Smart casual? Close of play? Endless water-cooler discussions about the weather?
Non-autistic adults can behave in baffling ways - and never more so in the maze of unwritten social rules, jargon and ritual that is your average day at the office. Luckily, Maura and Debby (office code cracker extraordinaires) have gone undercover in typical offices for decades to pull together the ultimate survival guide for the autistic employee.
Wickedly illustrated by Tim Stringer, this one-stop-shop gives guidance on everything from navigating sensory issues and asking for reasonable workplace adjustments to the appropriate etiquette of in-person and hybrid spaces and how to deal with instances of bullying and harassment. With translations of the bizarre idioms and acronyms of office-speak, as well advice on the baffling unspoken rules of an office social life - this is both a hilarious and highly practical guide to being happier and more successful at work.
Debby Elley is the co-founder of AuKids magazine and the author of Fifteen Things They Forgot to Tell You About Autism, and co-author of the childrens book The Ice-Cream Sundae Guide to Autism (JKP 2020). She is a mother of twin sons on the autism spectrum. She lives in Cheshire, UK.
Maura Campbell is an autistic advocate, writer and senior civil servant. She is the co-author of Spectrum Women - Autism and Parenting and Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism, and is based in Northern Ireland.
Go-to guide for decoding the unspoken rules of office life, especially designed for autistic employees
Professor Tony Attwood
When starting a job in an office, an autistic person can feel as though they have entered an alternative world. This insightful and humorous guide provides a rationale for office customs and translates the idiosyncratic terms. It is only through the eyes of autism that you really appreciate the culture and expectations of working in an office. This is essential reading for an autistic person considering or starting work in an office.
Michael Barton, Autistic TEDx speaker, author of Its Raining Cats and Dogs and A Different Kettle of Fish and data analyst.
A thoroughly enjoyable and informative read! With superb insights and a humorous approach I will not hesitate to recommend this to anyone - autistic or neurotypical!
Bianca Toeps, author of Author of But You Don’t Look Autistic At All and This Autistic Girl Went to Japan
Very helpful in navigating office life as an autistic person. Weird jargon, dress codes, coffee machine etiquette and what (not) to say about Janet-from-accountings new haircut? Maura and Debby have got you covered!
Dr Luke Beardon, Senior Lecturer in Autism
What a treasure this book is, delightfully witty and charming with a richness and depth to the narrative that provides useful guidance to anyone interested in learning about autism, the office environment, or - importantly - the combination of the two.
Dr Michelle Garnett - Clinical Psychologist - PhD(Psych), Founder and Director of Attwood & Garnett Events, AuDHD
I highly recommend this book for both autistic employees and their managers. If you are autistic, reading this book is like having your best friend explain what you really need to know to survive and thrive at work in such a way that you both laugh out loud and feel affirmed. If you have an autistic person on your team, read this book to understand autism from the inside, it will make you a better manager, and you will laugh out loud!
