The Double-edged Sword of Autism in Work Teams
Date
2023-09-26
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Abstract
Autistic workers are often drawn to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math- related fields that rely on teamwork to produce innovative solutions. Yet, autistic traits like interpersonal communication and interaction differences can make teamwork challenging. Scientists and practitioners alike have not identified the unique needs of neurodiverse teams comprised of autistic and non-autistic members. A scoping review of 29 studies dispersed through psychology, vocational training, education, management, and disability journals revealed several themes: neurodiverse teamwork is an understudied yet extant phenomenon; the ‘autism advantage’ is lauded as a benefit to organizations but ignores the health and wellness cost to the individual; interpersonal communication is a challenge that is the responsibility of all team members; the effects of disclosure are complex; coworkers, leaders, and the organization have a role to play in neuroinclusivity. Theoretical and practical implications are described, and future research directions are identified.
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Keywords
autism, teams, teamwork, neurodiversity
Citation
Lieu, E. (2023). The double-edged sword of autism in work teams (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.