Read Online Asperger's on the Job: Must-Have Advice for People With Asperger's or High Functioning Autism, and Their Employers, Educators, and Advocates by Rudy Simone - Free Book Online
Authors: Rudy Simone
Tags: Asperger&rsquo
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you can squeeze.
Smell is a powerful sense that can evoke emotion. Bring flowers to work. Incense or candles might be off-limits in your workplace but there are flameless candles, potpourri, and perfumed sachets you can use instead. Those tend to be artificial, but there are spray mists made from essential oils such as lavender that contain no chemicals. You can find them in your health food store or the organic aisle in the supermarket.
Get creative with your sensory breaks. Go to the restroom, close the door, turn off the lights, put your hands under hot water. Step outside for fresh air.
At home or in your off-time: bathe in the dark, get deep pressure massages, whatever it takes to de-stress.
Bring a massage pad for your chair.
Ask for a desk away from heating or AC vents.
Keep your own body as healthy as you can; get as much fresh air and exercise in your off-time as possible.
Keep layers of clothing available to keep your body temperature in its comfort zone.
You could get a doctor’s note, but be warned: One person interviewed got such a note from her doctor saying she needed accommodations such as fresh air and quiet, but her employer ignored it. These types of accommodations may seem difficult and petty to those who don’t share your sensory issues.
How you ask for something is often more of a factor in whether or not you get it than why. Increase your chance of being heard by being tactful: ask for what you need in a positive way, or your requests will be seen as complaints rather than as something rational and logical.
To employers and advocates:
Daylight and fresh air are basic human needs and just good common sense.
At least open the blinds if you can’t open the windows. According to a report prepared by the US Dept. of Energy (2002), “The comforting space and connection to the environment (from daylight) provides benefits as significant as the energy savings.”
Install full-spectrum fluorescent lights, the only electric light that includes the color blue in its spectrum. They cost more to purchase and to use than compact FLs but the benefits in terms of health and productivity should more than offset the cost. Think fewer sick days and an overall improvement in attitude.
Regularly get your HVAC systems checked for mold and bacteria.
To decrease energy bills and increase the energy and well-being of staff, obey inherent seasonal changes in temperature,.
Allow the AS employee to have their own space with some control over their environment.
If you are in the market for a re-decoration or are looking for a new space, keep the health of your employees in mind. Chemical-free furniture and fabrics are out there if you ask for them.
Using the previous two chapters, formulate a specific plan for minimizing visual, auditory, and physical sensory issues to improve your work life.
CHAPTER 9
Trust Me, I Have Asperger’s
I nternal motivation is what will drive a person with AS, the feeling of a job well done, more than prestige or promise of reward. Some have done jobs beneath their level of skill or for very low pay because it simply felt good to do the work. In addition, People with AS possess a diligent, perfectionist attention to detail; these two factors will ensure that as long as your AS employee knows what you want or need, you can trust them to do the job right.
“I like service and doing for others. I don’t like just doing anything just for a job. I have to do more, be more, and contribute more. But perhaps I should have been more conscious of choosing jobs that would actually pay more. I worked hard for very little return because it felt good.”
- SCOTT
People with Asperger’s need clear instructions from their supervisor. Note-taking or drawing diagrams in order to remember verbal instructions is helpful, if not crucial. An Aspergian needs to know exactly what is expected, including any hidden expectations or special conditions. They need to know when it is needed by. They flourish
Smell is a powerful sense that can evoke emotion. Bring flowers to work. Incense or candles might be off-limits in your workplace but there are flameless candles, potpourri, and perfumed sachets you can use instead. Those tend to be artificial, but there are spray mists made from essential oils such as lavender that contain no chemicals. You can find them in your health food store or the organic aisle in the supermarket.
Get creative with your sensory breaks. Go to the restroom, close the door, turn off the lights, put your hands under hot water. Step outside for fresh air.
At home or in your off-time: bathe in the dark, get deep pressure massages, whatever it takes to de-stress.
Bring a massage pad for your chair.
Ask for a desk away from heating or AC vents.
Keep your own body as healthy as you can; get as much fresh air and exercise in your off-time as possible.
Keep layers of clothing available to keep your body temperature in its comfort zone.
You could get a doctor’s note, but be warned: One person interviewed got such a note from her doctor saying she needed accommodations such as fresh air and quiet, but her employer ignored it. These types of accommodations may seem difficult and petty to those who don’t share your sensory issues.
How you ask for something is often more of a factor in whether or not you get it than why. Increase your chance of being heard by being tactful: ask for what you need in a positive way, or your requests will be seen as complaints rather than as something rational and logical.
To employers and advocates:
Daylight and fresh air are basic human needs and just good common sense.
At least open the blinds if you can’t open the windows. According to a report prepared by the US Dept. of Energy (2002), “The comforting space and connection to the environment (from daylight) provides benefits as significant as the energy savings.”
Install full-spectrum fluorescent lights, the only electric light that includes the color blue in its spectrum. They cost more to purchase and to use than compact FLs but the benefits in terms of health and productivity should more than offset the cost. Think fewer sick days and an overall improvement in attitude.
Regularly get your HVAC systems checked for mold and bacteria.
To decrease energy bills and increase the energy and well-being of staff, obey inherent seasonal changes in temperature,.
Allow the AS employee to have their own space with some control over their environment.
If you are in the market for a re-decoration or are looking for a new space, keep the health of your employees in mind. Chemical-free furniture and fabrics are out there if you ask for them.
Using the previous two chapters, formulate a specific plan for minimizing visual, auditory, and physical sensory issues to improve your work life.
CHAPTER 9
Trust Me, I Have Asperger’s
I nternal motivation is what will drive a person with AS, the feeling of a job well done, more than prestige or promise of reward. Some have done jobs beneath their level of skill or for very low pay because it simply felt good to do the work. In addition, People with AS possess a diligent, perfectionist attention to detail; these two factors will ensure that as long as your AS employee knows what you want or need, you can trust them to do the job right.
“I like service and doing for others. I don’t like just doing anything just for a job. I have to do more, be more, and contribute more. But perhaps I should have been more conscious of choosing jobs that would actually pay more. I worked hard for very little return because it felt good.”
- SCOTT
People with Asperger’s need clear instructions from their supervisor. Note-taking or drawing diagrams in order to remember verbal instructions is helpful, if not crucial. An Aspergian needs to know exactly what is expected, including any hidden expectations or special conditions. They need to know when it is needed by. They flourish
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