It’s time to consider a neurodiverse workforce

For high-tech companies whose success depends on innovative thinking, there is a growing and largely untapped pool of potential employees poised to contribute: Neurodiverse people — those with neurological differences like autism, dyslexia, and attention deficit disorder — can offer particular skill sets and add significantly to the working world.

It’s time for employers to shift their thinking and include this population as they seek a competitive advantage in an increasingly challenging global market.

In the U.S., the percentage of 8-year-olds diagnosed with autism increased 150 percent between 2000 and 2018; worldwide, one in 160 children is on the autism spectrum, and they will reach working age in short order. Additionally, a surprising number of adults are now being diagnosed as neurodiverse after years of being considered “different” or “odd.”

And yet the majority of neurodiverse people of working age remain unemployed or underemployed, despite the significant contributions they can make, particularly in high-tech companies that require skillset diversity and highly specific skills.

Research has found, for example, that near-universal features of the autistic brain include excellent concentration, logic, creativity, visual thought and imagination, as well as unique perspectives and approaches to problem solving — important assets in any workplace. Similarly, those with ADHD tend to be very creative, scoring significantly higher on creativity tests than their non-ADHD peers.

Smart employers are noticing. In fact, Ford Motor, DXC Technology, EY, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase and SAP have formed the Autism at Work Employer Roundtable to share best hiring and workplace practices and to help other companies see the return on investment in hiring autistic employees.

While neurodiverse employees report feeling more meaning and value to their lives as they become appreciated personnel of an enriching work environment, it would be simplistic and incorrect to look at this as a feel-good campaign. For high-tech companies whose success depends on innovative thinking, tapping into this sector of the population can help grow the bottom line and enhance the workplace for all employees, boosting retention. In addition, neurodiverse employees bring particular life experiences and insight that add value to the creation of consumer goods and services that better serve a diverse population overall — another boost to the bottom line.

Companies that incorporate inclusion into their core principles are at the forefront of evolving workplace policy change while also decreasing legal pressure stemming from potential discrimination or failure to provide necessary accommodations for employees.

Globally, some countries impose quotas for the percentage of “disabled” and neurodiverse people that businesses must employ, ranging from 1.5 percent in China to 7 percent in Italy, providing strong economic incentive for firms to hire such individuals, especially as multinational firms look to expand into growing Asian markets. The laws in many countries reflect the belief that all members of society should be treated fairly and equitably, and people who are neurodiverse should have the same rights and opportunities as other groups.

It is critical that, in addition to quotas, policies, and laws, companies support the training of managers to better understand the needs of neurodiverse employees. Being flexible and providing accommodations for employees enhances the work environment and may lead to conversations with other employees who may also need accommodations to improve productivity.

As our workforce becomes more diverse, stigma fades. Neurodiverse people working alongside those who are neurotypical promote a better understanding of each other, which not only changes the work environment, but also the perceptions of neurodiverse people in general. Millennials and generations who have grown up amid a shift towards diversity, overall, are also more attracted to companies who value inclusion and hire neurodiverse people.

We need to have open, hard conversations about inclusion and abandon the notion of “them and us” if society wants innovative, creative workers and leaders.

Eleanor Loiacono is a professor in Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Foisie School of Business.