Beyond Individual Support: Employment Experiences of Autistic Korean Designers Receiving Strength-Based Organizational Support
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| Title: | Beyond Individual Support: Employment Experiences of Autistic Korean Designers Receiving Strength-Based Organizational Support |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | SoHyun Lee (ORCID |
| Source: | Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice. 2025 29(7):1883-1897. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 15 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Employees, Design, Employee Attitudes, Inclusion, Empowerment, Organizational Climate, Sense of Belonging, Quality of Life, Self Concept, Individual Characteristics |
| Geographic Terms: | South Korea |
| DOI: | 10.1177/13623613251329605 |
| ISSN: | 1362-3613 1461-7005 |
| Abstract: | This study qualitatively examined the employment experiences of autistic designers in a South Korean company providing strength-based support at the organizational level. The experiences of 12 autistic employees (mean age = 27 years old, 83.3% male), 12 parents, and 5 non-autistic employees were examined using semi-structured interviews and multi-perspective interpretive phenomenological analysis. Four superordinate themes emerged: the impact of inclusive support systems, views on autistic characteristics, empowering employment experiences, and associated outcomes. Results emphasized the importance of organization- and individual-level support in shaping the employment experiences of autistic and non-autistic employees. While autistic characteristics served as facilitators and challenges of autistic employees' employment experiences, they contributed to the company's overall success. A sense of belonging, competency, and agency motivated autistic employees; their employment outcomes involved perceived changes in autistic characteristics, enhanced quality of life, and positive autistic self-identity. The findings suggest that the implementation of neurodiversity-based support at the organizational level allows autistic employees to leverage their unique characteristics as strengths regardless of support needs and benefits all employees. Future research should explore cultural influences, assess generalizability to other vocational contexts, and investigate the impacts of adopting neurodiversity in the workplace to create inclusive environments that maximize the career potential of autistic employees. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1474894 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwH9di3zTtBbWHgLJexLpQfbAAAA4jCB3wYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHRMIHOAgEAMIHIBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDA94LbPqOu-gENqiJgIBEICBmogXDGE-qUSHrIb44gFsgpHmB6EqDMRKK0IhF_o6vulI6XE3PxQbxtzBFHkix59kpEIWc04tKkMIJcCnIxmFNRv0w8DeKlTmNo0S9W-JS2qqBkgnsdXxemhUX_MEvpERKcBviqnQRXAINBbdLNvHVybCWxBvPkPXDAs-UVLDkJGP8-6IjOfzkcEPFRPPYZgE1ksjX84S5aVNPK4= Text: Availability: 1 Value: <anid>AN0185859374;f9d01jul.25;2025Jun13.01:17;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0185859374-1">Beyond individual support: Employment experiences of autistic Korean designers receiving strength-based organizational support </title> <p>This study qualitatively examined the employment experiences of autistic designers in a South Korean company providing strength-based support at the organizational level. The experiences of 12 autistic employees (mean age = 27 years old, 83.3% male), 12 parents, and 5 non-autistic employees were examined using semi-structured interviews and multi-perspective interpretive phenomenological analysis. Four superordinate themes emerged: the impact of inclusive support systems, views on autistic characteristics, empowering employment experiences, and associated outcomes. Results emphasized the importance of organization- and individual-level support in shaping the employment experiences of autistic and non-autistic employees. While autistic characteristics served as facilitators and challenges of autistic employees' employment experiences, they contributed to the company's overall success. A sense of belonging, competency, and agency motivated autistic employees; their employment outcomes involved perceived changes in autistic characteristics, enhanced quality of life, and positive autistic self-identity. The findings suggest that the implementation of neurodiversity-based support at the organizational level allows autistic employees to leverage their unique characteristics as strengths regardless of support needs and benefits all employees. Future research should explore cultural influences, assess generalizability to other vocational contexts, and investigate the impacts of adopting neurodiversity in the workplace to create inclusive environments that maximize the career potential of autistic employees. Autistic people have difficulties obtaining and maintaining jobs. This study looked at the experiences of autistic designers working in a South Korean company that supports autistic people at the company level. We wanted to understand how the autistic individuals' jobs and the support they received influenced their lives. We interviewed autistic employees, their parents, and non-autistic coworkers. We found four important themes: how they felt about the support systems, their thoughts on being autistic, the experiences they had at work, and their employment outcomes. Both company and individual support were crucial for the company. Autistic characteristics sometimes created challenges, but overall, they contributed to the company's success. Feeling like they belonged, being good at their jobs, and having control over their work made autistic employees feel empowered. Working at this company led to positive changes such as reducing certain autism-related challenges, improving their quality of life, and feeling good about being autistic. These findings suggest that companies should support autistic employees not only on a personal level but also as part of the company's culture. Thus, autistic characteristics can be seen as strengths that benefit the individuals and the whole company. Future research should explore how different cultures influence these experiences and evaluate whether similar findings apply to other jobs. We also need to study how embracing neurodiversity in the workplace can create environments that help autistic individuals do well in their careers.</p> <p>Keywords: autism; employment; neurodiversity; organizational level; strength-based</p> <p>Employment plays a crucial role in the well-being and quality of life of autistic individuals, but autistic adults often encounter challenges in securing and maintaining jobs ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref1">9</reflink>]). Approximately 50%–80% of autistic adults are estimated to be unemployed in the United States ([<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref2">46</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref3">50</reflink>]) and worldwide ([<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref4">4</reflink>]).[<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref5">6</reflink>] Moreover, the employment rate of autistic adults is lower than that of individuals with other disabilities, including other intellectual and learning disabilities ([<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref6">40</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref7">50</reflink>]). For those with jobs, many hold positions that do not demand sophisticated skills or fall short of their qualifications ([<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref8">23</reflink>]); only 4%–11% of autistic young adults are competitively employed ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref9">3</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref10">54</reflink>]). Despite these trends, many autistic individuals possess the ability and desire to work ([<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref11">21</reflink>]). With appropriate support, they can have successful employment experiences ([<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref12">45</reflink>]). Consequently, numerous studies have investigated ways to better support autistic individuals at work. This study aims to contribute to existing literature by examining the employment experiences of autistic designers working at a South Korean company that provides strength-based support at the organizational level.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-2">Autism in South Korea</hd> <p>South Korea is a collectivistic and culturally and racially homogeneous country ([<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref13">15</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref14">29</reflink>]). This homogeneity often leads to heightened cultural tightness, emphasizing social norms, making autistic adults, who often diverge from these norms, targets of stigma ([<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref15">27</reflink>]). Recent studies have reported higher societal stigma toward autistic people in South Korea than in the United States ([<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref16">27</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref17">28</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref18">28</reflink>]). In this cultural context, it is unsurprising that autistic Korean adults face challenges in finding and maintaining employment. The National Special Education Statistics reported that the employment rate of autistic adults in South Korea was 5.5% in 2023, irrespective of employment competitiveness ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref19">39</reflink>]). In South Korea, the Employment Promotion and Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act mandates non-discriminatory practices and requires companies with 100 or more employees to hire a certain percentage of workers with disabilities. However, while the law provides a framework for protecting disabled workers, its implementation remains inconsistent. Many companies meet the quotas through indirect means, such as paying a financial levy, rather than actively fostering inclusive workplaces ([<reflink idref="bib63" id="ref20">63</reflink>]). Stigma and a lack of understanding in the workplace ([<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref21">1</reflink>]), along with the absence of systematic support and challenges associated with autism ([<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref22">38</reflink>]), have significantly contributed to employment difficulties for autistic adults in South Korea.