Inside the Autistic Workforce: A New National Survey on Masking, Managers, and What Actually Helps

A new national survey from NEXT for AUTISM puts hard data on what autistic and AuDHD employees have been describing for years — and the findings challenge most of what workplaces assume about disclosure, accommodations, and what actually drives retention.I sat down with Candi Weaver-Dowds, Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives at NEXT for AUTISM and the lead on this research, and Abigayle Jayroe, SVP of Strategic Operations, to walk through the data and what employers need to do differently.We cover:• Why 79% of autistic employees describe masking and emotional exhaustion as a workplace challenge — and what that costs • The 73% disclosure rate, and why most went to their direct manager rather than HR • Why nearly 7 in 10 autistic employees are building their own support systems outside of work • What the data shows about autistic women carrying a disproportionate burden • Why AuDHD employees — 40% of the sample — may be the largest and most strained subgroup in the autistic workforce About the report Inside the Autistic Workforce: A National Survey of Autistic Employees on Their Workplace Experience — and What Employers Need to Know.  Completed in 2026, this mixed-methods study was developed and led by NEXT for AUTISM, in partnership with Sago, a global research firm, and funded by the Anita Bhatia Foundation for Tomorrow. Read the full report: https://nextforautism.org/inside-the-autistic-workplace/Chapters 00:00 What the data finally proves 02:12 The strengths-based research approach 03:00 High job satisfaction, hidden cost 04:22 Masking is a second job running in the background 06:06 Why the manager relationship matters most 07:29 What 73% disclosure really means 10:09 The accommodations gap 11:34 Building support outside of work 12:46 The disproportionate burden on autistic women 14:13 Late diagnosis and the workplace 15:21 AuDHD: two operating systems competing 17:47 What workplaces need to do differently 20:27 The neurodivergent manager effect 20:47 Autistic feedback as operational intelligence 23:37 The report, the grants program, and how to take actionAbout AuDHD Boss I'm Brett Whitmarsh — late-diagnosed AuDHD, former corporate people manager, and host of AuDHD Boss. This show is about what work actually looks like for neurodivergent professionals, and what managers, HR teams, and leaders need to understand to stop losing this talent.Free Accommodations Prep Guide: https://payhip.com/b/j0rvk Work with me or book a corporate training: https://audhdboss.com