Jamie Brownlee & Frankie Francis are Tea Mixologists at Bird & Blend Tea Co. Chiswick & London Borough respectively. Both are autistic & have written this article to uplift the diverse, strong autistic voice they’ve seen in their years with the company. Jamie loves books & nature, & spends his time writing, doodling, or cooking while sipping Peppermint Cream tea. Frankie likes TTRPG games, pin badges, & creative projects, & spends most of his time writing, creating art, or world building for his fantasy universe & homebrew D&D game.
April is World Autism Acceptance Month, an entire month dedicated to spotlighting autistic individuals, not solely to spread awareness, but to bring attention to spaces where autistic people’s voices & presences are less supported, represented, & valued than our allistic peers.
In light of this we’ve decided to uplift some of the autistic voices within our TEAm, chatting all about living with autism & how it impacts our working lives, as well as how employers could work to create more positive, sustainable workplaces where autistic employees can thrive.
Bird & Blend Tea Co. is all about people; we do whatever we can to treat them well in all parts of our business & to encourage more ethical practices across the industry. We are proud to be Disability Confident Committed, meaning we have pledged to break down barriers in hiring & improve accessibility through accommodations for those who need them, autistic people included.
Autism is a developmental disability characterised by differences in the way the brain functions in comparison to a ‘typical’ model. It can affect the way we think, socialise, experience sensory stimuli, & navigate the world around us. It is estimated that at least 1 in 100 people globally fall somewhere on the autism spectrum.
Officially recognised as a spectrum disorder in 1994, it’s important to be aware that it presents in a variety of ways from person to person. Think of different presentations like a wheel, where those with autism have dots in different places depending on the severity of certain symptoms.
Source: Vanderbilt University - Understanding the Spectrum
Some presentations might even appear covertly from the outside. ‘Masking’ is a strategy utilised consciously or subconsciously by autistic people to attempt to appear allistic (non-autistic) by mirroring the mannerisms of allistic people; suppressing, covering up, or otherwise concealing ourselves to blend in, ‘wearing a mask’. This can be mentally tiring & can cause increased levels of anxiety & stress.
When discussing autism acceptance, it’s important to keep in mind the slogan ‘nothing about us without us’. Adopted by disability rights advocates in the 90s, it means always taking into account the autistic perspective rather than solely referencing allistic voices in conversations concerning us. This is especially important because autistic voices have historically been overlooked in favour of narratives which center on pity, how ‘brave’ we are, or which otherwise infantilise or treat us as victims of our neurotype first & foremost without empowering us to live the lives we want.
In the workplace this becomes particularly problematic because preconceived narratives often adopt the perspective that being on the autism spectrum inherently makes somebody incapable of work, less skilled, or unable to do what our neurotypical colleagues can. Though many of us are capable of work & daily function, only 15% of autistic adults are employed full-time, & only 9% are in part-time employment. While autistic people face many unique struggles both in & out of the workplace, the issue is not with neurodivergence but instead with a society not built with us in mind. The workplace is no exception.
‘Day-to-day it can vary, & while I generally can function well enough to get through the day, I become mentally exhausted & overwhelmed from numerous things,’ one of our tea tasters shared. He said challenges could be posed by a variety of things allistics might not think about, including ‘commuting, interacting with customers, loud noises, bright lights, noises which I seem to perceive louder than neurotypical people… sensory experiences like strong smells or certain materials, crowds & confined spaces, [&] intense colours or visuals.’
For autistic people, the sensory world can be dialed up to 100, meaning stimuli that allistics might find completely inoffensive become unbearable from our perspective. It’s helpful to consider ‘spoon theory’, which presents each person’s limited daily energy in ‘spoonfuls’. Autistic people begin with less of these ‘spoonfuls’ than allistics, & while some daily tasks only take a single spoon, others will use up more, making balancing necessary tasks difficult, especially when sensory stimuli can make simple tasks take more energy.
Running out of spoons can lead to overstimulation, & then to sensory related shutdowns. As one Senior Tea Mixologist described his shutdowns: ‘I become teary & agitated, completely unable to speak or articulate myself to the degree I like to be able to. My tongue feels physically tied. I’m unable to rationally think through my situation or move through my environment. Depending on circumstances, they can be so draining that I need a day or more to recover.’
The social symptoms of autism are also notable, as nearly every person we spoke to mentioned them. ‘I struggle socially, especially with talking to new people or having boundaries during conversations (e.g. oversharing),’ Kim, our Learning & Development Advisor, shares.
