Volume 7, Issue 2 Managing your Workforce: Asperger’s ... · Volume 7, Issue 2 Managing your...
Transcript of Volume 7, Issue 2 Managing your Workforce: Asperger’s ... · Volume 7, Issue 2 Managing your...
Volume7,Issue2ManagingyourWorkforce:Asperger’sSyndromeontheTeamManagingyourWorkforce:Asperger’sSyndromeontheTeamEileenSchmitz,MA,LPC,Director,OperationalServices,PersonalAssistanceServices
Asperger’sSyndrome(AS)isoneofseveraldisordersontheAutismSpectrum.Itdescribesapatternofneuro-logicalandpsychologicalsymptomsrelatedtoprocess-ingandinterpretingsocialcues,interactionsandsensorystimuli.Itisestimatedthatapproximately1in300peoplearecurrentlydiagnosedwithAsperger’sSyndrome,andincreasingly,peoplewithAsperger’sSyndromearefindingtheirplaceasproductiveemployeesintheworkforce.Theybringwiththemvaluablecreativeandtechnicalskills.Theyalsobringunusualmannerismsandbehavioralpatternsthatcanbeachallengetomanagersandco-workers.WhatarecommontraitsofAsperger’sSyndrome?Rememberthateveryonehasuniquebehavioralpat-ternswhichdonotnecessarilyindicateadiagnosisofAsperger’sSyndromeoranyotherbehavioralormentalhealthdisorder.Becarefulnottodiagnose.AdultswithAsperger’sSyndrome(AS)mayexhibitsomeofthefollowingcharacteristics.
• Averageorabove-averageintelligence• Intensefocusonparticularandsometimesunusual
interests• Difficultywithhigh-levellanguageskills:figurative
language,humor,sarcasm,irony• Problemsengagingin“smalltalk”• Poorgiveandtakeinconversation• Talkingtoomuch;attimes,talkingaboutinappro–
priatetopicsorhighlypreferredtopicsorinterestseventhoughnooneappearsinterested
• Emotionallystifleddemeanorandemotionlessfacialexpressions
• Difficultyunderstandingothers’pointsofview• Poororfleetingeyecontact–maylookataperson
briefly,thenlookpastorofftotheside• Difficultyreadingsocialandnon-verbalcues• Difficultyregulatingemotions(suchasanger,
depressionandanxiety)• Strongneedforadherencetoroutines
• Anxietywhenestablishedroutinesarechangedorunanticipatedeventsoccur
• Needforincreasedstructuresotheirworldispre-dictable
• Liketodothingsthesamewayeverytime• Canbeverydisorganized• Difficultywithrelationshipsatwork;co-workersdo
notunderstandsocialawkwardnessanddecreasedsensitivitytoothers
• Desireforfriendship,butunsurehowtomakefriends
• Socialinteractionsmaybeawkwardbuttheydonotnecessarilywithdrawsocially
ThechallengeofASintheWorkplaceIt’snotdifficulttoimaginehowapersonwithASmightstruggleintheworkplacewithsocialinteractions,workstressandteamwork.ApersonwithASmayormaynotbeawareofhowhisorherbehavioralandsocialstyleisperceivedbyothers,butisgenerallyawarethatworkrelationshipsarestrainedorchallenging.Co-workersmaybecomefrustratedsinceconventionalguidelinesofsocialinteractionarenotfollowedbythepersonwithAS.Asaresult,theemployeewithASmaybeaccusedofbeingrudeordisrespectful;labeledas“weird”,“nerdy”or“freak”;andostracizedfromtheworkgroup.Withoutthoughtfulplanningandperformanceman-agement,anorganizationstandstolose.EmployeeswithASbringvaluableassets,freshperspectivesandcreativethinkingtoanorganization.Theytypicallyareabletomanagedetailsveryaccurately;havestrongtechnical,mathematical,organizationalandanalyticalskills;areloyal,dedicated,consistentperformerseagertopleaseandreadytodotheirjobs.