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-3">Employment experiences of autistic adults</hd> <p>While a limited number of studies have examined the employment experiences of autistic adults in South Korea, a growing body of research has identified facilitating and challenging factors and employment outcomes in English-speaking countries. Autistic employees frequently mentioned that support from coworkers or job coaches, supportive leadership, alignment between personal characteristics and the job, and environmental modifications such as the use of headphones or changes to lighting improved their employment experiences ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref23">9</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref24">18</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref25">20</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref26">25</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref27">45</reflink>]). Autistic characteristics such as reliability, attention to detail, increased attention span, and the capacity for handling repetitive tasks have frequently been mentioned as facilitating factors and strengths of autistic individuals ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref28">2</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref29">8</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref30">47</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref31">49</reflink>]).</p> <p>However, autistic individuals also face individual- and organizational-level barriers. Autistic traits such as social difficulties have frequently been identified as individual-level barriers impacting the interview process and interactions with colleagues or employers ([<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref32">13</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref33">19</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref34">20</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref35">25</reflink>]). Other challenges included sensory sensitivities, executive functioning-related skills (e.g. time management), stress management, and mental health ([<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref36">56</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib57" id="ref37">57</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref38">45</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib61" id="ref39">61</reflink>]). Organizational-level features, including neurotypical work standards, a lack of human resources engagement, and a lack of autism acceptance, contributed to employment difficulties ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref40">5</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref41">17</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref42">25</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref43">35</reflink>]).</p> <p>These facilitating factors and challenges have dynamically influenced the employment outcomes of autistic individuals. These challenges caused some autistic individuals to struggle in the workplace, quit, or be asked to leave their jobs ([<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref44">42</reflink>]). In contrast, with appropriate support and accommodations, autistic individuals appreciated a sense of purpose and competency, improved social relationships, and financial and personal independence gained through employment ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref45">20</reflink>]). Furthermore, employment has been shown to improve cognitive skills such as adaptive functioning, mental health in terms of reduced anxiety and depression, and overall life satisfaction and quality of life for autistic individuals ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref46">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib60" id="ref47">60</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-4">Gaps in prior employment literature</hd> <p>Although previous studies offer some insights on how to better support the employment of autistic individuals, there are still gaps in the literature. Previous research exploring the employment experiences of autistic individuals has often focused on a narrow range of careers, primarily in information technology, data management, or unskilled labor ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref48">6</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref49">37</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref50">45</reflink>]). Other than [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref51">45</reflink>], who examined the employment experiences of autistic adults in skilled jobs (i.e. requiring specialized training beyond what can be attained during the first week of employment), there is a lack of research on the skilled employment experiences of autistic people. [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref52">45</reflink>] argued for more research examining how to better support autistic people in careers (i.e. long-term professions fulfilling goals, often requiring training) rather than jobs (i.e. positions of employment that earn money to support basic needs).</p> <p>Much of the existing literature has focused on autistic employees receiving only individual-level support, such as modifications that cater to specific individuals' needs without addressing larger systemic issues or making substantial changes to the workplace ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref53">3</reflink>]). Recent studies, however, have highlighted the importance of organizational-level support in fostering an inclusive workplace for autistic and neurodivergent employees, moving beyond individual-level interventions ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref54">5</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref55">25</reflink>]). Organizational-level initiatives—such as fostering an inclusive culture, providing autism-specific training for managers and employees, creating flexible work arrangements, and implementing structured communication protocols—are critical in addressing systemic issues and creating accepting work environments ([<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref56">58</reflink>]).</p> <p>Different models of workplace inclusion demonstrate this shift. For example, Specialisterne works with businesses to implement neurodiversity-friendly recruitment practices and ongoing support through mentorship and tailored accommodations. Supported employment programs, where job coaches provide on-site and individualized support to individuals with disabilities, are also considered relatively systematic support ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref57">3</reflink>]). However, job coaches, who often assist autistic individuals in meeting neurotypical expectations, have identified a lack of organizational support in the companies that hire autistic employees as a barrier to effective support ([<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref58">13</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref59">20</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref60">25</reflink>]).</p> <p>In contrast, this study examines a unique model of organizational-level support in which a company independently implements strength-based initiatives internally, without relying on external consultation. This approach underscores the potential for companies to develop and sustain inclusive practices that leverage the strengths of neurodivergent employees from within. These examples illustrate the significance of organizational-level support, yet there remains limited knowledge about the employment experiences of autistic adults in companies that provide such support, whether implemented internally or through external consultation.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-5">The current study</hd> <p>Previous literature has largely focused on gathering the employment experiences of autistic individuals with unskilled jobs, receiving varying levels of individual-level accommodations in English-speaking countries. Therefore, this study qualitatively examines the employment experiences of autistic designers working at a company in South Korea, Autism Special Talents and Rehabilitation (Autistar), that provides strength-based (i.e. identifying and leveraging the unique talents of autistic individuals) support at the organizational level. Unlike models relying on external consultation or support, Autistar independently implements organizational-level initiatives internally, fostering an inclusive work environment tailored to neurodivergent strengths. Detailed descriptions of Autistar are presented in section "Methods." Specifically, by analyzing autistic designers' and related stakeholders' experiences at Autistar, this study examined (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref61">1</reflink>) the impacts of an inclusive support system, (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref62">2</reflink>) perceptions about autistic characteristics, (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref63">3</reflink>) employment experiences that empower autistic employees, and (<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref64">4</reflink>) associated employment outcomes.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-6">Methods</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0185859374-7">Research design</hd> <p>The study utilized multi-perspective interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) as a framework to gain insight into the multifaceted sense-making processes of autistic employees and stakeholders (i.e. parents of autistic employees and non-autistic employees; [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref65">32</reflink>]). Multi-perspective IPA allows the exploration of relational or intersubjective dimensions of a given phenomenon by combining two or more focal perspectives of directly or indirectly related groups and synthesizing analyses not only within a participant group but also between groups ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref66">32</reflink>]). In this study, we included the perspectives of parents because we anticipated that their insights could illuminate how the employment experiences of autistic employees were associated with their independence from parental involvement. In South Korea, parents of individuals with disabilities often play a significant role in supporting their children's education, career choices, and daily lives well into adulthood ([<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref67">41</reflink>]). In addition, parental perspectives offered a valuable lens to explore how employment experiences might influence non–employment-related aspects of life, such as family dynamics and home life. This contributed to a more comprehensive understanding of the role employment plays in the broader lives of autistic individuals. Data collection and analysis procedures were informed by the recommendations of the multi-perspective IPA approach outlined by [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref68">32</reflink>] and [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref69">51</reflink>].