We all have things we’re good at and not so good at, but for autistic individuals in particular, the gap between them can be more pronounced. This is what’s known as a “spiky profile”. Read on to learn more about spiky profiles and why understanding them can support workplace success.
The term “spiky profile” describes an uneven pattern of abilities seen in many autistic people. A person with a spiky profile might excel in some areas but struggle significantly in others. On a graph, this would display as sharp peaks and troughs (hence the name “spiky profile”).
In clinical and educational settings, professionals often use terms like “Dual or Multiple Exceptionality (DME)” or “twice exceptional”. These have a similar meaning to spiky profile, yet are often reserved for autistic individuals who have exceptional abilities.
Many people with autism share the experience of having a spiky profile. But why? It all comes down to brain development…
Spiky profiles are more common in autism because autistic brains tend to develop in a patterned, uneven way. Research shows that autistic people often have unusually strong connections within nearby brain regions, whereas distant regions tend to communicate less efficiently, making some tasks more challenging.
It’s also suggested that autistic brains display differences in timing and sensory–motor processing compared to neurotypical brains. Together, these neural differences naturally create the uneven ability patterns we describe as a spiky profile.
Did you know? It’s estimated that over a third of autistic individuals have unusual talents. Although autism is a spectrum and skills vary from person to person, some notable strengths tend to show up in spiky profiles time and time again. These include:
When these strengths are recognised and supported in the workplace, not only can job satisfaction improve for autistic employees, but it can also mean staff are much more likely to excel in their roles.
Despite displaying significant abilities, many people with autism face notable challenges, too. Some common difficulties faced by autistic individuals include:
Useful note: A person’s challenges can sometimes be more visibly obvious than their strengths – and vice versa. This is why awareness of spiky profiles in autism matters. When we understand that strengths and challenges can coexist side by side (sometimes in really surprising ways!), we can focus on what truly works for each person.
If you employ autistic staff, working in line with spiky profiles can make a huge difference to your employees’ happiness and success. Neurodiversity in the workplace is an asset, but it requires you as an employer to understand autism-related challenges and recognise where people can truly use their strengths.
Here are some simple actions you can take to help your autistic employees thrive:
Arrange 1:1 skill assessments: Get to know what your autistic staff really excel at and, where possible, allow them to focus on skill-based work. You’ll also need to identify any struggles. This will help you to recognise what you can support staff with and which tasks may need to be avoided.
Remove physical barriers to productivity: Creating an inclusive environment means removing barriers to success. Take an honest look at what might be holding your staff back. Is the environment too overstimulating? Do they have a designated desk to sit at? Do they need assistive tech to help them with note-taking or software that supports dictation? Making these small adjustments helps to level the playing field.
Create routine: Flexible working can be a fantastic workplace advantage, but without guidance or support, it may feel too unstructured for some autistic staff. Consider helping autistic employees to create a flexible timetable that includes daily hours and a location for each workday. This will help them to see that they can reap the benefits of flexitime without the stress of too much unpredictability.
Communicate responsibilities: As we mentioned earlier, many individuals on the autistic spectrum tend to think literally and struggle with unwritten rules. This means employers need to communicate responsibilities and expectations as explicitly as possible. Speaker Daniel Aherne provides a great example of why this is so vital in his neurotypical skills profile talk for the Diversity Project. He discusses a case where an autistic employee would call in sick from work and then turn up at 2 pm once she was feeling better. Why? Because nobody had told her that calling in sick meant taking the whole day off. These types of unwritten rules are easy to overlook but can make life especially tricky for autistic staff.
Invest in training: Finally, while it may not be possible to eliminate every single challenge faced by autistic employees, there are often many untapped opportunities for training and progress. Have an employee who struggles when speaking to customers? Consider enrolling them in a customer service course. Know that your autistic staff member finds it difficult to manage their workload? Plan a session on task prioritisation. Making these changes isn’t just the right thing to do; it also ensures your staff feel confident to perform at their best. This can have a huge impact on the company as a whole.
Spiky profiles can be identified through assessments and skills evaluations that look at performance across different areas. In clinical settings, professionals might use special tests that measure abilities like verbal reasoning, working memory, processing speed, and problem-solving. In workplace settings, employers may have conversations with autistic employees about what tasks they find easy versus challenging or use questionnaires to observe where they naturally excel or struggle.
No, a spiky profile isn’t a diagnosis. It’s a descriptive term used to explain the uneven pattern of abilities that many autistic people experience.
Spiky profiles aren’t completely fixed, but the overall pattern tends to remain fairly consistent throughout a person’s life. With the right support, training, and accommodations, autistic individuals can definitely develop skills in areas they find challenging. However, the relative differences between their strongest and weakest areas usually persist to some degree.
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