Employment of autistic people in manufacturing environments: a theoretical overview of the phenomenon and assessment of the current Italian situation

Inclusiveness stands as a foundational tenet within Industry 5.0, a framework that fosters human-centered individual diversity. Within the realm of diversity factors, particular relevance in the social context is held by what is termed "neurodiversity," denoting different functioning of cognitive processes. Among the spectrum of neurodiverse conditions, autism represents an important form of diversity that necessitates considerations by companies, as appropriate adaptations can transform atypical characteristics into unique strengths. However, despite the importance of inclusion, individuals on the autism spectrum remain significantly underemployed, as companies frequently overlook their potential contribution. This study aims to examine the specific circumstances within the Italian manufacturing sector, identifying existing inclusion practices and comparing them with global best practices. An exploratory literature review useful to investigate the inclusion practices of manufacturing contexts towards autistic people is followed by a second part, carried out through a survey, aimed at understanding what is the feedback in such terms in today's Italian manufacturing environment. The results confirm, even for the Italian reality, a low percentage of employment of autistic individuals coupled with a pervasive lack of awareness among companies regarding the potential added value such individuals offer, on the requisite tools and strategies for maximizing their value. In this regard, the research conducted can serve as a useful guiding tool for devising interventions to mitigate the difficulties faced by individuals across the spectrum. In this way, interested companies could benefit from hiring such resources not only from in terms of reputation, but also in practical operational terms.