead of assuming poor performance is about effort or attitude, open a dialogue. To give them time to think and prepare, put a meeting in their calendar and share a clear agenda with the questions you would like to ask.
Try asking:
“Over the past two weeks, have you noticed anything at work that has made your job easier or harder?”
“Are there any specific tasks or situations in your job this month that you’ve found harder than usual?”
“Would changes like written instructions, quieter spaces or more time for tasks help make your work easier?”
Asking first helps build psychological safety. Your employee can see you want to listen before you decide anything.
2. Consider four key causes
When an employee isn’t performing, it’s usually due to one (or more) of the following:
Organisational barrier: Your systems, environment or communication methods might be causing friction. For example, an open-plan office, unclear instructions, or deadlines that change without notice.
Capability issue: The employee might not have the right tools, training or confidence to complete the task. This doesn’t mean they aren’t capable, just that they need support or clearer guidance.
Performance issue: In some cases, the role might not be the right fit, or expectations aren’t being met despite adjustments and support. These situations still require compassion and structure.
Need for reasonable adjustments: The Equality Act 2010 requires employers to make reasonable adjustments that remove barriers for disabled employees, including many autistic people. That might mean changing how meetings are run, providing written instructions, or allowing noise-cancelling headphones. Our list of reasonable adjustment examples for managers has more ideas.
Working out which of these four areas the issue falls into helps you take the right next step.
3. Have a clear, supportive conversation
When you’re ready to speak with the employee, book a time in their calendar. Make the agenda really clear and share the questions in advance if you can, so they can prepare and make notes if needed.
Use a clear structure:
1. Describe what you’re noticing: “I’ve noticed some deadlines have been missed…”
2. Ask open questions: “How are you finding the workload?”
3. Share your intention: “I want to understand what’s going on and how I can support you.”
4. Listen carefully to their response without interrupting or rushing to a solution.
If they tell you a neurodivergent trait is making parts of the role harder, reassure them they are not alone and that you are willing to support them.
4. Put targeted support in place
Once you have a good idea of the cause, act on it:
- Organisational: Change the process or environment. Could they work from home more? Could instructions be shared in writing? Would flexible hours help?
- Capability: Provide training, mentoring or clearer expectations. Don’t assume they’ll “just get it” over time.
- Performance: If it is a genuine performance issue, document the support you’ve provided and consider a fair improvement plan, but do this alongside reasonable adjustments, not instead of them.
- Reasonable adjustment need: Make reasonable adjustments promptly. If you’re unsure which adjustments to make, we can help you design a plan.
If you’re unsure what to try, our Neurodiversity Advisory Line gives managers confidential advice on situations like this.
5. Avoid common pitfalls
- Don’t assume “if they needed support, they’d ask.” Many autistic employees mask or fear being seen as difficult.
- Don’t make changes without asking. Adjustments should be collaborative.
- Don’t ignore the problem. Avoiding the issue makes it harder to fix.
- Don’t compare them to others. Neurodivergent employees may have different, but equally valuable, ways of working.
6. Follow up and review
Once changes are made, follow up regularly. Ask what’s working and what isn’t, and be flexible. Keep notes and document what’s been agreed. Reasonable adjustments are an ongoing process, not something that’s put in place and forgotten about.
Often it’s a handful of small changes that makes the difference. Once the environment works for them, many autistic employees go on to exceed expectations.
7. A real-world example
Let’s say you manage an autistic employee named Sam who works in a customer service role. Recently, Sam has started missing targets and responding to customer emails more slowly. You’re unsure whether this is a performance issue or something else.
Instead of starting formal performance procedures, you book a quiet, private room and say:
“Sam, I’ve noticed your email responses have slowed and targets have been missed over the past three weeks. I’d like to understand what’s making things harder and talk about what support might help.”
During the conversation, Sam shares that since the office layout changed, the increased noise and constant movement have made it harder to concentrate. They’ve also struggled to use a new ticketing system and didn’t want to look incompetent by asking for help.
You now have two concrete issues:
- A sensory barrier caused by the noisy environment
- A capability gap with the new system
To check whether changes make a difference, you:
- Ask Sam if they’d like to work in a quieter area and use noise-cancelling headphones
- Arrange a 1:1 training session on the system with a trusted colleague
- Monitor email response rates and customer satisfaction for four weeks
- Schedule a follow-up meeting after two weeks to ask:
- “Has the quieter desk helped your focus?”
- “Do you feel more confident using the system now?”
By tracking performance data before and after the support, you can see objectively whether it’s working. If noise is a recurring theme in your team, it’s worth reading why every office needs a quiet area.
8. What if they don’t disclose?
If your employee hasn’t told you they are autistic, here’s how you can still provide support:
1. Review their environment:
- Are they seated in a high-traffic area or under bright lights?
- Are deadlines frequently moved without warning?
- Is their workload clear, or constantly changing?
2. Watch for behavioural signs:
- Are they avoiding meetings or communication?
- Do they seem fatigued or overwhelmed?
- Are they highly focused but find multitasking harder?
3. Proactively say:
“We’re reviewing how we support different working styles. I wanted to ask whether any changes to the way we structure tasks or communicate would make your role easier?” You can use our Working Styles Guide with your team to help with these conversations.
Even without a diagnosis, this opens the door to support, without pressure or forced disclosure. The National Autistic Society’s employment guidance is also a useful resource to share with employees who want to know more about support at work.
9. Get expert advice on specific situations
Every situation is different, and it helps to talk it through with someone who understands both the workplace and neurodivergent thinking. Through our advisory line, our neurodiversity specialists can:
- Review the specific behaviours you’re seeing and explain possible causes
- Suggest reasonable adjustments that have worked in similar settings
- Help you phrase conversations clearly and sensitively
- Guide you through any formal steps, such as performance reviews or adjustment plans
You don’t need to have all the answers. You do need to be willing to learn, and to keep checking in.
How Enna can help
Having these conversations well is a skill, and it can be learned. Our neuroinclusive performance management training covers setting expectations and dealing with underperformance fairly. Our neuroinclusive management conversations workshop focuses on the kind of conversations described above.
If you’re supporting one person in particular, a workplace needs assessment will pinpoint the adjustments most likely to help, and workplace coaching can support the employee and you as their manager. To talk through your situation, book a call with our team.
