Abstract
The ProblemAlthough previous research suggests current human resource management (HRM) policies and procedures do not fully accommodate the diverse strengths and needs of jobseekers and employees on the autism spectrum, the human resource development (HRD) community, including its scholars, researchers and practitioners will benefit from learning more about autism and how people with the condition can develop resilience capacity at work.The SolutionsUtilizing a community-based participatory research approach (CBPR), we recommend an Autism Work Peer Support Group (AWPSG) program as a new framework that can help the HRD community as well as HRM work coaches and disability employment advisors to foster environments, where people’s social adaptation is key for their resilience capacity development.The StakeholdersThe current research provides a framework on how a CBPR approach could be utilized to operationalize the design and evaluation of an employment intervention (i.e., AWPSG) that could involve autistic jobseekers in the process of resilience building. Furthermore, our findings indicate that fostering the emergence of a subjectively meaningful employment-focused peer support group program could help enlighten the HRD community about the challenges faced by this particular group and thereby offer effective autism-HRD advice and support to autistic jobseekers, employees and employers, management, work-coaches and disability employment advisors.
Highlights
IntroductionOnly 32% (approximately 28,000 out of 90,000) of adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASCs, including those with repetitive behaviors, having difficulties in social interactions, or in keeping relationships and a job) are employed compared to 80% of non-disabled people, and only 16% work full-time in the UK (e.g., National Autistic Society [NAS], 2016), despite established figures that approximately 45% of people with ASCs have an IQ in the average to high range and do not have any additional physical needs (Baird et al, 2006)
In as much as the overlaps in coaching, mentoring, learning and development and performance activities are recognized in these two disciplines, this article highlights what type of intervention will be beneficial for both human resource development (HRD) and human resource management (HRM) scholarship, given the oversight in the application of these interventions on an autistic group of people whose support is crucial in mitigating against their additional problems in securing and keeping employment across the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and other parts is crucial (Baldwin et al, 2014; Eaves & Ho, 2008; Howlin et al, 2005; Roux et al, 2015; Werner, 2014)
The widespread nature of the unemployment amongst autistic people highlights the need for more studies in both HRM and HRD to investigate what type(s) of interventions can deal with the adversities
Summary
Only 32% (approximately 28,000 out of 90,000) of adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASCs, including those with repetitive behaviors, having difficulties in social interactions, or in keeping relationships and a job) are employed compared to 80% of non-disabled people, and only 16% work full-time in the UK (e.g., National Autistic Society [NAS], 2016), despite established figures that approximately 45% of people with ASCs have an IQ in the average to high range and do not have any additional physical needs (Baird et al, 2006) These numbers suggest the magnitude of the need to highlight the importance of the use of alternative interventions to deal with such issues within HRD, which Chalofsky (1992) as one of its founding scholars defined as “the study and practice of increasing the learning capacity of individuals, groups, collectives and organizations through the development and application of learning-based interventions for the purpose of optimizing human and organizational growth and effectiveness” The purpose of the present study are namely (1) to increase resilience in autistic jobseekers by co-developing a subjectively meaningful and purposeful peer support group at a DWP Jobcentre Plus and (2) to demonstrate the implementation of CBPR as a method to enhance engagement and resilience in autistic adults seeking employment through engaging with the autistic community and utilizing their views and opinions in a research design process
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