Coworking with Autism

It makes sense that Workbar would embrace The Unconventional. It's an alternative to the traditional office, a different kind of workplace in which a diverse cast chooses their own working adventure. Highlighting Workbar's interesting and diverse  characters (and their careers) has been one of the goals of this blog, but there has been a conspicuous absence of any mention of autism spectrum disorder.
There is insufficient  mention of autism or Asperger's Syndrome in the much of the business world (and in non-discrimination clauses), especially considering  the growing prevalence of this disorder in the workplace. I started with a few questions, whose answers led to more questions and, eventually, an article. It was originally published in Bostinno;  it personalizes the issue of autism in the workplace, and brings  awareness  closer to you.

"Never forget to pump a handshake three times- not one, and definitely not five.  Seen from an autistic perspective, the social, shared, and flexible attributes of the modern shared office can be intimidating. As work and life spill into each other, they clash with coping mechanisms for  autism spectrum disorder, in which high-level functioning depends on adherence to routine, scripts, and schedules. Despite this challenge, autistic professionals can have precious attributes, and demand better understanding of the relationship between the workplace and this complicated disorder..."

Read the rest of the article here.

About the Author: Dave Gentry is a fan of progress and recess.  He believes in Olde English, new fortune cookies, and he answers to #davertido.