Bridging Worlds: The Workplace Experience of Autistic Adults

Purpose: Despite growing interest in autistic adults’ employment outcomes, little is known about how autistic individuals experience everyday workplace dynamics-particularly in relation to colleagues and social inclusion. This study aimed to explore how autistic employees in Israel perceive their work experiences, including challenges, sources of meaning, and interpersonal interactions. Methods: Ten autistic adults participated in semi-structured interviews, conducted in Hebrew and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Participants were recruited via autism-related organizations and online platforms using a snowball sampling approach. Interviews focused on experiences of teamwork, communication, disclosure, and inclusion. Results: Four key themes emerged: (1) Work as a source of meaning; (2) Disclosure as a relational dilemma; (3) Workplace communication as a “foreign language”; and (4) Coworkers as key actors in everyday inclusion. Participants described varied experiences shaped by everyday peer interactions. Conclusions: Findings underscore that inclusion is not solely determined by organizational policies but is co-constructed through everyday interactions between autistic and non-autistic employees. These dynamics present both barriers and opportunities for fostering social integration, authenticity, and workplace wellbeing. Implications are discussed for inclusive practices and future research on neurodiversity in the workplace.