Employer Experiences and Perspectives of Autistic Employees in Competitive Integrated Employment

The present study explored how the Missouri Employer Perspectives Study examined employer perspectives of autistic employees in competitive integrated employment, their experience with autistic employees, and types of support and services needed to accommodate autistic employees. The Missouri Employer Perspectives Study conducted a cross-sectional online survey (Creswell in: Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches, Sage, 2012). The survey included demographic measures (e.g., gender, ethnicity, length at position, industry-type, etc.), existing and researcher-developed scales, and open-ended response questions. It explored several factors, including employer perspectives of autistic employees in competitive integrated employment, their experience with autistic employees, and the types of support and services needed to hire autistic employees. There were 111 participants in the study recruited from 26 counties in Missouri. Only 25% of employers employed autistic employees, 54% of employers previously worked with an autistic coworker, and 91% knew an autistic person (e.g., family member, friend, classmate). The employers were found to be confident when hiring and working with autistic individuals, identified advantages and challenges of having autistic employees, and determined supports and services they could easily implement into the workplace. While employers present positive perceptions of autistic employees, additional research is warranted to explore how employers can hire and maintain more autistic employees and create a more neuro-affirmative organizational culture to accommodate autistic individuals and their coworkers.