The importance of flexible working to an autistic employee

Yesterday my boss confirmed I can work from home for three days a week. I have been pushing for it for a long time and very sure I’ve been driving my boss mad. It is very hard for a lot of people to comprehend the massive impact that work from home access will have on my quality of life.

Without work from home I get on the bus, I walk through a busy city centre, I sit in a busy office, log on to a remote PC (!) and do my work. I then have to reverse all that to get home. I don’t talk to anyone in the office. I sit and do my job. There is no reason for me to be there other than ‘it’s the way it’s always been done’ and ‘that’s just the way it is’.

How about we throw out the ‘rule book’ and the norms of the working environment when it comes to disabled/neurodivergent employees.

I could have cried with relief when she told me it was all sorted. Monday to Wednesday I will work from home, every week! A 60% reduction in the days that will knock the crap out of me. Just two days to get through. Going into Thursday with maximum mental energy and only having to get to Friday afternoon. It is going to change my life.

Since starting work two and a half years ago my life has revolved around keeping my job. Get through to Friday, recover, and face the next week. Yes, I know, I don’t have to work. I could claim disability and not work, I am aware. But I don’t want to (I know it isn’t a choice for everyone, don’t attack me). I love my job, so much. The fact that I can now do what I love, and it not put a price over my life is unbelievably amazing.

I am a terrible ‘adult’. Seriously, ask my mum. My job takes all my mental energy. It’s why I barely clean my house or cook (thanks mum for helping me with these). It’s why I have point blank ruled out a relationship. I have nothing left to give outside of work.

I went into the meeting yesterday with the intention to cut my hours down. For anyone that saw the breakdown last week, it wasn’t pretty. But this, this means I can still work full time, but have some semblance of work life balance. I never thought I would have that.

I’m not saying three days from home is going to make work a walk in the park. It won’t. Just yesterday at work there was a fire alarm. And even from home I have to cope with emails and my work tasks. But it does feel like it has lifted a 2-and-a-half-year weight off me in terms of fear of keeping my job.

Please, if you are in any position of management, please have a conversation with workers that have different needs. Whether as a carer, a disability, neurodivergent. Nowadays there is a way to make work-life balance a real concept. What I will give work each day will not change, in fact I will likely increase in productivity, and be less likely to need time off work. Everyone wins.

I have always wanted to push for work from home. More than a salary. More than a title. I knew it would give me some of my life back. There are no words that can possibly get across what this means to me. One happy Rosie.

Ps, no promises to Mum this means I will cook.

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