Episode 16: Making the Workplace Autism-Friendly

Chris is joined by Dr. Tony Issenmann—licensed therapist, leadership consultant, and founder of Systemic Solutions Coaching—for a thought-provoking discussion on autism in the workplace. They explore how hiring autistic employees benefits organizations, not just through accommodations, but through deeper, second-order changes that improve culture, retention, and overall team performance. This episode highlights how inclusive leadership and a culture of curiosity lead to healthier, more effective workplaces—for everyone.

Links:
Systemic Solutions Coaching:
https://systemicsolutionscoaching.com/
Autism Learning Lab: https://www.autismlearninglab.com/
Email: chris@autismlearninglab.com

Quotes:
[10:17-10:47] Dr. Issenmann: “Ultimately, the employer, even though on a day-to-day basis, they might wish to have fewer "headaches"; that they'e being presented with, what they really want when they have time to step back and think is they want a productive team that is achieving or outperforming their goals. And if they're just putting out fires from day to day, they're not going to be able to focus on the strategic planning long-term objectives that really can only be achieved with that second order change.”

[18:47-19:20] Chris Blankenship: “We're not just talking about putting up a poster that says loyal opposition and, you know, point to it every once in a while, we're saying be genuinely curious and encourage your employees to be genuinely curious. And that is a strength that autistic individuals can bring as long as you're open to it and you've created that culture where it is encouraged. And it might actually bleed over to other employees as well, maybe ones who would be a little bit more guarded in order to protect their position. So again, we're talking about accommodations or we're talking about some changes, but really what we're talking about is making a healthier work environment for everyone.”

[26:53-27:37] Dr. Issenmann: “It's so much more than just the accommodations for the autistic individual as we're talking about these changes help everybody. When those changes are made in the way that you talked about, like really getting getting to know somebody, really making the changes because there is an investment in the culture. The research shows that autistic individuals are loyal. Retention rates go up, not just for the autistic employee, but for those around them. And the amount of money that is spent on recruiting and hiring and onboarding, it goes down substantially. And that is a byproduct. That is a byproduct of somebody who is leading a company that wants second order change. Somebody who says, ‘I want better retention, so what do I have to do?’”