Abstract
This research examined in-depth the employment experiences of autistic performing arts professionals and the attitudes and adjustments of performing arts employers. We interviewed 18 autistic performing arts professionals and 19 performing arts employers. Autistic performing arts professionals described facing challenges in the workplace. Some autistic professionals had access to support, but the majority felt that there was not enough available and highlighted many ways in which they could be better supported. Performing arts employers varied in their experiences of working with autistic people, many had limited knowledge about autism-specific support or relied on other professionals to provide it. These findings shed light on current unmet support needs of autistic performing arts professionals, and provide key recommendations for research and practice.
Highlights
For many autistic adults, finding and maintaining work is a desired goal, but the current rates of employment in the United Kingdom (UK) for this group are low, with 16% of autistic adults being in full-time employment and 32% being in any kind of employment (National Autistic Society 2016)
The autistic professionals were keen to emphasise that being autistic could be associated with some challenges in the workplace, their autistic characteristics were a source of strength, and that some of their traits seemed well-suited to their performing arts work
A detail-oriented approach accompanied this high level of focus: “I possibly just generally pay a bit more attention to the detail than other people might” [Pro L]. These traits were noticed by employers: “There are characteristics of autism that seem really great for this kind of work, which is the attention to detail, and the determination to get things exactly right, which is brilliant” [Emp M]
Summary
For many autistic adults, finding and maintaining work is a desired goal, but the current rates of employment in the United Kingdom (UK) for this group are low, with 16% of autistic adults being in full-time employment and 32% being in any kind of employment (National Autistic Society 2016). For employers who do not currently work with disabled employees, this lack of experience can result in negative beliefs around whether potential employees would have the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to perform needed jobs, alongside fears concerning the cost of necessary accommodations and negative customer reactions (Fraser et al 2010; Graffam et al 2002; Lengnick-Hall et al 2008). These attitudes and beliefs are often based on stereotypes rather than experiences, and may be a significant barrier to employment for disabled— including autistic—people (Ju et al 2013). Employers often place the onus of responsibility on the autistic employee, rather than the employer, to make these kinds of adjustments in order to maintain employment and meet any productivity requirements (Scott et al 2018)
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