Culture of inclusion in organizations contributes to welcoming professionals with Autism
Creating a culture of inclusion and monitoring professionals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are fundamental measures to promote diversity in organizations. The health care of professionals with ASD and the suitability of the work environment are also essential to ensure the integration of these people into teams, according to an article by researchers from the School of Business Administration of São Paulo (FGV EAESP) Ana Teresa Oliveira da Silva Basto and Vanessa Martines Cepellos published in the magazine “Cadernos EBAPE.BR”.
The authors conducted interviews with six managers of national and foreign companies that hire professionals with ASD or are responsible for the inclusion of people with ASD in their organizations. The analysis of the interviews identified two predominant and related themes: perceptions about ASD and management practices.
According to the researchers, the perception of managers about people with ASD still involves stereotypes, which make it difficult to recognize the uniqueness of individuals. Professionals with ASD tend to be associated with inappropriate behavior, lack of social skills and greater aptitude for working with technology, for example. However, the implementation of management practices that ensure the worker's integration into the team in functions aligned with their interests and capabilities is relevant for reviewing these prejudices and ensures a successful inclusion.
The article identifies that efforts to insert professionals with ASD into the job market can contribute to a change in the culture of the companies themselves. “On the one hand, the inclusion of people with ASD is usually linked to an organization with humanized management and, on the other hand, the inclusion of these professionals contributes to a more humane culture in the organization”, observe the authors.