</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-8">Participants</hd> <p>The participants included 12 autistic employees (mean age = 27 years old, range = 24–35 years old; 83.3% male; employed at Autistar for an average of 5.4 years at the time of the interview), their parents, and non-autistic employees of Autistar (<emph>n</emph> = 5). Autistic participants varied in their intellectual abilities (mean intellectual quotient (IQ) = 71; range = 44–120), as measured by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV). The IQ scores of 10 participants were gathered from a previous study ([<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref70">33</reflink>]), which included the autistic employees as participants, and the scores of the two other autistic employees were reported by their parents during the interview. A detailed participant description is provided in Table 1. We do not provide participant-level demographic information to maintain their anonymity.</p> <p>Table 1. Summary of participant characteristics.</p> <p>Graph</p> <p> <ephtml> &lt;table&gt;&lt;colgroup&gt;&lt;col align="left" /&gt;&lt;col align="char" char="." /&gt;&lt;/colgroup&gt;&lt;thead&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;th align="left"&gt;Demographic variables&lt;/th&gt;&lt;th /&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/thead&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Autistic employees (&lt;italic&gt;n&lt;/italic&gt; = 12)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Mean, SD [range]&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Age&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;27, 3.4 [24&amp;#8211;35]&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Years employed at Autistar&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5.4, 2.9 [1&amp;#8211;11]&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Intellectual quotients&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;70.1, 22.8 [44&amp;#8211;120]&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;italic&gt;n&lt;/italic&gt; (%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Proportion of males&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;10 (83.3%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td colspan="2"&gt;Education level&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt; Less than high school&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;0 (0%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt; High school diploma or equivalent&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;7 (58.3%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt; Some college/associate's degree&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5 (41.7%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt; Bachelor's degree&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;0 (0%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Non-autistic employees (&lt;italic&gt;n&lt;/italic&gt; = 5)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Mean, SD [range]&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Age&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;34.6, 3.4 [31&amp;#8211;39]&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Years employed at Autistar&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;1.8, 0.5 [1&amp;#8211;3]&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;italic&gt;n&lt;/italic&gt; (%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Proportion of males&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;1 (20%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td colspan="2"&gt;Education level&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt; Less than high school&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;0 (0%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt; High school diploma or equivalent&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;0 (0%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt; Some college/associate's degree&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;0 (0%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt; Bachelor's degree&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5 (100%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Parents of autistic employees (&lt;italic&gt;n&lt;/italic&gt; = 12)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;italic&gt;n&lt;/italic&gt; (%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Proportion of males&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;0 (0%)&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt; </ephtml> </p> <p>Information about the study was initially shared with autistic and non-autistic employees and the parents of autistic participants, and those interested in participating expressed their willingness to the researchers. Subsequently, researchers contacted them to schedule the interview. We received informed consent from all autistic participants and parental consent for the participation of autistic employees with intellectual disabilities (<emph>n</emph> = 8). Out of the 13 autistic employees employed at Autistar during the interview period, 12 (along with their parents) participated in the study.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-9">Autistar</hd> <p>Autistar is a Korean company that employs autistic and non-autistic designers, markets their products, and provides autism-specific support to its employees. Founded in 2012 by a professor in Special Education, Autistar began as a research initiative to develop sustainable employment models for autistic individuals but has since evolved into an independent company. The company has grown steadily, experiencing consistent annual sales growth and expanding from a single autistic employee to its workforce of 13 autistic employees at the time of the interview. Autistar operates on two core principles: selecting jobs based on individual characteristics and strengths and creating an environment that embraces individual differences and preferences. The company provides fair compensation, offering wages above the minimum hourly rate set by the <emph>Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office</emph> and ensuring equal pay for autistic and non-autistic employees with similar levels of experience.</p> <p>Autistar runs a free <emph>Design School</emph> program for autistic individuals interested in design. Those who demonstrate interest and potential are considered for employment when positions align with company needs. Autistic and non-autistic employees collaborate across all processes related to product design and sales, with responsibilities tailored to individual strengths and intellectual abilities. Autistar produces creative products such as art prints, stationery, and home décor items, which are sold directly to individual consumers and also partners with businesses to deliver custom design solutions tailored to specific needs. Autistar's leadership includes a managing director with doctoral-level expertise in autism, and non-autistic employees receive 1 day of autism-specific training when they begin their jobs. There is no on-site job coach; instead, non-autistic employees are expected to provide accommodations as needed. In addition, Autistar holds weekly staff meetings to review the support being provided, discuss progress, and identify any further accommodations that may be required, enabling the company to maintain consistency in its support practices at an organizational level. This effort, while not based on a legal mandate, reflects Autistar's commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment that accommodates individual differences and preferences.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-10">Interview questions</hd> <p>The interview questions were broad and open-ended, focusing on support in Autistar and the impact of employment on autistic employees. The interview questions were initially drafted by the first author and revised based on collective discussions among authors and on consultation with an autistic adult unaffiliated with Autistar who had mixed employment experiences in the past. We developed different versions of the interview questions based on participant groups (parents and autistic and non-autistic employees). For instance, we added questions asking parents to specify the rationale or evidence to support their responses (e.g. "How do you know that your child thinks or feels that?") to provide context for parents' perspectives and to gather concrete examples that could provide insight into autistic employees' experiences. We created three different versions of the questions for autistic participants, varying in language complexity, so that autistic individuals with different support needs could understand the questions and provide responses. The exemplary interview protocol used in the interviews with autistic employees without intellectual disabilities is presented in Supplementary Material A.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-11">Procedures</hd> <p>We conducted interviews in the order of parents, non-autistic employees, and autistic employees so that claims made by the parents and non-autistic employees could be validated with the autistic participants' perspectives. All interviews were conducted in person in a private meeting room, except for two parents who participated via Zoom. After each interview, interviewers wrote memos, summarizing initial impressions and emerging patterns identified from participants' reports.</p> <p>To interview autistic employees who required communication support, we implemented the following protocols. Before the interview, we emphasized that participants could always ask for a break, stop the interview, or choose not to answer specific questions if they were uncomfortable. Papers and pens were provided, and autistic employees were encouraged to write, draw, or type their responses if they preferred. Three autistic employees used paper and pen to provide or elaborate on their responses. Some used gestures (e.g. pointing to their favorite designs) or showed pictures on their phones to describe their experiences.</p> <p>Interviewers faced communication challenges with nine participants despite implementing the protocols described. Subsequently, one author (H.P.) who had experience working with autistic employees at Autistar and, therefore, was more familiar with their communication styles, assisted in interpreting their responses. To ensure that autistic participants could honestly share their perspectives, we started the interview without the presence of this author and asked her to join and clarify the responses only when necessary and with the verbal consent of autistic participants. We ensured that this author only provided clarifications to the responses of autistic employees. This aided researchers' interpretations of the participant responses instead of introducing new information.</p> <p>On average, the interviews lasted approximately 58, 45, and 17 min for the parents, non-autistic employees, and autistic employees' groups, respectively. