GENERAL INTEREST CONTENT
People with ASD have the ability and want to work. However, and despite the presence of many employment promotion initiatives specifically targeting people with ASD, employment rates remain extremely low.
Scientific studies carried out in recent years on this subject show the importance of Access, and maintenance, for people with ASD and their families. They also prove that they have a positive impact on the companies in which they provide their services, on the economy and on the Public Administration, since obtaining paid employment makes them have economic autonomy.
So why is it so difficult for people with ASD to find and/or keep a job?
In 2014, the Autism Centre for Research on Employment (ACRE) conducted a study involving the adult population with ASD, their families and support professionals from specialized services. The results of this study highlighted the existence of 2 barriers that greatly hinder the access and maintenance of a job for the population with ASD: first, the lack of adjustments in the job position that adapt to the characteristics and needs of the person with ASD. And, secondly, the low knowledge and awareness about autism both in the social and work environment.
Both barriers are interrelated, since ignorance of the TEA will result in the lack of measures that allow the person to enter the job successfully.
In addition, it is necessary to take into account that each person with ASD has a different cognitive profile, so the adjustments made for the incorporation of a working person with ASD will not necessarily be effective for another person with ASD who joins the same company. Companies need to individualize and make personal adaptations in each case.
Therefore, it is necessary to have tools that allow evaluating each person before entering the labour market, so that their work and cognitive profiles are identified, so that both factors are taken into account from the beginning and throughout the process.
PROCESSES OF RECRUITMENT / PERSONAL SELECTION AT GENERAL LEVEL COMPANIES FOR EMPLOYEES
What do we understand by Recruitment?
Equipo Vértice (2007) defines recruitment as an action to attract intellectual capital to companies. The company not only demands a series of characteristics of the candidate, but also offers its competitive advantages, in order to assess the benefits that may affect the candidate's affiliation to the company.
The objective of recruiting is to supply the "selection" of its basic raw material, that is, candidates. But it must supply the selection process not only in quantity, but also in quality. The effectiveness of the procedure will depend on these two elements.
RECRUITMENT AND DISABILITY
In the job vacancies published by the company, the company's commitment to equal opportunities for male and female candidates, with or without disabilities, could be included.
• Try to receive as many applications as possible from qualified people with disabilities. For this, the job offer could be disseminated through organizations of people with disabilities, universities, etc. These offers must be disseminated in a format that is accessible to all.
• Description of the characteristics of the jobs offered, the functions to be performed, as well as the educational level, knowledge, experience, skills and aptitudes required.
• Upon finding a candidate with a disability who meets the requirements for the position, the company should be able to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace, in order to maximize the capabilities of the person. (Antezana and Linkimer, 2015)
What we understand by Personnel Selection in general:
Chiavenato (1999) defines personnel selection as the choice of the most appropriate candidates to carry out jobs in the company, trying to preserve or improve the efficiency and productivity of the rest of their personnel. The selection of personnel aims to achieve two objectives:
• Adjusting the person to the job.
• And that person is effective in the position.
PERSONNEL SELECTION AND DISABILITY
Selection processes for people with disabilities can be longer than a regular selection process. This is due to the fact that a much more in-depth analysis of the person and their disability is required when conducting a selection process for these individuals.
Outsourcing these processes to specialized entities or foundations that work for groups of people with disabilities can speed up hiring.
How do we define the selection criteria?
The selection criteria will be determined by the information we have about the position to be filled. The selection process must also provide for people's ability to learn and to perform a task. A selection process is basically the development of a comparison and decision-making because, on the one hand, there is the analysis and specifications of the position and, on the other, the applicants for it, who are totally different from each other.
How are the phases of the selection?
Study of the curriculum or job application letter.
Preliminary interview.
Suitability tests:
Checking of background and references.
Final interview.
Medical examination.
INFORMATION AND AWARENESS TO THE WORK UNITS:
Integration is born from information, with which the lack of information in the work environment leads to the development of fears, prejudices and a distorted vision of the work potential of people with disabilities, which can spoil the effort carried out throughout the process selection to achieve the best position-person fit.
In most companies, from the General Management and HR, the reconciliation and motivation are usually adequate, however this changes in the middle managers, the heads of departments or the rest of the organization's staff, where the integration philosophy very often encounters insurmountable barriers.
This line of action can be established in two parallel tracks: one aimed at those who will be the coworkers of the new incorporation (in the case of people with ASD) awareness campaigns can be carried out in companies with employees through organizations specialized in ASD and another to the supervisory or coordination commands for the same purposes.
These initiatives will eliminate unfounded fears and facilitate the adoption of an appropriate attitude so that employees know how to work with people with Autism, how they should address themselves and what actions they should take together: not overprotecting the person because they have a disability, but also not ignoring it, providing a normalized and equal treatment, demanding the same professionalism, the same level of performance and the same objectives.
ENSURE THAT THE CONTRACTING CONDITIONS ARE CLEAR:
Make sure that the hiring conditions are clear: In people with Autism it is essential that everything is in writing or use means that support their understanding.
It is very important when it comes to people who have a different operation in the information here people with ASD are literal, it is important to accompany the writing with examples that can help them understand the type of contract, their functions, salaries, insurance, etc. The company must ensure that the person is clear about the conditions under which they have been hired. In case of doubts that you have fully understood what your schedule will be- detailed planning, people with Autism are very schematic and routine, it is ideal to anticipate any changes, they do not tolerate changes and this causes anxiety and stress. So, the same with pay, annual leave, hiring time, etc. You can contact the legal guardian or social entities of this person and clarify any questions with him so that they can help in this process.
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