People Benefit From Work! Here's Why

Benefits of Employment

Work gives individuals a sense of purpose and self-worth. For many, it defines who we are and is a source of justifiable pride. Work helps improve individual and family finances, and it helps us connect socially. All individuals, regardless of disability, deserve the opportunity to be full members of their community where they can live, learn, work and play through all stages of life.

As long as your conditions of work are fair and you’re not operating in a perilous environment, employment benefits your intellectual and physical fitness. Being in active service (work) boosts your self-esteem by giving you a day-to-day purpose. It also offers you a clear and direct way to contribute to something much bigger than just yourself; whether that’s a company, the economy as a whole, or society at large.

It’s very easier to be a happy, self-fulfilled individual if you perceive you have a purpose and are contributing to the world. Employment is good for mental fitness in that it enables you to structure your time, offers you possibilities to meet people and ideally lets you feel content with a job well done. Additionally, it makes you less likely to fall into debt or pressure about making ends meet, both of which could have predominant health implications.

Individuals in work are also less likely to build dangerous addictions, become depressed or die at a younger-than-average age. Our physical and mental fitness is generally improved by going to work – we get over illness faster and are at less risk of long-term sickness and incapacity. As a result of the health benefits, unwell and disabled individuals are advocated to return to, or stay in, work if their health circumstance permits it.

Autism Employment

Historically, it has been very difficult for people with autism to discover normal, paid employment. While that's still the case to some level, times are changing drastically for the best. More corporations seeing the advantages of hiring adults with disabilities. Even more thrilling, some specific companies and industries are also discovering the advantages of autism employment.

Some autistic adults know precisely what kind of work they need. Others are flexible, and others have no idea. However, just like everybody else, adults with autism have both the duty and the responsibility to direct their personal lives. Even if an individual has constrained verbal skills, it is crucial to understand that the work he is doing goes well with his interests, abilities, and sense of reason.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities need to be supported to make knowledgeable decisions about their work and career options and have the resources to seek, acquire and be successful in community employment. They may as well need varying levels of guidance to attain their personal goals and increase satisfaction with their lives. These goals most times do include being employed in the community alongside people without disabilities and incomes competitive wages.

Here at Popcorn for the People, our combined workforce includes neurotypical people and people with autism and other developmental disabilities. We match each of our workers with tasks and jobs which best meet their skillsets and interests. Our workers make Popcorn for the People’s gourmet popcorn, bag it, and sell it at Rutgers Athletics games and events held all over New Jersey and New York.

Sam, the inspiration for Popcorn for the People’s creation, summarized it perfectly when he said, “You may not want to work, but you have to work.” A lot of people do want to work, and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities are no different. Providing people with equal and fair opportunities for employment not only benefits society, but also benefits them and their livelihoods.