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Study procedures, including informed consent, were approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) office of the authors' institution.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-12">Data analysis</hd> <p>The interviews were iteratively analyzed by two authors (K.L. and S.S.) using a multi-perspective IPA approach ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref71">32</reflink>]). Themes that emerged from individual-level analyses were synthesized at the within-group level and subsequently compared and synthesized at the between-group level ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref72">32</reflink>]). The analysis within each group followed the principle of IPA analysis described by [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref73">51</reflink>]. The authors familiarized themselves with the transcribed data from the parent group by reading the transcripts several times, making notes on the margins about salient points, emerging patterns within the data, and specific language choices or metaphors used by participants. Coders independently generated initial codes by identifying recurring concepts and segmenting texts that captured the essence of the participants' interpretation and experiences. Simultaneously, coders categorized related codes into initial themes, exploring their commonalities and relationships. Subsequently, related themes were clustered into superordinate themes across the data set, representing aspects related to autistic employees' employment experiences. For each interview transcript, the authors followed these stages and met regularly to produce the list of themes, superordinate themes, codes, and examples.</p> <p>We analyzed the parent group first and then repeated the same process separately for the non-autistic employee group and the autistic employee group, creating a list of themes, superordinate themes, and codes for each group. We then compared and merged lists created by each group to identify similarities and differences, examining the interrelation of accounts from multiple perspectives and analyzing differences.</p> <p>After compiling the final list, we utilized a quantitative content analysis method, tabulating the themes according to participant groups to understand the frequency and prevalence of themes. Two authors independently coded whether each participant mentioned each theme from the list and then reconciled their codes through comparison and discrepancy discussion. The mean inter-coder agreement was 88.3% across themes, and the full results of the inter-coder agreement can be found in Supplementary Material B.</p> <p>Researchers reviewed the memos written during the interviews, compared the emerging lists to the original transcripts, and discussed how their preconceptions could potentially impact the research process to aid reflexivity and ensure the findings were driven by participants' experiences. To ensure further reliability, a third researcher (S.Y.K.) closely audited the data analysis process. We conducted a member check with one participant from each group. None of the three participants recommended revisions. <emph>All quotes were translated by the first author (S.Y.K.), who is fluent in both Korean and English</emph>.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-13">Author positionality</hd> <p>S.L., a professor in special education, is the founder of Autistar and currently serves as a non-executive board member, while H.P., a board member of Autistar, contributed to the initial conceptualization and development of interview and research questions, providing valuable contextual knowledge of Autistar's operations. To ensure analytic rigor, K.L. and S.S., both doctoral students in special education and former special education teachers with no prior relationship to Autistar, conducted most of the interviews and data analysis, which helped minimize potential bias. S.Y.K., a professor in special education with no affiliations with Autistar, contributed expertise in neurodiversity-based and inclusive approaches, guiding the overall data collection and analysis. The varying levels of familiarity and relationships with Autistar within the team allowed for a balance of insider knowledge and outsider perspectives, providing both contextual depth and analytic rigor. All researchers shared a commitment to recognizing autistic individuals' strengths and fostering their inclusion, which may have influenced the framing of research questions and interpretation of the data. This shared perspective emphasized an appreciation for autistic differences, prioritized autistic individuals' lived experiences, and highlighted the importance of system-level support to promote meaningful inclusion.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-14">Community involvement</hd> <p>We consulted with an autistic member of an autism advocacy group based in South Korea on the aim and procedures of the study, including the interview questions. In addition, the study aimed to support the employment of autistic adults, aligning with the priorities for autism research identified by autistic adults ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref74">43</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-15">Results</hd> <p>The study revealed four interdependent superordinate themes: impacts of the inclusive support system, perceptions about autistic characteristics, employment experiences that empower autistic employees, and associated employment outcomes.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-16">Patterns across participant groups</hd> <p>Table 2 presents the number of participants from each group contributing to the formation of each theme. Except for one superordinate theme, "impacts of the inclusive support system," all participant groups held similar perspectives, resulting in an overlapping list of superordinate themes and their respective themes. Concerning the impacts of the inclusive support system, individual-level support was identified as a theme only among autistic and non-autistic employee groups, but not among the parent groups. In addition, non-autistic employees shared how organizational-level support affected their own employment experiences, while autistic employees or parents focused on the employment experiences of autistic adults.</p> <p>Table 2. Frequency of themes by participant group.</p> <p>Graph</p> <p> <ephtml> &lt;table&gt;&lt;colgroup&gt;&lt;col align="left" /&gt;&lt;col align="char" char="." /&gt;&lt;col align="char" char="." /&gt;&lt;col align="char" char="." /&gt;&lt;col align="char" char="." /&gt;&lt;/colgroup&gt;&lt;thead&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;th align="left"&gt;Superordinate themes&lt;/th&gt;&lt;th align="left"&gt;Themes&lt;/th&gt;&lt;th align="left"&gt;Number of autistic employees&lt;/th&gt;&lt;th align="left"&gt;Number of parents&lt;/th&gt;&lt;th align="left"&gt;Number of non-autistic employees&lt;/th&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/thead&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td rowspan="2"&gt;Impacts of inclusive support system&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Individual-level support&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;1&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Organizational-level support&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;4&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td rowspan="2"&gt;Perceptions of autistic characteristics&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Autistic characteristics as strengths&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;4&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Autistic characteristics as challenges&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;3&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;4&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td rowspan="4"&gt;Employment experiences that empower autistic employees&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;A sense of belonging in the company&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;A sense of belonging in the society&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;4&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;A sense of accomplishment&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;7&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;9&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;4&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;A sense of agency&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Employment outcomes&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Perceived changes in autistic characteristics&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;4&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;td&gt;Quality of life&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td /&gt;&lt;td&gt;Accepting autism as an identity&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;5&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;3&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt; </ephtml> </p> <p>In presenting the results, we intentionally prioritized the responses of autistic employees whenever possible. Quotes from non-autistic employees and parents have been included in Supplementary Material C to demonstrate that the themes, particularly those related to perceptions of autistic characteristics, employment experiences that empower autistic employees, and employment outcomes, emerged from the responses of all participant groups.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-17">Impacts of the inclusive support system</hd> <p>Participants reported how the multifaceted support systems at Autistar, provided at both the individual and the organizational levels, impacted the employment experiences of autistic and non-autistic employees.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-18">Individual-level support</hd> <p>Regarding individual-level support, participants appreciated specific task-related support, environmental modification, and social support provided to non-autistic employees. Specific task-related support, such as repeated instructions and guidance on specific tasks provided by non-autistic employees or sometimes by senior autistic employees, was considered important in achieving company work requirements and reducing the anxiety of autistic employees. For instance, one autistic designer said, "They help me when I am having trouble. When I don't know which keys to use, they would specifically tell me or help frame the design" (Autistic employee #4).</p> <p>Participants indicated that environmental modifications tailored to accommodate the sensory preferences of autistic individuals reduced anxiety and allowed autistic employees to better focus on their work. Frequently mentioned accommodations included noise reduction measures (e.g. allowing earphones), controlled lighting, utilization of visual aids, and structure in workspace arrangements. For instance, an autistic employee mentioned how the utilization of noise-canceling headphones improved his productivity: "I have sensitive ears, so I put on earphones, and it helps with work. If I don't, I sometimes get anxious, can't control my emotions, or get distracted" (Autistic employee #11).