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.