Autistic skills in the workplace: a map to hope for parents and a pathway to success for businesses.

One of the questions I get asked most by parents with a newly diagnosed child, is if there is a future for their child. My answer now is a lot more of an enthusiastic and factual “YES!” than 20 years ago. Autistic skills in the workplace is no longer given a wide berth, they are now in demand in many sectors! Knowing these skills that autistic children may have, is an absolute map to hope for parents. It is a map along which parents may guide their children so that they will become valued and successful members of society as well as in business.

Another question that gets asked a lot is if you should disclose your diagnosis in a workplace setting. And for this there are two answers: if it is a company that had some training done regarding neurodiversity, then yes! They will be clued up regarding the amazing strengths and qualities autistic people have. If they haven’t, then it may be a bit of a gamble. Thankfully, businesses are waking up at an incredible speed to the skills that come naturally to the neurodivergent community. Skills that might have come at a financial cost through training, now comes as part of the “package”. Proof of this is that there are recruiters who are actively seeking out neurodivergent candidates whose inherent skillsets match those of their client’s needs.

Of course, as always, the first step is education. And by this I don’t mean a degree (although this is of course an amazing privilege and achievement to have). I mean education in the soft skills that neurodivergent people have naturally. Parents need this education so they know in which direction they might guide their children. Businesses need this information so that they know which candidates they should employ to help bring their business to the next level. Neurodivergent people need this knowledge as it will help them advocate for themselves from a position of strength, truly knowing their worth. In short, you need to know the strengths so you may help foster and grow them. Because as we know, what you feed – grows.

Still not convinced education is the key? Let me try and convince you with facts and research: A recent study whose results were published this year, showed that  for businesses, neurodiversity training is key to unlocking a wider, highly skilled talent pool. Research shows that when employers receive effective neurodiversity training, they are more likely to recognise the value in autistic candidates and make more equitable hiring decisions. Without proper understanding, businesses risk overlooking exceptional individuals due to misinterpretations of communication or social style. Investing in neurodiversity training helps organisations identify the unique strengths neurodivergent individuals bring—such as creativity, honesty, and problem-solving—ultimately building stronger, more innovative teams.

This means that neurodiversity training is essential for parents who want to guide their children toward independence and success. Understanding how neurodivergent traits influence behaviour, learning, and future work opportunities allows parents to focus on building their children’s strengths and resilience, rather than feeling limited by traditional expectations. Training equips parents with the insight and practical tools needed to advocate effectively, support emotional wellbeing, and prepare their children to navigate a world that is becoming more inclusive daily.

Businesses should all have neurodiversity training as part of their regular training. It should be as regular as knowing how to use a computer, or the copy machine! Richard Branson said that you look after your staff first, and they will in turn look after your clients. Happy, content, looked after and cherished staff will always lead to business success. Staff that is empowered regarding neurodiversity, whether they are neurotypical or neurodivergent, will ALWAYS lead to a higher staff retention, higher and better results, and definitely an increase in the bottom line. And by bottom line I mean the one for the business, as well as the individual.   My advice to parents will be to not be stuck in traditional educational roles and settings. Although there will always be a place for the traditional, the world for “different” is opening up and expanding on a daily basis. You do not have a traditional child, so you cannot realistically expect your child to have a traditional education, job, or social skills. And that is more than OK! With the rapid change of the job market, the different skillsets needed, and the continued and increased need for justice, empathy, fairness, heightened perceptual abilities, language prowess, pattern recognition, out of the box thinking, extreme logic, attention to detail, focus, retention of large amounts of factual information, all skills your autistic child may have, the world should no longer be viewed in fear. But with an open heart and excitement!

The sky is NOT the limit!