The role of colleagues in work experiences of employees with autism

In Chapter 7, Longmire and Taylor focus on The Role of Colleagues in Work Experiences of Employees with Autism, operating on the belief that relationships with coworkers may be even more consequential for workers with autism. Workplaces are often highly formalized contexts, creating a set of social expectations that might be difficult for Autistic individuals, who might find the verbal and nonverbal nuances of every workplace conversation difficult to decipher. Because the characteristics of an Autistic person may include social and interpersonal difficulties, the authors include among their points in this chapter the importance of proactively identifying ways to help avoid or minimize interpersonal friction among co-workers in an effort to enable organizations to harness the full potential of neurodiverse employees. To accomplish this intended purpose of the chapter, the authors summarize the literature on the impact of coworkers on employees’ experiences generally, then delve into the literature around disability and coworkers, ending with a focus on autism specifically.