Quality employee–manager relationships are key to career success

Finding and keeping meaningful work is challenging for many autistic adults. A key factor in career success is the relationship between employees and their managers. Research shows that a strong relationship with one’s manager can help employees use their strengths, feel more satisfied in their jobs and grow in their careers. However, little is known about how this applies to autistic employees, who may face unique challenges in the workplace. Understanding how these relationships affect autistic employees is important for creating supportive, inclusive and successful work environments.

This study explores whether the quality of the relationship between employees and their managers affects autistic employees’ workplace success. The researchers aim to understand whether the quality of manager-employee relationships influences job satisfaction, career development and the ability to apply personal strengths at work. They also compare autistic and non-autistic employees to identify any differences in these outcomes.

The findings reveal that the quality of the relationship between an employee and their manager is a strong predictor of workplace success for both autistic and non-autistic employees. This relationship is more important than whether an employee was autistic. However, autistic participants rated their relationships with their managers as poorer than non-autistic participants.