Employees with Asperger’s: How to help them cope

Do you have any employees with Asperger’s syndrome?

You might. Estimates of the prevalence of Asperger’s – an autism spectrum condition that causes difficulties in social interaction, as well as repetitive behavior – vary widely, but as many as 2 or 3 adults out of each 1,000 may have it.

Their challenges
If you do have an employee who has been diagnosed with Asperger’s (or whom you suspect may have it) you’ll want to know how to help such people meet their special challenges, such as:

• Over-sensitivity to light, sounds and smells. You may want to move the employee away from sensory distractions like ringing telephones and bright lights.
• Memory deficits. Make sure everything they need to know or do is on paper – anything from memos to instruction sheets to Post-it notes.
• Social interaction. Where possible, encourage co-workers to minimize conversation about personal issues, which can confuse and distract the employee with Asperger’s.

For more info, go to askjan.org/media/asperger.html