By Jodie Hill
Autism being pushed higher up the government’s agenda is a positive and long-overdue shift. As someone who is neurodivergent myself and who spent years navigating workplaces that didn’t understand me – or my needs – I welcome this moment. But warm words don’t change lives. Action does. And for the millions of autistic people who want to work, the current reality is still stark: only three in ten autistic people are in employment in the UK (compared with 5 in 10 disabled people).
The new findings from the Autism Act Committee make one thing very clear: unless employers change how they hire, support and value autistic people, no government strategy (however ambitious) will meaningfully shift that number.
So the real question is this:
What does this new focus mean for employers right now?
And more importantly… what should you actually do?
Why this matters – to business, not just to policy
The government’s message is unmistakable: employers are going to be expected to step up. Not in a tokenistic, “we put neurodiversity on our website” kind of way – but in how they recruit, manage and retain people every day.
But there’s a bigger truth here.
Inclusive workplaces don’t just help autistic people. They make organisations stronger.
Clarity, structure, flexibility, and fair processes are good for everyone. I’ve seen this again and again in my work at Thrive Law: when businesses become neuroinclusive, performance improves, teams communicate better, and people stay longer.
This is not a charitable act. It’s a competitive advantage.
What employers need to focus on next
1. Recruitment is still one of the biggest barriers
Traditional interviews often assess confidence, eye contact, or small talk – none of which tells you whether someone can actually do the job. We need to shift to task-based hiring, clear job descriptions, and predictable, transparent processes.
If your hiring relies on “we’ll know the right person when we see them,” you’re automatically excluding autistic candidates. If your job description says “essential skills – excellent communication” you are potentially putting a barrier up for an autistic person who may have been told they ‘cant communicate well’ because they communicate differently.
2. Reasonable adjustments need to be easy — not a battle
Too many autistic employees tell me they’re exhausted before they’ve even started the job, simply from fighting for adjustments that they are legally entitled to and are quick and cost-free. That has to change.
Adjustments might include:
- Clear written instructions
- More predictable routines
- A quieter workspace or noise-reducing headphones
- Flexible working hours
- Processing time before responding verbally
These aren’t “special treatment.” They’re good leadership.
We have created a reasonable adjustments guide here if you want to read more on this topic.
3. Managers need training — not just awareness
Awareness is step one. But what managers actually need is skill:
- How do I communicate clearly and effectively?
- How do I give structured feedback?
- How do I manage sensory needs within a team?
- What do I do if someone discloses they’re autistic?
- How do I manage reasonable adjustments effectively and compassionately?
These questions come up in every training session I deliver, and they highlight a big gap: managers want to support people well, but they’ve never been taught how. So often mangers are becoming managers because they are good at their job and very little (and very often no training is provided to help them in their people function of their manager role.
This is where organisations must invest. they must have clear training pathways for managers building skills and encouraging action not just raising awareness.
4. Workplace culture matters more than any policy
Policies don’t create inclusion – people do. Now I know what you are thinking, at Thrive we support with the polices, and yes we do!
The policies are the foundations where you build the culture from. A workplace where someone feels safe to say, “This environment is overwhelming for me,” without fear of judgement is worlds apart from a workplace where neurodivergent people mask until burnout hits. this doesn’t come from policy alone you need to understand and support your people to feel psychologically safe.
Creating that culture means:
- Encouraging open conversation
- Celebrating different ways of thinking
- Challenging biased assumptions
- Ensuring leaders model inclusive behaviours
Small cultural shifts have a huge impact.
5. Retention must be a priority
It’s not enough to hire autistic people – we need to help them to feel as though they be long – to thrive. This means having an understanding of how neuroinclusive your workplace is and addressing this before you make those hires.
That means:
- Clear expectations
- Predictable performance processes
- Regular check-ins
- Understanding burnout
- Supporting career progression
- Understanding environmental, learning, processing and communication differences
- Transparent reasonable adjustments process
Too often, autistic employees plateau or leave because no one has considered how to support their long-term success.
A personal note
As someone who was diagnosed later in life, I spent years wondering why the world felt so overwhelming and why work felt harder for me than for my peers – even when I was excelling.
Once I understood I was a unique combination of ADHD, Dyslexic and Autistic, everything made sense.
But I also realised how many times I had been failed by a system that just wasn’t designed for people like me.
That’s why I do this work.
Because the system can change – and employers play the biggest role in making that happen.
So, where do employers start?
Here are three steps you can take today:
1. Audit your processes
Look at recruitment, onboarding, working practices and performance management. Where might autistic people struggle unnecessarily? If you want access to our pilot scheme for our new neuroinclusion diagnostic then register you interest here
2. Train your managers
If your managers are unsure how to support neurodivergent employees, you have a risk — and an opportunity.
You can find more detail of the training we offer alongside some incredible neuroinclusion partners here
3. Speak to autistic people in your organisation
Not about diagnosis – but about experience.
Ask what’s working, what isn’t, and what might help.
The people who best understand what needs to change are those living it. If you don’t have any neurodiversity champions or ERGs leading in this area consider who might be able to share their lived experience to help shape a meaningful and inclusive culture.
Final thoughts: This is the moment to act
The government’s renewed focus on autism is a welcome shift. But genuine progress won’t come from strategies alone – it will come from employers choosing to lead.
Those who get ahead now will create workplaces where autistic people can not only work, but thrive. And when autistic people thrive, organisations thrive.
If you’d like support reviewing your policies, training your managers, or creating a neuroinclusive strategy, my team at Thrive Law is here to help. This is work we are deeply passionate about – and work we know can change lives. Contact us today on enquiries@thrivelaw.co.uk
