By addressing these needs, the project aimed to reduce the employment gap, increase productivity and job satisfaction for autistic staff, and equip managers with practical tools and knowledge, thereby promoting social inclusion and sustainability in the hospitality sector. the most important point was related to create tools and training contents for building a relation between employees in the autism spectrum and HR managersl.
We applied for the PERFORM project to respond to a gap in inclusive employment practices within the European hospitality sector. Research and stakeholder feedback highlighted that less than 10% of people with autism spectrum disorders are employed, and those who are often lack access to tailored professional development tools, face communication barriers, and experience workplace prejudice. At the same time, the hospitality industry is facing severe staffing shortages post-COVID-19, creating an opportunity to integrate underrepresented talent pools. The needs we aimed to address were: i) Hospitality Managers and HR Experts: Lack of training and resources to manage and develop autistic staff effectively; Need for digital tools to monitor performance and well-being and create autism-friendly work environments. ii) Autistic Employees in Hospitality: need for tools to self-monitor well-being and performance; need for structured communication channels with managers to support career development and retention. iii) VET Providers: need for innovative curricula and digital solutions to train hospitality professionals in inclusive employment practices.