</p> <p>Autistic employees' job satisfaction increased by aligning work responsibilities with their strengths, preferences, and unique skills. Autistic employees, whose focused interests often involved drawing, appreciated the opportunities to apply their focused interests to make a living. For instance, an autistic employee said, "I like drawing. When I am drawing, I am content. Comfortable. I like Autistar because I can draw" (Autistic employee #3). In addition, autistic employees with relatively low support needs were often involved in organizing the designs and managing other autistic employees, while those with higher support needs tended to do more original drawing or painting. For instance, a non-autistic employee with lower support needs mentioned,</p> <p>There are autistic employees with lower support needs who do not draw at all because they excel at other things. They correct colors or digitize the designs and do all the work that non-autistic designers do. They also teach and support autistic designers who need more help. (Non-autistic employee #4)</p> <p>Such alignment allowed individuals' diverse autistic characteristics to be leveraged as strengths and helped employees with various support needs attain competency in the tasks in which each excelled.</p> <p>Participants also emphasized the importance of social communication support provided to autistic employees. Non-autistic employees frequently explained implicit rules to autistic employees and sometimes resolved conflicts between autistic employees. An autistic employee mentioned,</p> <p>There are quite a few things that I don't understand from my point of view. Whether it is about conflicts in my daily life or interactions with other autistic individuals, and it is helpful when others explain to me what I don't understand. (Autistic employee #1)</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-19">Organizational-level support</hd> <p>In terms of organizational-level support, the social guidance for non-autistic employees from supportive leadership and inclusive culture benefited the employment experiences of both autistic and non-autistic employees. Non-autistic employees highlighted the importance of communication with the autism expert in leadership positions and noted it helped them understand how to work with autistic employees and made them more accepting of autistic differences. For instance, a non-autistic employee said,</p> <p>The managing director who has autism expertise is constantly communicating with us, so we can approach them if we have any issues. I didn't understand this designer in the moment, but after listening to the director's explanation, the rational part of my brain could make sense of the situation, and it was resolved. That's where I find the support so important. We got an orientation about autism when we first started the job, which was helpful, but the communication that happens every day in various situations tends to be more helpful. (Non-autistic employee #3)</p> <p>In addition to specific accommodations, participants mentioned the benefits of the company culture that accepts autism. In particular, autistic employees and their parents identified the culture as a key contributor to autistic employees' sense of belonging and their quality of life. Another autistic employee mentioned, "This is the first workplace I've experienced that treats autistic people and non-autistic people on the same level as much as possible. In that respect, I feel that the quality of life is definitely better" (Autistic employee #1).</p> <p>The accepting culture was also linked to the job satisfaction of non-autistic employees. For instance, one non-autistic employee expressed, "I have worked at other companies, but at Autistar, I feel a happiness that I did not experience in other companies before. I enjoy working in an atmosphere where we respect and appreciate each other" (Non-autistic employee #5).</p> <p>Interestingly, non-autistic employees shared how the general culture at Autistar shaped their perspectives on providing accommodations to autistic people. For instance, a non-autistic employee mentioned, "I learned that accommodation is not something that you like or don't like. It is something that you just have to do" (Non-autistic employee #2).</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-20">Perceptions about autistic characteristics</hd> <p>Participants described autistic characteristics as strengths of both autistic employees and the company but also described the occasional challenges autistic characteristics entailed.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-21">Autistic characteristics as strengths</hd> <p>Participants reported that autistic characteristics such as hyperfocus, sense of responsibility, attention to detail, memory, superior creativity, and unique autistic perspectives served as facilitators. For instance, an autistic employee said,</p> <p>I think the best thing about autistic people is that they are really good when they are focused, making them very productive. I am not like that, but other autistic colleagues here can paint and focus for two or three hours straight. Some of them are so focused to an extent that they even forget what time they should leave the office for the day. (Autistic employee #1)</p> <p>Non-autistic employees particularly appreciated their autistic coworkers' unique perspectives and visual thinking skills, often associated with creativity, which they saw as strengths for the company. For instance, a non-autistic employee mentioned,</p> <p>I feel some of my autistic colleagues have a really special way with color. A color that catches their attention for a millisecond becomes the main color of the design, which gives it a whole new vibe. It's difficult for non-autistic designers who have been taught to think creatively because we are very limited in terms of our imagination. (Non-autistic employee #3)</p> <p>Participants described ways in which the different characteristics of individuals with diverse support needs benefited the company. In particular, the designs of autistic individuals with higher support needs tended to be preferred by clients and more often commercialized:</p> <p>I think the more autistic the designers are, the more unique and special the drawings are. The drawings of employees with lower support needs tend to be more general or more socialized. I think it's an advantage in our company. (Non-autistic employee #2)</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-22">Autistic characteristics as challenges</hd> <p>Participants also reported that specific characteristics such as focused interests, sensory sensitivity, or communication difficulties sometimes served as barriers. However, most difficulties were often resolved with accommodations. For instance, an autistic employee said, "I was anxious before, but I'm happy now that I work alone. Separating my seat from others' seats with shopping bags helped. I can focus better now" (Autistic employee #7).</p> <p>Despite ongoing support, some autistic employees struggled with not being allowed to draw subjects related to their focused interests. Some employees had specific interests they wanted to focus on, but which employment contexts did not always allow them to draw. A non-autistic employee mentioned, "The most unavoidable part is that there are drawings that you want to draw, but you have to draw something else" (Non-autistic employee #5). These designers usually spent the time after they got home from work drawing their focused interests:</p> <p>I think he is trying to relieve his stress at home by drawing the things that he wants to draw. He comes home, and he draws as if he is hungry for a drawing. He draws like a hungry person eating a meal. (Parent #6)</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-23">Employment experiences that empower autistic employees</hd> <p>Autistic employees often reported feeling a sense of belonging in the company and society, accomplishment, and agency in their work, which motivated and empowered them.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-24">A sense of belonging in the company</hd> <p>Employment experiences made autistic designers feel a sense of belonging in the company and appreciate the collaborative aspects of working on projects with colleagues. An autistic designer with minimal communication skills indicated, "I like Autistar because I can be with others" (Autistic employee #2). Another designer emphasized the experience of being together: "We would go on business trips together, take the train, look out the window, take pictures, and make fun memories together. Together" (Autistic employee #10). The sense of belonging often led to a sense of constructive motivation among autistic designers, with those excelling in drawing or managing complicated tasks serving as role models for others.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-25">A sense of belonging in society</hd> <p>Employment experiences gave autistic designers a sense of belonging in society as ordinary individuals in the workforce. An autistic designer said,</p> <p>When I commute to work, I always breathe in and think about what I'm going to paint that day. I think about it in the subway, which is uncomfortable, but I see people who are busy working, and I think I should do the same. (Autistic employee #10)</p> <p>Interestingly, the sense of belonging in the workforce enabled autistic designers to overcome barriers related to autistic characteristics such as difficulties with sensory stimuli and transitions and motivated them to work harder. A non-autistic designer also mentioned, "It's what it's like to be a member of society or a company. They come to work and assume professional identity, and that makes them do many things that they would not have done otherwise" (Non-autistic employee #14).</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-26">A sense of accomplishment</hd> <p>Autistic participants reported a sense of accomplishment and appreciated positive feedback and acknowledgment of their competence. For instance, an autistic designer shared the experience of having his design chosen for an exhibition:</p> <p>I was most proud that my paintings were displayed at the exhibition. People coming to the exhibitions and being interested in our products make me want to work harder in the future and give people happiness from the attractive and beautiful designs and let people know the value of us, people with disabilities. (Autistic employee #10)</p> <p>This participant's quote demonstrates how accomplishment and recognition motivated autistic designers.