‘I take things quite literally, so sometimes jokes go over my head, or I misinterpret.’ Nathan, a Tea Mixologist, added: ‘It feels like I’m always looking at things through a magnifying glass… which means I often miss things most neurotypical people see as incredibly obvious… This hyperfocus can often make me a very intense person to interact with, so I often mask some of my autistic traits.’
But the same things that make navigating the world with our neurotype complicated also provide distinct advantages & points of joy. The Tea Taster cited his ability to talk deeply about his special interests & his sharp attention to detail. Kim said she loved that her neurodivergence makes her a passionate, quirky person. Nathan noted that their tendency to hyperfocus also allows them to ‘pick up details in situations that most people will miss.’
Most of the group agreed that their autism was something they were happy with, & that even with the drawbacks, they would not want to be separated from their neurotype. ‘I was diagnosed from a young age & have always tried to approach my neurodivergence from a perspective of power & pride,’ the Senior Tea Mixologist said. ‘I’m open with everybody about it, regardless of what they think. It makes me straightforward, has allowed me to be more uniquely myself, & drives me to share my unique perspective on the world through creative outlets.’
‘My neurodivergency, both ADHD & autism, are [an] essential part to who I am as a person. To hide them or not tell my employer is to set both myself & them up for failure.’ Nathan said.
These positive traits carry over into the workplace & yes, they absolutely do mean that autistic employees often have unique strengths that make us exceptional employees. The ability to hyperfixate on things that we’re especially interested in makes for a sustained passion like no other. You might not be shocked to hear that most of our autistic team members said they considered tea to be one of their special interests!
‘My autism makes interacting with customers wonderful because I can express a deep love & passion for my job & the tea, & many customers have said they thoroughly enjoy my ability to talk about the teas, describe them, & answer their questions,’ the Tea Taster said.
Others mentioned that their sincerity made them better at customer service, as they interacted with customers on a person-first basis rather than simply to get a sale. ‘I love tea & it is a special interest of mine. I am not just selling tea because it is my job. I am genuinely passionate about the product & love learning & sharing information with customers,’ said Eleni, a Tea Mixologist from our Exeter store.
Nathan even noted that he’d repurposed his ability to mask in order to understand customers better: ‘The way I think is very different to many of my neurotypical colleagues. I find I am always learning on the job… It means my pitches, my recommendations & my vibe [change] in order to fit the customer I am currently talking to which, due to masking, is something I've been doing my whole life… this means I give a personalised & unique experience to each customer that comes in store. I love to learn, which means customers will often open up & talk to me about themselves.’
Outside of retail, a member of our digital & marketing team’s autistic angle on communication & clarity is a big factor in how she approaches the customer journey: ‘Being autistic makes me really detail-orientated & meticulous about things like spelling, imagery & design. I also love problem solving – I’m always questioning how we can make a customer journey really clear. Communicating effectively with customers is so important.’
Kim’s role is also heavily coloured by her neurodivergence: ‘Making sure training is accessible is a huge part of my role, & I think that my experience with autism has helped me greatly in building an awareness of what people might need. I'm always open to feedback; I want to build learning from the ground up, rather than making a training module & then adding reasonable adjustments, if we support those with the most needs from the beginning, that's useful for everyone.’
When addressing workplace inequity, it’s important to not ask ‘how can an autistic person mask to be the right person for the job’, but ‘how can the workplace become more autistic friendly?’ The issues many autistic people face when working come from employment systems not created with us in mind.
Asked how autism can sometimes pose challenges in the workplace, the group gave as wide of a variety of responses & angles as they did for the positives. The digital & marketing team member said work could sometimes be really exhausting. ‘I find collaborative meetings difficult because it takes me a while to process information when it’s been presented to me. It can sometimes look like I don’t have anything to input… but actually I’m soaking in every piece of information before I go away, gather my thoughts & ideas, & then share them.’
‘If someone gives me instructions & they aren’t specific–like if there is inferred meaning for what they want me to do—I will absolutely miss whatever has been inferred,’ Kim added.
Others emphasized the social differences. E, an Assistant Manager, said interacting with customers could be challenging, even if they’re also neurodivergent. The Tea Taster mentioned not only customer interactions, but interactions with other coworkers: ‘I can sometimes struggle with taking initiative, or with understanding the purposes of a task. I sometimes accidentally say things my colleagues already know or are aware of when I’m simply trying to make sure things are clearly communicated.’
