I moved to a new team and after a few months, this coworker that reports to me can't stop giving me trouble. It usually of the communication kind but there are other issues not worth discussing here. We all work remotely.
The point is that, by asking a few people that are close to him, I discovered he has been diagnosed as autistic. These people tell me HR knows it but everyone is afraid of getting sued or something so it's a don't ask don't tell situation. People simply ignored him.
I will be honest, he drives me crazy on a daily basis. But I want to adapt and accommodate his disability to the best that I can. It's not a situation that I ever experienced as a manager but I think I can make it a useful learning experience that works for both sides, hopefully.
Have you been in this situation? Do you have any advice for making his and my life easier?
I mean you've got to accept that he won't be aware of, let alone considerate of, other people's feelings. Social rules will be a challenge for him. He won't respect you simply because you're a manager. You have to earn his respect. He will be very logical and reasonable with what he does understand. His ability to remain on task is going to be limited unless he's fired up. But if he gets there, his productivity may shock you.
He will likely overestimate how much he understands. But when he actually gets things, he really will get them.
This is all vague generalities.