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-27">A sense of agency</hd> <p>Finally, all participants reported that active participation in a career path aligned with their personal interests gave them a sense of agency and control. An autistic designer said, "We like drawing, so we draw. Then we get a break from that, and we draw new things. We are inspired. I think that is a good thing" (Autistic employee #10). The sense of agency and control empowered autistic designers to demonstrate independence in their work and take ownership of their responsibilities. An autistic designer shared, "I have to do the work to get what I want. My responsibilities" (Autistic employee #4).</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-28">Employment outcomes</hd> <p>Employment experiences were associated with perceived changes in autistic characteristics, improved quality of life, and fostered a positive self-identity as an autistic person.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-29">Perceived changes in autistic characteristics</hd> <p>Employment experiences increased sensory and cognitive flexibility in autistic employees and reduced social communication difficulties. For instance, an autistic designer reflected on how dealing with uncertainty has changed over time: "In the past, I was anxious about doing new things, not knowing how they'd turn out, but now I know that if my first attempt doesn't work, I can try something else next time" (Autistic employee #4). While all participant groups perceived changes in autistic characteristics as a loss of uniqueness, a perspective that emerged consistently across interviews, one autistic participant explicitly elaborated on how adapting to workplace and social norms might contribute to these changes. This participant reflected,</p> <p>Working at Autistar has helped me gain the ability to attend to others' talk and provide feedback to them. Simultaneously, inversely proportional to that, I feel that I have lost the talent that I originally had. The original autistic talent has died a little bit. (Autistic employee #1)</p> <p> <emph>The same participant elaborated further, stating</emph>,</p> <p>For instance, I find it harder to achieve that kind of deep focus because I'm in a more intermediate state—able to fit in and adapt my original ways of being when necessary. While I can learn well in this state, I struggle to be in an environment that allows me to fully immerse myself. (Autistic employee #1)</p> <p> <emph>This suggests that the skills the participant developed to meet social expectations may have impacted their ability to achieve deeply immersive focus, a state closely associated with their creative talents</emph>.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-30">Quality of life</hd> <p>Employment experiences improved autistic employees' quality of life in the four domains of WHOQOL ([<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref75">62</reflink>]). A structured daily routine and enhanced access to healthcare resulted in better physical health. Furthermore, a structured daily routine was often associated with improved sleeping patterns and energy levels. In addition, for many autistic employees, employment experiences contributed to access to medical care by providing confidence to schedule a medical appointment: "I think working at the company has given me the confidence to do things on my own and not rely on others. So I can now schedule my own medical appointments and go to the doctor" (Autistic employee #10).</p> <p>Autistic employees appreciated opportunities to build social connections and a supportive network with non-autistic and autistic colleagues in the workplace, resulting in improved social relationships. An autistic employee particularly appreciated the relationships and interactions with other autistic designers in the company: "Here, there are senior colleagues with disabilities like me, and we have lunch together, and we talk, and when we draw, we compliment each other" (Autistic employee #3). In addition, non-autistic colleagues often serve as social support for autistic employees, providing professional and personal assistance.</p> <p>A stable source of income allowed autistic employees to engage in leisure activities and also led to an increased awareness of the importance of financial security. Autistic employees usually spent money to buy food or engage in hobbies such as shopping, movies, exhibitions, or travel, and they appreciated the ability to pay for such activities themselves. For instance, an autistic employee said:</p> <p>With the money I earn, I buy toys, books, and things I want to buy. It felt kind of good, it felt good. Then I went out to buy a watch just like the one my dad has with my paycheck. (Autistic employee #12)</p> <p>Autistar provided employment experiences that boosted self-esteem and contributed to positive mental health for autistic employees. In particular, autistic employees were excited about the opportunities to present their drawings, which made them optimistic about their futures. For instance, an autistic designer shared, "I am looking forward to seeing what new products are coming out. When I commute to work, I always breathe and sing with excitement, thinking about what kinds of paintings I will do that day" (Autistic employee #10).</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-31">Accepting autism as an identity</hd> <p>Employment experiences led autistic employees to accept their identity as autistic persons and become comfortable revealing their autism diagnosis to others. For instance, an autistic person who had difficulties accepting an autism diagnosis initially said,</p> <p>When they told me that [I have autism], it was a little hard to accept, so it took me a little while to accept it. But now I have accepted it at Autistar. I can get a job here because of autism, so it was a good experience. (Autistic employee #7)</p> <p>A parent also shared how employment experiences had changed her son, who was initially hesitant to show his disability welfare card to get accommodations and support: "Previously, he did not use his welfare card because he did not want to reveal his diagnosis. Now, after starting to work at Autistar, he is so proud to show it" (Parent #4).</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-32">Discussion</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0185859374-33">Patterns across participant groups</hd> <p>The overlapping list of superordinate themes and respective themes across participant groups suggests a degree of agreement regarding the employment experiences of autistic individuals at Autistar among related stakeholders. However, the distinct absence of the theme of individual-level support among the parent group is noteworthy. This absence could be attributed to parents not being directly involved and not feeling the need to access everyday support systems at Autistar. The discrepancy in emphasis on individual-level support among parents may also indicate self-sufficiency among autistic individuals, implying that they navigated and managed their work environments independently without parental support.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-34">Perceptions of the inclusive support system</hd> <p>Mirroring patterns identified in the previous literature ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref76">18</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref77">20</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref78">21</reflink>]), both individual-level factors such as specific task-related supports, environmental accommodations, social support, and the fit between individual characteristics and work, and organizational-level factors such as supportive leadership and an accepting culture, facilitated the positive employment experiences of autistic employees. This highlights the importance of comprehensive and systematic support in enabling autistic adults with diverse support needs and characteristics to acquire skills and pursue fulfilling careers.</p> <p>In addition, the multi-perspective approach revealed that organizational-level factors, specifically, an accepting culture and social support from leadership, influenced non-autistic employees' perceptions of autistic employees and providing accommodations for autistic employees. While job coaches or mentors were not present, the organizational-level support provided through leadership and colleague training appeared to at least partially fulfill these roles by fostering a culture of mutual understanding and support. These findings highlight the importance of organizational-level support in creating inclusive workplace dynamics ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref79">7</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref80">18</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref81">35</reflink>]). This aligns with previous research suggesting that leadership training, as a form of organizational-level support, may improve employers' attitudes and behaviors, which, in turn, foster positive shifts in employees' attitudes and behaviors, ultimately contributing to successful employment experiences for autistic individuals ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref82">25</reflink>]). Notably, the accepting culture also positively impacted non-autistic employees' job satisfaction. [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref83">44</reflink>] explained that participating in disability employment activities at a company creates a perception among neurotypical employees that they are part of an organization "doing the right thing," resulting in improved morale and engagement.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-35">Perceptions about autistic characteristics</hd> <p>Autistic characteristics played a dual role in shaping the employment experiences of autistic individuals, acting as facilitators and barriers. While prior studies have acknowledged autistic characteristics as strengths ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref84">5</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref85">12</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref86">23</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref87">25</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref88">49</reflink>]), this study takes this idea a step further by highlighting that characteristics, such as creativity and visual skills, may not only aid autistic employees in obtaining and maintaining their jobs but also propel their careers in skilled positions.</p> <p>In line with prior research, certain characteristics, such as sensory issues or communication difficulties ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref89">16</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref90">31</reflink>]), were identified as challenges that negatively impacted their work. However, most difficulties could be addressed through inclusive support strategies, supporting [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref91">10</reflink>] assertion that disability stemming from autism can be alleviated through appropriate environmental adjustments and accommodations.