He also notes a significant challenge for him & many other autistic people being unable to work full time due to mental demand. ‘I become incredibly mentally “tapped out”, & do not have enough time to recharge.’
The Senior Tea Mixologist mentioned issues with sensory & motor skills, particularly sound processing (‘my brain is confused by which noises to prioritise in a busy room, so I miss things’) & proprioception, or the body’s ability to determine its position in space (‘I bump into things or fumble often’), both which make working in retail particularly difficult at times.
Not all impacts were the same or even similar, meaning adjustments made off the back of these for accessibility will not be one size fits all.
‘The best thing an employer can do to make work [better] for an autistic individual is to listen to them,’ Nathan said. ‘Ask what support they want & need. Have a list you’ve provided to other staff members with similar disabilities… Be united in your support for those with autism & similar needs, but how you actually support an individual should be tailored to that individual.’
Making a workplace accessible does not need to mean difficult, expensive, or job altering. Though companies should be more open to make their roles accessible for all types of people regardless of larger changes, most of the group we spoke to noted that even tiny modifications, down to their employer having a heightened awareness of autism, made all the difference.
‘From the start, employers could make things more accessible by giving candidates the opportunity to read & prepare for interview questions before attending,’ suggested the digital & marketing team member. ‘Flexible working hours are really important too–sometimes commuting can be overwhelming & exhausting, & you’d often get a more productive employee if they were able to work from home instead of travelling in.’
‘Some of us need more time to process information & think about how to respond to things,’ said E. ‘Give [us] time to process information, [let us] know things are coming up in advance, e.g. meetings, training, etc. & let [us] have time to plan & do research.’
‘Employers could ensure that while it isn't a requirement for someone to share their diagnosis, that the space is there should someone feel the need to communicate that,’ the Tea Taster noted ‘they could ensure that some of the more common struggles of those with ASD are addressed - such as having suitable noise levels, having suitable lighting colour & intensity, creating accessible quiet spaces, [&] ensuring clear communication about tasks & information.’
‘Be more open to self expression,’ suggested Kim. ‘Support your employees when they disclose things. Train your teams & managers on neurodivergence. Listen to what your autistic employees need.’
Eleni pointed out that accessibility adjustments can have a ripple effect, benefiting everyone within a company & enabling them to do better work. Almost every member of the group echoed this, pointing out that there are other struggles for which an open, accommodating environment–focused on being accessible from the jump–could make for happier employees.
There were a handful of other things our group wanted employers to know, more generally, about autistic employees.
‘I think one important thing to say is that being autistic doesn’t mean someone cares less or is less capable at work — it often just means they work & process things differently. For me, I care a lot about doing things properly & making sure the work is clear, accurate & well thought through, but that can sometimes take a bit more time to process or respond to things in the moment. What can sometimes be interpreted as being quiet, slow to answer, or needing more detail is actually just part of how my brain works,’ the digital & marketing team member said.
‘People with autism are not necessarily incapable of working,’ the Tea Taster added. ‘We are not necessarily incapable of being in roles which are customer or client-facing. We are not necessarily going to need drastic, business-altering, hyper-specific accommodations. In fact, our differences can be an incredible asset within a number of roles & businesses, if people are willing to respect that we frequently see, experience, & understand things in a different way than is often expected.’
‘View us as crucial, equal, adult, worth investment, & just as capable as your allistic employees. Confront your subconscious biases about autism, even if you think you don’t have them, & learn more about autistic people from organisations like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Allow us to use our strengths to help lift up our workplaces instead of forcing us into precarious positions, burnout, & overstimulation,’ our Senior Tea Mixologist shared.
As you can see, while the autistic experience is a diverse, individual, & often challenging one, it can also provide an amazing set of unique skills, expertise, & passion, which can be applied to both personal & professional life.
This Autism Acceptance Month, we’d like to encourage both the general public & employers specifically to consider what they can do to help create safe & sustainable working environments for autistic people. By creating a space where we feel comfortable discussing our needs & making reasonable adjustments, we can all ensure that autistic people have just as much opportunity to find secure, long-term work as allistic people.
Autism is also a lifelong condition & while it’s important to remember that it’s a wide spectrum of individual experiences, it’s equally important to recognise that we exist beyond Autism Acceptance Month, & that by taking this into account & listening to autistic voices, we can continue to create a positive change within the relationship between autistic people & working environments.
