Employment barriers for Autistic people

Why Autistic people face barriers to employment - and why it’s not about capability

If you ask most organisations what makes a “good employee”, you’ll hear an all too familiar list: great communicator, team player, confident, flexible, passionate, energetic. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll notice something else. These traits often reflect a very particular, very narrow idea of what a successful employee looks like. And for many Autistic people, that narrow picture, which often doesn’t look like them, becomes a barrier to employment long before they’ve even applied for a job.

This blog looks at how stereotypes and misconceptions quietly shape hiring decisions, systems, practices, and career pathways, often without employers even realising it.

Stereotypes aren’t passive — they shape outcomes

Research shows that assumptions about autism play an active role in who gets hired and who doesn’t¹. These aren’t minor misconceptions; they influence recruitment practices, access to workplace adjustments, how managers interpret behaviour, and whether Autistic employees feel safe to be themselves at work.²

The result? Autistic people face disproportionately high rates of unemployment and underemployment, not because of a lack of ability, but because of entrenched stereotypes about how people “should” communicate, behave, and fit in.

Barriers start before the interview

It may be surprising to know that up to half of employers say they would not knowingly hire a neurodivergent person[i]— even though research shows Autistic employees often make fewer errors and can be significantly more productive than non-autistic peers.³

The issue isn’t skill. It’s perception.

Recruitment processes typically reward confidence, charisma, and small talk, traits that have little to do with actual job performance but remain culturally associated with employability. Meanwhile, qualities such as deep focus, accuracy, or specialist expertise are often undervalued.

It’s a system built around a narrow, conventional style of communication and behaviour, which automatically disadvantages anyone who interacts differently.

The hidden burden of masking

For many Autistic employees, the pressure to “fit in” doesn’t end after being hired. Masking, suppressing Autistic traits to fit in, is incredibly common and incredibly exhausting. It can look like:

• Forcing eye contact
• Avoiding stimming
• Tolerating overwhelming sensory environments
• Over‑preparing for every interaction
• Trying to match conversational norms that don’t feel natural

Masking is often used to avoid bullying, rejection, or discrimination, but it comes at a cost. It drains cognitive energy, erodes self‑confidence, and is linked to poorer mental health and burnout.

Undoing workplace misconceptions about autism is essential so that Autistic employees don’t feel they must hide parts of themselves to stay employed, but also so organisations reflect true diversity.

“You don’t look Autistic”: When stereotypes invalidate identity

Many people still hold a rigid, outdated picture of what autism “looks like” – think Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory or Dr Murphy from The Good Doctor. Narrow stereotypes force Autistic employees into a painful choice: work hard to appear non‑autistic to fit in, or risk being judged as difficult, unprofessional, or incapable.

When someone’s authentic traits are misunderstood or dismissed, it affects confidence, work relationships, and access to support. And when an employee’s identity is constantly questioned, it impacts their well-being and ability to thrive.

There is a common saying in the Autistic community that "if you've met one Autistic person, you've met one Autistic person.".

The disclosure dilemma

Deciding whether to disclose an autism diagnosis at work is personal and complex. Disclosure is often framed as necessary to access adjustments, but disclosure also exposes someone to potential bias. That’s not a fair trade‑off.

Instead of making adjustments contingent on disclosure, workplaces should adopt proactive, inclusive practices that assume diversity rather than waiting for individuals to request it.

So what’s the solution?

Employment barriers for Autistic people aren’t created by a lack of capability. They’re created by systems built on narrow assumptions about communication, behaviour, and impact.

To change this, organisations must:

• rethink recruitment to reduce bias
• normalise flexibility and accessible practices
• design workplaces where neurodivergent needs are anticipated, not exceptional
• embed inclusion in leadership, culture, and policy

This isn’t about “fixing” Autistic people. It’s about fixing systems that were never designed with them in mind.

How Autism Friendly Employment helps

At Aspect Autism Friendly Employment, we partner with organisations to transform cultures, systems and practices that enable all employees to thrive. Find out more about the work we do.

Together, we can create inclusive, autism friendly organisations that work for everyone.

1. Mai, A. M. (2019). Hiring Agents’ Beliefs: A Barrier to Employment of Autistics. Sage Open, 9(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019862725
2. Fair Play Talks (2020) 50% of employers admit they won’t hire neurodivergent talent, reveals ILM study. Fair Play Talks, 3 November. Available at: 50% employers admit they won't hire neurodivergent talent - Fair Play Talks ).
3. Clark, P. (2020) Autism at work. Financial Times, 10 March. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/ea9ca374-6780-11ea-800d-da70cff6e4d3