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Cited by 9Disability Education and EmploymentAutism Spectrum Disorder ResearchEmployment and Welfare Studies

Improving autistic experiences in the workplace: key factors and actionable steps

Open access
Nishith, Shruti, O’Brien, Amanda M., Li, Cindy, Bungert, Lindsay, Oddis, Kyle, Riddle, Joseph, Gabrieli, John D. E.·2025·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
DOI 10.1007/s10803-025-07036-y
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Abstract

Autistic adults have higher rates of unemployment and underemployment than non-autistic adults with and without disabilities. While previous work has highlighted factors specific to individuals and/or job sectors that serve as barriers or facilitators to autistic employment, the question of how to modify the workplace to best support autistic people remains under-researched. The present study utilized an ecological framework to investigate what workplace factors can be modified to improve autistic experiences and how these modifications may be enacted across different levels of workplace ecosystem to promote autistic success. Autistic participants (N = 85) across employment sectors provided quantitative ratings and written descriptions of positive and negative factors related to their workplace experiences. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used to examine which factors and overarching principles most impact employment. Actionable strategies to modify these factors were derived from participant responses and validated by autistic collaborators and neuroinclusion experts. On average, participants rated task training as having the most positive, and mental health as having the most negative, impact on their employment. Participants described four themes (acceptance, communication, autonomy, accommodations) that can be embedded in the work environment to improve experiences. Steps to improve autistic employment that can be enacted by stakeholders across levels of the workplace experiences are provided. Autistic adults face multifaceted barriers to employment across levels of the workplace. Modifying the workplace itself, across multiple levels and stakeholders, may serve to improve autistic employment outcomes.

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  • More structured approaches, including transparent recruitment stages, clearly sequenced workflows, and role-aligned assessments, may improve clarity and consistency across organisational processes.

    “more structured approaches, including transparent recruitment stages, clearly sequenced workflows, and role-aligned assessments, may improve clarity and consistency across organisational processes (Nishith et al., 2025; Dreaver et al., 2020; Diener et al., 2020)”

    From The system-level organisational design framework: a neuro-cognitive trait interaction approach to workplace inclusion for autistic people (2026) · cites this paper as Nishith et al., 2025

    The Task Training section recommends clear instructions in multiple formats and feedback mechanisms, and participants valued knowing what was expected and what constituted completion. This supports the claim’s general point about clarity in workplace tasks, but our copy does not recommend transparent recruitment stages, clearly sequenced workflows, or role-aligned assessments. Its Recruitment and Enrollment Procedures section describes how the researchers recruited study participants, not an organisational hiring practice. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • These demands are often intensified within informal workplace interactions that rely on spontaneity, inference, and shared assumptions, whereas written and structured communication formats may provide greater clarity and additional processing time.

    “These demands are often intensified within informal workplace interactions that rely on spontaneity, inference, and shared assumptions, whereas written and structured communication formats may provide greater clarity and additional processing time (Nishith et al., 2025)”

    From The system-level organisational design framework: a neuro-cognitive trait interaction approach to workplace inclusion for autistic people (2026) · cites this paper as Nishith et al., 2025

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. 8-year longitudinal study. Autism. h t t p s : / / d o i . o r / 1 0 . 1 1 7 7 / 1 3 6 2 3 6 1 3 2 3 1 2 2 5 · DOI · Paper page
  2. 3 · DOI
  3. Holmes, K. (2018). Mismatch: How inclusion shapes design. The MIT Press.

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Authors
Nishith, S., O’Brien, A. M., Li, C., Bungert, L., Oddis, K., Riddle, J., & Gabrieli, J. D. E.
Affiliations
  • McGovern Institute for Brain Research (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
  • Hofstra University (US)
Corresponding author
O’Brien, Amanda M.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2025-09-24
ISSN
  • 0162-3257 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-3432
DOI
10.1007/s10803-025-07036-y
OpenAlex
W4414450730
Cited by
9
References
64
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 1
FWCI
9.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Employment and Welfare Studies
Keywords
autistic adults, workplace accommodations, neuroinclusion, barriers to employment, workplace modification, task training, workplace mental health, acceptance, communication, autonomy, ecological model, underemployment

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