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ManagingyourWorkforce:Asperger’sSyndromeontheTeam(continued)ManagingyourWorkforce:Asperger’sSyndromeontheTeam(continued)
ManagingyourWorkGroupThemostimportantguidelineis:treatyouremployeewithASwiththesamerespect,dignity,acceptanceandkindnessthatyouwouldofferotheremployees.Insistthatyoursubordinatesdothesame.PASWordExpressVol14Issue1providesguidelinesforworkingwithaco-workerwithAS;considerdistributingthistoyouremployees.ManagePerformance• Focusonjobperformance,notonbehavioral
“quirkiness”.• Keepdiscussionsdirect.Say,“Youhavenotturned
inyourreportsontime”,not“Youdon’tseemtoappreciatehowI’vegoneoutonalimbforyou”or“Youdon’tseethewritingonthewall”.Askyouremployeeforhisrestatementofyouroriginalmes-sagetoconfirmunderstanding.Ifyouremployeemissesthemessage,restateit.
• Directcommunicationisnotthesamethingas“brutal”communication.Ifyouarefeelingfrustratedorangry,rescheduleyourconversation.Don’tdoperformancecounselingwhenyouareangryorfrustrated.
• Forhelpfulguidelinesoncoachingforperformance,explorethe“PASforEmployers”sectionofthePASwebsiteaswww.paseap.comorcontactPASat800-356-0845.
• Ifjobperformanceissuffering,considerreferringyouremployeetotheEAP.
ADA(AmericanswithDisabilitiesAct)Considerations• IfyoususpectyouremployeehasASbutyour
employeehasnottoldyouthis,donotattempttosolicitthisinformationfromyouremployee.
• Managetheemployee’sperformanceusingtheguidelinesprovidedhereandprovidedbyyourHumanResourcesdepartment.
• IfyouremployeetellsyouthatheorshehasAS,consultwithyourHRdepartment.YouwillneedguidanceonADAregulationsaswellasotherfed-eralandstatelawsandregulationsastheyapplytoyourparticularsituation.
ProfessionalDevelopment• YouremployeewithASmaybenefitfromajob
coach.Ajobcoachmaybeabletohelphimorherlearnsocialskillstoimproveteaminteractions,communicationstyleandheightenawarenessofothers’perceptions.
• Don’texpectyouremployeeto“behealed”fromAS.PeoplewithASlearntolivewithit,tomanageit,tobeexcellentemployeesinspiteofit.Youcanbeinstrumentalinyouremployee’ssuccess.
• Helpyouremployeeidentifyhisareasofexpertise,strengths,skillsandabilities.Coachhimtowarddevelopingthoseareasforthebenefitoftheworkgroup.
ManageyourTeam• Turntoyourownmanager,yourHumanResources
department,aPASmanagementconsultant,orotherconfidentialadvisorforyourownguidanceandcoachingifnecessary.
• Modelrespectfulinteractions.Expectthesamefromyourcolleaguesandsubordinates.Donotsettleforanythingless.
• Confrontdisrespectful,mean,andrudecomments,tones,gesturesorattitudesswiftly.Youwillhavefarlesstocleanuplaterifyoudon’tallowtoxicity,rudenessandgeneralincivilitytobrewatall.
• Focusoneachteammember’sstrengths.Publiclyacknowledgeandcapitalizeonthosestrengths.Leteachpersonknowthattheircontributionsarevalued.
• Ifyourworkgrouphasalreadybeenexperiencingsignificantdiscord,disruptioninproductivityordis-tressedteamdynamics,considerspeakingwithaPASmanagementconsultant.Onsiteorganizationaldevelopmentmayhelptoidentifyinterventionstorestoreproductivityandrespectintheworkplace.
PersonalAssistanceServices(PAS)andHumanResourceServices(HRS)offeravarietyofservicestohelpyouandyourorganizationbettermanagedifficultworkplace
issues,including:EmployeeperformancereferraltoEAP
ManagementconsultationOnsiteorganizationalassessment
Onsiteorganizationaldevelopmentandtraining
Call(800)356-0845
Page2of2Thisarticleisnotintendedtobeconstruedaslegaladvice,butisprovidedasanoverviewofgoodbusinesspractices.PAS-It-On©2011byPASandHRS,Inc.9735LandmarkPkwy.,Ste.17,St.Louis,MO63127-9968(800)356-0845
Materialmaynotbereproducedwithoutwrittenpermission.