An Exploration of the Worklife Experiences of Autistic Women in the UK

Abstract

Existing studies suggest that few autistic women are employed in the workplace. However, because many autistic women have been diagnosed or self-identify later in life they may well have been employed in numerous workplaces, without appearing in statistics. This study explores the worklife experiences of autistic women in the workplace in the United Kingdom using oral history interviewing techniques with 35 autistic female participants. The qualitative research is analysed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2019) and a theoretical and conceptual framework of autism and identity. This study shows that autistic women carry out a wide range of jobs which go beyond stereotypical assumptions of what they might undertake as employment. However, the research demonstrates a chaotic employment pattern with multiple jobs undertaken. The study also shows that autistic women undertake identity work, impression management and masking in the workplace which may trigger anxiety and stigma. Prior to being diagnosed or self-identifying, women may be unable to resolve their identity in the workplace, leading many to feel stigmatised or broken, but after receiving a diagnosis or self-identifying the women were able to reappraise their careers and lives. Having an autism diagnosis can provide a gateway to workplace support and accommodations and allows a woman to access measures that might improve the interview or employment experience. The study has also shown a variety of challenges faced by autistic women in the workplace and suggests that these are driven by double empathy problems where a breakdown of communication or understanding has occurred between an autistic woman and their allistic co-worker, supervisor, or manager, and vice versa. The study also demonstrates that exhaustion or ‘autistic burnout’ was a feature for many participants resulting from the amount of masking needed to ‘fit in’ at work. Reasonable adjustments were patchy in the workplace, due either to participants not disclosing their diagnosis, or to a lack of understanding by employers about what adjustments could be made. The study also found that autistic women were often value driven in the workplace and considered that they were doing more work than the allistic worker or had a greater work ethic. The study contributes to the literature on autism, identity, and stigma in the workplace by helping understand their historic patterns of employment and the implications of an early or late diagnosis. It also considers the longitudinal patterns of employment of autistic women and where employers and support organisations can enhance their provision, in offering support. The interviews conducted for this study do not represent the views of all autistic women or all autistic people and so it represents an exploratory study of the multitude of issues associated with employment. This study was also limited to the UK and does not cover the experiences of autistic women in other countries who may also be affected by other intersectional or structural issues in their countries. The study highlights the continuing need for easy access to autism diagnostic services to enable autistic women to access appropriate support for all areas of their lives. Career guidance for autistic people could include guidance from older autistic workers currently in the workplace ensuring that careers opportunities are understood beyond stereotypical IT or analytical jobs.