What Do Autistic Youth and Young Adults Want at Work? A Qualitative Study of Autistic Individuals' Views on Key...

Research suggests that autistic youth and young adults often experience barriers to sustained employment. Although there is an existing body of literature on the barriers and facilitators to employment, little of this literature focuses solely on the perspectives of autistic youth and young adults. To better support autistic youth and young adults at work, we aimed to determine which workplace supports and accommodations these individuals classify as key supports based on their lived experiences.

We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 12 autistic youth and young adults (ages 17-29 years old) about their workplace experiences and perspectives. We conducted interviews virtually and used a grounded theory approach to analyze and organize the transcribed interview data into themes.

Six themes of workplace supports emerged from the data. The resulting themes were as follows: (1) hands-on training methods with opportunities for practice, (2) employer-provided accommodations, (3) social support, (4) job-fit, (5) external supports, and (6) inclusive workplace culture and self-advocacy. Employer-provided accommodations included written and direct instruction, flexible scheduling, and supports for sensory needs and social-communication. Social support included support from managers, coworkers, and through proximity to others. Job-interest match, workload, level of social interaction, and a sense of routine all contributed to job-fit.

The six identified themes provide a guide for the ways in which employers could better support autistic youth and young adults at work. Notably, many of the identified themes were cost-effective, easy to implement, and may benefit autistic and nonautistic employees alike. Practical implications for employers and vocational support practitioners are also discussed.