Embracing Neurodiversity from C-suite to Cubicle

I’ve always believed that diversity and inclusion enrich us in profound and powerful ways.?Growing up, I remember feeling helpless, as my neurodivergent relatives and classmates struggled to be understood. To find their place in society. Most environments, from schools to restaurants and other public spaces, did little to accommodate their unique needs. It was hard to fathom why society and businesses turned a blind eye to the issue, or why they failed to see that neurodivergent people have some truly extraordinary gifts like incredible memory, pattern recognition, and mathematical abilities.

Fast-forward to today. It’s heartening to see Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) take center stage. While race has been replaced with culture, and “Pride is for everyone”, the harsh reality is that DE&I is a rather broad and complex topic where neurodiversity continues to lag significantly. Unemployment for neurodivergent adults ranges from 30-40% which is 3X the rate for people with other disabilities, and 8X the rate for people without disabilities. Clearly, we need to shine the light brighter on this important topic.

So, how can we change the status quo? Cliched as it sounds, I believe that change starts with each one of us. While as a child and young adult I had little power to affect change, as a business leader today, I’m privileged to be able to influence the environment and processes within my organization and teams.?

Hiring neurodiverse talent is not just the right thing to do. It is also one of the best levers to pull for success. Especially in today’s times when technological advances outpace skill development and labor markets become tighter globally. Of the many tangible benefits neurodiversity offers organizations, some notable ones include 40% faster problem-solving, higher job retention rate, and greater creativity and empathy.

For the tech industry especially, neurodiversity could well prove to be their trump card to solve their continued hiring woes. A recent Randstad report revealed that nearly 50% of tech recruiters are struggling to find qualified candidates. By 2030, experts predict a?global shortage?of more than 85 million tech workers. Interestingly, most neurodiverse people possess exceptional mathematical, analytical, and image recognition skills, with a superior eye for detail, which makes them ideal candidates for tech roles, especially in aspects of software development, QA analysis, cybersecurity, and others. What’s more - in certain tech roles that require elaborate research or comprehensive data analysis, studies show that autistic people can be up to 140% more productive than their neurotypical (NT) peers (provided they are given the right environment). That’s because people with autism concentrate more of their brain’s resources on visual processing and less on tasks like planning and impulse control.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has been a pioneer in embracing neurodiversity at work. HPE has placed more than 30 participants in software-testing roles at Australia’s Department of Human Services (DHS). Preliminary results suggest that the organization’s neurodiverse testing teams are 30% more productive than others. Now that’s some real competitive advantage!?

When organizations try to standardize processes and the work environment, regardless of the unique needs of its employee sub-groups, it can often end up doing more harm than good. This graphic says it all.?

To create a more equitable work environment, leaders will need to take a more mindful approach to neurodiversity inclusion. I like to call it FACT – Foster, Adopt, Create, Team Up.

?#1 Foster real inclusion: This encompasses everything, from making reasonable accommodations (hearing aids, wheelchairs, lighting, noise-canceling headphones, etc.) to using assistive workplace technology (special laptops, software), and providing mandatory training for people leaders, managers, and peers to drive awareness of the needs and benefits of embracing neurodiversity at work. Consider setting up dedicated Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) as a platform for neurodiverse people to feel heard, share experiences, and feel connected.

?#2 Adopt non-interview methods for screening: Social interactions are often not the forte of neurodiverse people, and they may struggle to make eye contact or hold a coherent line of thought while speaking. They may at times be overtly honest about their weaknesses or even have non-verbal limitations of varying degree. Therefore, non-face-to-face interview screening methods focusing on skills and potentials such as questionnaires, and quizzes are a better fit. They can help ensure your organization is not filtering out neurodiverse talent right at the start of the recruitment funnel.?

#3 Create a support ecosystem: Think buddy programs or mentorship initiatives wherein neurodiverse people can get opportunities to bond 1:1 with NT peers/leaders to receive guidance in navigating their day-to-day activities and discuss targeted career growth plans.?

#4 Team up with social partners: Government-aided, non-profit organizations like EXPANDability, the Arc, EnAble India, and others help corporations source the right neurodiverse talent quickly while also providing them employability training as needed. These social organizations also often help in onboarding and ensuring a superior candidate experience for neurodiverse people through inclusion initiatives aimed at sensitizing employers and NT employees.??

We need look no further than the business world to see that neurodivergent people can make excellent leaders, not just employees. Richard Branson, Charles Schwab, Elon Musk, and many others come immediately to mind. But it’s important to remember that every organization is different. And so is every employee. This means there is no magic fix-all to the problem.

?Neurodivergence can present in the form of visible and non-visible or non-apparent disabilities. Therefore, as leaders, we need to often ask ourselves – am I providing/enabling the right conditions for people with varied needs, across the employee journey???After all, a workplace where every individual feels empowered to share their idiosyncrasies is often a more productive, innovative, and happier one.?