Attracting Autistic Talent to your Workplace
/The Importance of Autistic Talent In the Workplace
Employers are increasingly recognising that neurodiversity is an asset. Many valuable traits can be identified in people who focus time and energy on building their strengths, abilities and specialisations. For example, companies often specifically recruit autistic candidates for occupations that involve systemising tasks such as design and data analysis, programming and engineering roles.
For employers, a neuroaffirmative attitude also carries wider implications for recruitment and longevity in future markets. Newer entrants to the workforce in 2024 take a different approach to job seeking than previous generations.
Younger generations – and increasingly all employees – tend to want a lot more from their job than a good salary. They want to work for organisations that consistently reflect their values and will even walk away from a job if they feel the organisation isn’t a great match.
2018 research by Accenture on disability inclusion would suggest that diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) is perhaps the key value for younger workforce retention. The same report also concludes that companies leading in disability inclusion are consistently outperforming their peers.
So how does a business go about building an inclusive, autistic friendly workplace environment - and how do they get the message out there once they have done it?
The Business Case for Neurodiversity
The business case for embracing diversity in the workplace is widely accepted and neurodiversity - diversity in terms of intellectual ability - is no different.
Where organisations make accommodations for neurodiversity, they reap the rewards of higher productivity, more creativity and better retention rates.
For businesses who want to generate long-term sustainability and of course increased profit margins, it therefore makes good business sense to adopt best practices relating to neurodiversity inclusion.
An inclusive and diverse workforce is also beneficial to the organisation, employees and the wider community. This enables employers to meet and attract jobseekers who are actively looking for work and want to participate using their own skills, knowledge and work preferences.
Younger generations will research a company’s DEI data and reputation before applying for a job; they will look closely at the people across the table from them in an interview; and, once in a job, they will continuously assess how comfortable and recognised they feel in the organisation... and then adjust their plans accordingly.
But an employer’s incentive should not be their own profitability alone.
The real business case should be that establishing a culture of empathy and inclusion helps to create a workplace that reflects – and respects – a person as a whole person. This includes respecting how they perceive themselves, their world and their workplace.
At a practical level this means having structures and systems in place that can accommodate someone when they communicate a specific need for the workplace and by keeping an open mind that an accommodating workplace generates profit, longevity and a business that people want to work for.
Importantly, Irish employers should also be conscious of their legal obligations as outlined in the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments that remove, reduce or prevent the substantial disadvantage that a disabled person (both employees and job applicants) experiences because of their condition at work.
Employees who seek these accommodations with reasonable cause are not asking you for a favour, they are asserting their legal rights.
How to Build a Neurodiversity Workplace Policy – not just words but actions
The simplest way to build an inclusive neurodivergent workplace is by developing policies that create an environment where neurodivergent talent can thrive.
The term neurodiversity refers to the infinite range of differences in individual human brain function and behavioural traits. It is the concept that neurological differences are to be recognised and respected as much as any other human variation such as gender, race or sexual orientation.
It is important therefore that an employer understands and upholds the belief that is no ‘standard’ for the human brain.
This means that workplace policies don’t adopt a ‘one size fits all’ approach, but instead create work cultures where neurodivergent employees can work with their brain, instead of against it.
It is important for employers to recognise that it can be extremely vulnerable for an individual to disclose that they are autistic. The best way employers can attract and retain neurodivergent talent is by creating neurodiversity friendly cultures and supporting people on a day to day basis, such as by making reasonable adjustments and pro-actively sharing examples of what has helped others across an organisation.
By making these policies and stories publicly available, such as on a website, an organisation can attract neurodivergent talent.
And by promoting these values and standards within an organisation in practical action-oriented ways, an organisation can increase their chances of retaining this talent. The best attitude is to embrace this as an opportunity rather than an obligation.
Where to Start – Recruiting Talent
Many barriers facing neurodivergent candidates start with the hiring process. These barriers are actually very dependent on circumstances and can be avoided.
Hiring managers tend to develop processes with neurotypical people in mind rather than designing a process where all candidates have equitable access. As a result, neurodivergent candidates often describe the hiring process environment as ‘disabling’ in itself.
Employers have a responsibility to universally design the workplace in a way that supports individual differences to ensure people are not ‘disabled’ by the world around them. Creating an inclusive hiring process is the starting point of all this.
In the simplest sense, the only way to be truly inclusive in an interview process is to offer choices. Interview options need to be flexible so that people can select the option which will allow them to show themselves in the best light.
Cork-based organisation AUsome Training provide lists of Do’s and Don’ts on their website to help employers and recruiters to educate themselves on what an autism-informed recruitment process could look like.
AUsome Training checklists include the following:
5 KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN ADVERTISING:
Highlight the inclusive and welcoming environment for autistic people.
Highlight your organisational values around diversity and inclusion.
Use the Neurodiversity Symbol to show prospective talent that you are neuro-inclusive.
Avoid generic job descriptions such as “must be a good communicator, team player” etc . Of course Autistic people can be excellent communicators and team players but previous experiences and the lack of understanding around our communication may have lead us to believe this description does not fit us.
Use the language of Acceptance.
5 KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN INTERVIEWING AUTISTIC TALENT:
Autistic Communication is different in delivery and purpose
Offer options around communication methods
Remember eye contact is not part of Autistic Communication
Consider having an Autistic interviewer or “translator” present.
Consider interview techniques for AAC users
Have a publicly available neurodiversity policy
Adopting inclusive practices will assist organisations in creating a hiring ecosystem that is focused on unlocking hidden talents, not hidden disabilities.
An inclusive hiring policy easily made available on the company website is beneficial for all parties involved; it allows employers to attract and retain the widest range of candidates, and it allows potential employees to feel valued for their individual skills and talents. This approach contributes to an overall culture of acceptance where employees feel valued as individuals and it encourages a wider pool of candidates to take a chance and apply for a role.
Understanding how to create an inclusive recruitment process is fundamental, but so too is appreciating difference and individuality. Check back soon for a new blog post on ways to support autistic employees in the workplace on a day-to-day basis, across the whole employee lifecycle.