</p> <p>Moreover, autistic employees' ongoing challenges regarding balancing work expectations with personal focused interests parallel the more general issue of managing work–life balance. While this is a common struggle for most employees, irrespective of disability status ([<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref92">53</reflink>]), autistic individuals may face additional challenges in managing work–life balance due to the intensity of their focused interests and hyperfocus ([<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref93">52</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref94">55</reflink>]). <emph>For instance, the findings from the current study reveal that hyperfocus can be considered a positive trait that enhances productivity. However, it can also lead to challenges, such as losing track of time, which may potentially result in burnout</emph>. [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref95">45</reflink>] also highlighted work–life balance as a crucial factor of employment success for individuals in skilled positions, emphasizing its significance in the employment experiences of autistic individuals. Nonetheless, effective methods for assisting autistic employees in navigating work expectations and accommodating their focused interests and hyperfocus remain inadequately explored, warranting further investigation in future research.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-36">Employment experiences that empower autistic employees</hd> <p>Autistic participants reported a heightened sense of belonging, accomplishment, and agency, empowering them to overcome challenges and work harder. These feelings of belonging, agency, and accomplishment align with some dimensions of success (e.g. engaging in meaningful work, a sense of community, and feeling accepted and valued) as defined by skilled autistic employees in [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref96">45</reflink>]. This suggests that the autistic employees in our study may be experiencing success in skilled employment.</p> <p>Furthermore, these experiences correlate with the three basic psychological needs outlined in self-determination theory: relatedness, competence, and autonomy ([<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref97">48</reflink>]). According to this theory, fulfilling these needs fosters intrinsic motivation and engagement in activities, leading to improved performance, persistence, and subjective well-being ([<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref98">48</reflink>]). Thus, autistic employees' perceptions regarding a sense of belonging, accomplishment, and agency may have served as facilitators, promoting intrinsic motivations and self-determination.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-37">Employment outcomes</hd> <p>While the correlation between employment and enhanced social interactions has been recognized in prior studies ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref99">20</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref100">22</reflink>]), this study proposes that employment may also be linked to perceived changes in autistic characteristics such as difficulties with transitions and sensory sensitivity. While all participant groups shared concerns about the potential trade-off between developing adaptive skills and preserving unique autistic talents, one participant uniquely linked this dynamic to camouflaging—the conscious or unconscious masking of autistic traits to align with neurotypical expectations ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref101">24</reflink>]). They described how adapting to workplace and social norms might have reduced opportunities to fully immerse themselves and focus, potentially diminishing their original talents and limiting engagement with tasks that draw on their strengths. While this perspective offers valuable insight, it is important to note that this specific link between camouflaging and the loss of unique talents was explicitly described by only one participant. <emph>Further research is needed to explore how camouflaging interacts with workplace environments, adaptive skill development, and the preservation of unique autistic traits such as immersive focus and creativity</emph>.</p> <p>Echoing the positive impact of employment on well-being and overall quality of life, as identified in the previous studies ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref102">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib60" id="ref103">60</reflink>]), autistic employees and stakeholders perceived improvements in all four domains of quality of life for autistic individuals. Employment experiences were also associated with positive self-identity and self-knowledge of autistic characteristics, identified as facets of quality of life specific to autistic individuals by [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref104">36</reflink>]. Meaningful work in skilled positions that leverage autistic characteristics or benefit from autism-specific accommodations may have facilitated a positive shift in how autistic employees embrace autism as part of their identity. However, the precise mechanism leading to such a shift should be explored in future research.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-38">Implications</hd> <p>The study's findings suggest several directions for future research. The findings showed that when appropriate support is provided, autistic characteristics across the spectrum of support needs benefited not only the employment experiences of autistic employees but also the entire company. Specifically, designs by autistic individuals with high support needs were found to be unique and preferred by clients, contributing to the company's commercial profitability. This finding aligns with the neurodiversity paradigm which suggests that all forms of neurological diversity—including those with high support needs—are valuable ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref105">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib59" id="ref106">59</reflink>]). The integration of neurodiversity in the workplace encompasses creating an environment that accommodates the strengths and unique perspectives of individuals with disabilities, including autism, while providing them with necessary support and accommodations ([<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref107">30</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref108">34</reflink>]). Although Autistar does not explicitly state that it provides neurodiversity-based support, its culture, which embraces autistic differences and offers appropriate strength-based support to socially and physically include autistic employees at the organizational level, is indicative of a neurodiversity approach. Although major global companies such as Microsoft and Goldman Sachs have argued that leveraging neurodiverse strengths can have financial benefits for the company ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref109">11</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref110">30</reflink>]), empirical examination of this evidence has been lacking. This study, therefore, serves as a preliminary demonstration of the benefits associated with adopting neurodiversity in the workplace. We urge the need for additional studies to explore how various work environments respond to and benefit from the diverse strengths associated with autism and the impact of adopting the neurodiversity approach on overall company performance and non-autistic and autistic employees' employment experiences.</p> <p>Furthermore, this study underscores the critical role of employers in fostering inclusive workplaces for autistic employees through proactive organizational initiatives. In South Korea, where supportive legislative frameworks for autistic employment are limited, adopting similar strength-based strategies holds significant potential to foster greater inclusion. The success of Autistar serves as a compelling example for other organizations, demonstrating how employers' efforts to support autistic employees' strengths can benefit both the individuals and the broader workplace.</p> <p>Future research should employ quantitative methods to investigate how the themes identified in this study—a sense of belonging, accomplishment, and agency—correlate with the long-term employment experiences and overall quality of life of autistic employees across various vocational settings and cultures. Given the potential cultural specificity of some identified themes, it is crucial to explore the impact of culture on the employment experiences of autistic individuals. For example, the increased emphasis on social norms in South Korea may affect autistic employees' appreciation of the chance to be an ordinary person in society ([<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref111">26</reflink>]). Moreover, the significance of comradeship and the sense of belonging in the company may be particularly pronounced for Koreans, given their more collectivistic tendencies, compared to individuals in more individualistic Western cultures ([<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref112">29</reflink>]). Further examination of these intricacies will enhance our overall comprehension of the multifaceted elements that impact the employment prospects of autistic individuals across global contexts.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-39">Limitations</hd> <p>This study also has several limitations to be considered. <emph>First</emph>, this study focuses on a unique employment model at Autistar, a single company providing strength-based, organizational-level support tailored to autistic employees. While these insights contribute to understanding the potential of such inclusive practices, the findings may not generalize to other companies or cultural contexts. Second, despite researchers conducting private interviews unrelated to the company and ensuring the anonymity of interview data, some participants may have been hesitant to disclose challenges or negative experiences of the program. In addition, the unique relationship between some researchers and Autistar could have introduced subtle biases, potentially influencing participants' comfort levels and candor during interviews. While efforts were made to mitigate these risks, future research could benefit from external evaluators to enhance neutrality and minimize potential bias. Finally, despite efforts to include the perspectives of all autistic employees with varying support needs and verbal abilities through different data collection methods (writing, typing, pointing to pictures, and speaking), some autistic participants provided shorter responses, resulting in variations in the number of contributions made at the individual level.