Large Australian companies such as Telstra and NAB are actively hiring more staff with autism as part of a push for neurodiversity in the workplace.
Julie Robertson, the chief executive of social enterprise Specialisterne, said autistic people struggled to find employment because of non-conventional behaviour in interview settings, not because they are less capable. Telstra group executive for transformation and people, Alex Badenoch, said the company is working with Specialisterne on a pilot program to recruit more people with autism. The telco received 160 applications for eight roles and expected to have the new starters join in April.Louise MacKenzie heads up the Autism Success Network across the Victorian Public Sector.
Mr Fieldhouse said the program focused on training not only the person with autism but also the “neurotypical” people they work alongside.“For the people with autism, it could be helping them out with how to actually deal with a meeting to respond appropriately to emails, while the neurotypicals get training about how to actually have better conversations, better planning and better performance management discussion, for example,” Mr Fieldhouse said.
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niltiac I once had a boss with borderline Aspergers. No people skills. It was hell