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-40">Conclusion</hd> <p>This study investigated the employment experiences of Korean autistic designers in skilled positions within a company that provides organizational-level support. A multifaceted support system—encompassing both individual- and organizational-level initiatives—fostered a sense of competency, agency, and belonging, motivating autistic employees to excel in their work. Notably, organizational-level support not only enhanced the well-being and success of autistic employees but also positively influenced non-autistic employees' perceptions of working alongside autistic colleagues. The unique characteristics of autistic employees—across diverse support needs—were integral not only to their personal and professional growth but also to the company's overall success, highlighting the value of leveraging neurodiversity as a workplace strength. Furthermore, themes identified in this study, such as work–life balance, belonging, and agency, underscore the universal relevance of organizational-level supports, demonstrating their potential to benefit all employees, regardless of disability status.</p> <p>These findings emphasize that solely providing individual-level accommodations for autistic employees is insufficient. Instead, organizational-level supports that promote inclusivity and foster collaboration are essential for creating positive employment experiences for both autistic and non-autistic employees. Outcomes included perceived changes in autistic characteristics, improvements in quality of life, and the development of a positive self-identity as an autistic individual. Based on these findings, we recommend implementing neurodiversity-based support at the organizational level to enable autistic individuals to leverage their unique characteristics as strengths. Future studies should explore the relationships between autistic traits, employment experiences, and quality of life. In addition, research should investigate cultural impacts on employment experiences and assess the generalizability of these findings to various employment contexts.</p> <hd id="AN0185859374-41">Supplemental Material</hd> <p>Graph: Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-aut-10.1177_13623613251329605 for Beyond individual support: Employment experiences of autistic Korean designers receiving strength-based organizational support by SoHyun Lee, So Yoon Kim, Kwinam Lee, Sehwa Sim and Hyesung Park in Autism</p> <ref id="AN0185859374-42"> <title> Footnotes </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref21" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> SoHyun Lee: Conceptualization; Investigation; Methodology; Project administration; Resources; Supervision; Validation; Writing—review &amp; editing. So Yoon Kim: Conceptualization; Formal analysis; Funding acquisition; Methodology; Supervision; Writing—original draft; Writing—review &amp; editing. Kwinam Lee: Data curation; Formal analysis; Investigation; Methodology; Writing—review &amp; editing. Sehwa Sim: Data curation; Formal analysis; Investigation; Methodology; Writing—review &amp; editing. Hyesung Park: Data curation; Validation; Writing—review &amp; editing.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref28" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: S.Y.K., K.L., and S.S. have no conflicts of interest to declare. S.L. and H.P. serve as non-executive board member and board member, respectively, of Autistar. While H.P. assisted in interpreting the responses of autistic employees, as detailed in section "Methods," S.L. and H.P. were not involved in any other processes related to recruitment, data collection, and data analysis to maintain objectivity.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib3" idref="ref9" type="bt">3</bibl> <bibtext> The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2023S1A5A8078518).</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib4" idref="ref4" type="bt">4</bibl> <bibtext> SoHyun Lee</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext>Graph</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8064-5081 So Yoon Kim</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext>Graph</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext>https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1349-8031 Kwinam Lee</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib5" idref="ref40" type="bt"></bibl> <bibtext>Graph https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1155-3463</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Supplemental material for this article is available online.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib6" idref="ref5" type="bt">6</bibl> <bibtext> These estimates should be interpreted with caution, as global data collection systems for autism employment are often inconsistent or incomplete.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib7" idref="ref79" type="bt">7</bibl> <bibtext> * These two authors share the first authorship.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <ref id="AN0185859374-43"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibtext> An E., Lee S., Park H. 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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1474894 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Beyond Individual Support: Employment Experiences of Autistic Korean Designers Receiving Strength-Based Organizational Support – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22SoHyun+Lee%22">SoHyun Lee</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8064-5081">0000-0002-8064-5081</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22So+Yoon+Kim%22">So Yoon Kim</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1349-8031">0000-0003-1349-8031</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kwinam+Lee%22">Kwinam Lee</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1155-3463">0009-0002-1155-3463</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sehwa+Sim%22">Sehwa Sim</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hyesung+Park%22">Hyesung Park</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Autism%3A+The+International+Journal+of+Research+and+Practice%22"><i>Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice</i></searchLink>. 2025 29(7):1883-1897. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 15 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism+Spectrum+Disorders%22">Autism Spectrum Disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employees%22">Employees</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Design%22">Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employee+Attitudes%22">Employee Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inclusion%22">Inclusion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empowerment%22">Empowerment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Organizational+Climate%22">Organizational Climate</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sense+of+Belonging%22">Sense of Belonging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Quality+of+Life%22">Quality of Life</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Concept%22">Self Concept</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Individual+Characteristics%22">Individual Characteristics</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22South+Korea%22">South Korea</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1177/13623613251329605 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 1362-3613<br />1461-7005 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This study qualitatively examined the employment experiences of autistic designers in a South Korean company providing strength-based support at the organizational level. The experiences of 12 autistic employees (mean age = 27 years old, 83.3% male), 12 parents, and 5 non-autistic employees were examined using semi-structured interviews and multi-perspective interpretive phenomenological analysis. Four superordinate themes emerged: the impact of inclusive support systems, views on autistic characteristics, empowering employment experiences, and associated outcomes. Results emphasized the importance of organization- and individual-level support in shaping the employment experiences of autistic and non-autistic employees. While autistic characteristics served as facilitators and challenges of autistic employees' employment experiences, they contributed to the company's overall success. A sense of belonging, competency, and agency motivated autistic employees; their employment outcomes involved perceived changes in autistic characteristics, enhanced quality of life, and positive autistic self-identity. The findings suggest that the implementation of neurodiversity-based support at the organizational level allows autistic employees to leverage their unique characteristics as strengths regardless of support needs and benefits all employees. Future research should explore cultural influences, assess generalizability to other vocational contexts, and investigate the impacts of adopting neurodiversity in the workplace to create inclusive environments that maximize the career potential of autistic employees. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1474894 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1474894 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1177/13623613251329605 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 15 StartPage: 1883 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries Type: general – SubjectFull: Autism Spectrum Disorders Type: general – SubjectFull: Employees Type: general – SubjectFull: Design Type: general – SubjectFull: Employee Attitudes Type: general – SubjectFull: Inclusion Type: general – SubjectFull: Empowerment Type: general – SubjectFull: Organizational Climate Type: general – SubjectFull: Sense of Belonging Type: general – SubjectFull: Quality of Life Type: general – SubjectFull: Self Concept Type: general – SubjectFull: Individual Characteristics Type: general – SubjectFull: South Korea Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Beyond Individual Support: Employment Experiences of Autistic Korean Designers Receiving Strength-Based Organizational Support Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: SoHyun Lee – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: So Yoon Kim – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kwinam Lee – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sehwa Sim – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hyesung Park IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1362-3613 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1461-7005 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 29 – Type: issue Value: 7 Titles: – TitleFull: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice Type: main |
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