There is an increasing need for workers with the skills, thought patterns, and work ethic that are common among people on the autism spectrum. Autism can affect people in different ways. An inclusive company culture meanstaking the time to educate ourselves on things that we might not understand. To embrace neurodiversity, organisations need to consider both their recruitment practices and how they enable neurodiverse people to perform at their best once they are in the role. Effective autism (neurodiversity) employment: a legal perspective. The Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability in the Cornell University ILR School (Ithaca, NY, USA) is pleased to contribute to the conceptualization of how to bridge educational and vocational opportunity for neuro-diverse youth in university settings, and to afford our future HR professionals from the ILR School a close-up opportunity to study such innovative initiatives. atWork Australia connects people and business, so both can thrive. Top 7 companies hiring and nurturing neurodiverse talent Finally, click Add to create your job alert. The ECB will be the place for informational briefings, like the semi-annual briefings of the progress on . Recruiting Neurodiversity: How Dyslexic and Autistic Minds Can Move this group represents talent that is both qualified and available to perform a wide range of jobs but . Exceptional Individuals | Neurodiverse Recruitment & Employee Support Autism-friendly employers are committed to hiring neurodivergent people and providing workplace accommodations for employees with autism and other mental health conditions. Organisations need to devote more thought to neurodiversity - a less visible and obvious form of diversity - and appreciate that intelligence comes in many forms. Freddie Macis theFederal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, a government-owned corporation that buys mortgages and packages them into mortgage-backed securities. And its this difference that makes them such fantastic assets in any organisation. Ernst and Young. Through this program, applicants engage in an extended interview process that focuses on workability, interview preparation, and skill assessment. Guidelines for employers The program is geared toward highly qualified individuals who have had a hard time finding or keeping work due to problems with social communication. The Great Win-Win: Supporting Neurodivergent Employees in Job Crafting, What Your Unapproachable Autistic Employee Needs You to Understand, Why the Best Practice Approach to Accommodations Wont Always Work for Your Autistic Employees (And What Will). Others are actively recruiting people with autism as a part of workplace diversity initiatives. Employers & Agencies. Linley, who has a PhD in Psychology, observed that the number one challenge for organisations and neurodiverse candidates is always going to be a lack of resources. Subscribe to the Inside HR eNewsletter today to find out more. A third step is to design HR systems, policies and procedures to account for these potential differences. +27 21 207 4813. practicemanager@neurodiversitycentre.co.za. All of our facilitators are neurodivergent, and use their lived experiences of recruitment processes and the workplace to educate your teams. The only problem? neurodiversity recruitment agency The program provides job matching, training, job coaching, community supports, and more. The benefits of Neurodiverse recruitment It's long been recognised that people living with Neurodiversity can have unique qualities and excel in specific areas. At the interview stage, for example, it is important to account for neurodiverse candidates by giving candidates the option of a one-on-one interview rather than a panel, avoiding hypothetical what if questions and allowing reasonable adjustments and extra time. Obstacles to hiring and clearing people with autism exclude qualified candidates and inhibit diversity goals.. By Suzanne Wilson Heckenberg and Alison Berman. Neurodiversity Workshops and Training (employers). CAI Neurodiverse Solutions- Neurodiversity in the Workplace At BHP, our experience shows that our most inclusive and diverse teams perform better. Casual workers: what are their key traits and what keeps them motivated? Microsoft has also made things easier for employees with dyslexia a language-based learning disability that is believed to affect. To increase diversity at Microsoft, the tech giant launched its Autism Program to recruit and onboard individuals on the autism spectrum. These can have unique strengths, ranging from data-driven thinking to sustained focus over long periods, an ability to spot patterns and trends, and the capacity to process information at extraordinary speeds. Neurodiversity recruitment: adapting your hiring program - Elements neurodiversity | U.S. Department of Labor Blog - DOL Neurodiversity Hub provide programs to support neurodivergent students to become work-ready, and build connections with organisations that value their talents. Our modern recruitment process connects job seekers with disabilities, mental health conditions, and chronic illnesses, to inclusive employers committed to providing needed workplace accommodations., Mentra is a neurodivergent-friendly talent platform that intelligently matches neurodiverse individuals with employers that value their strengths. Stack is a specialised recruitment agency for neurodiverse job-seekers. Currently, more than 175 SAP colleagues are employed via the Autism at Work program. Julia is an alumna of the Dub-C Autism Program (D-CAP) at West Chester University. This is often best done by talking to people who are affected, understanding what would make a difference for them, and then implementing this across the HR lifecycle, he said. As the recruiters continue to use the platform, employers will start . We share the Hubs vision of focusing on the assets of our workforce rather than diagnosis and deficits, by providing opportunities for meaningful employment that unlocks their true potential. Look through our community and employer case studies! Neurodiversity refers to a group of people who have neurological differences such as autism, ADHD. Hybrid. Our mission is to build high-performing teams from groups of highly-skilled individuals. Check out our blog posts, offering top tips and advice for neurodivergent people everywhere! We look forward to working with other members of this community of practice to create opportunities for the neurodiverse. SAP looks forward to contributing to the development of the Neurodiversity Hub as a way of supporting neurodivergent students realise their potential. CAIs Autism2Work (A2W) program helps private and public organizations drive value, improve productivity, and enhance customer experience by realizing the benefits of neurodiversity and by providing career foundation and advancement opportunities for the neurodivergent population. REDI retail employees with disabilities program guide. Global diversity and inclusion. The investment bank also launched an Autism at Work program in 2015, and the results have been nothing short of dramatic. I'm just wondering if anyone has had any luck with recruiters specialised in neurodivergent people. Exact figures are unknown because there are few resources that track the specifics of unemployment among a . As one of the first companies to begin seeking out autistic workers, the German IT and software corporation had a huge lead over everyone else. The interview process is stressful for anyone, but it can be particularly challenging for those with ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, and other neurological disorders. to recruit and onboard individuals on the autism spectrum. Clear communication and expectation management has helped my manager understand how I operate best. Tim Y., Data Science Analyst, "I love working at Dell. Zavikon is an employment agency dedicated to preparing, matching, placing, and supporting qualified candidates with disabilities or those who are neurodivergent with employers who believe inclusion is the future. However, due to a lack of awareness within organisations and the way that most organisations are physically and structurally set up for neurotypicals, many workplaces do not enable neurodiverse individuals to perform to their full potential. As neurodiversity becomes more widely recognised and understood, Linley said there is no excuse for being left behind. Heres a look at a few of the companies and organizations that are actively recruiting neurodiverse talent and setting them up for career success. Click here to sign up. LOOKING TOBUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE? Success breeds success and in the spirit of keeping the momentum going, I'm preparing to formally launch my Internship Program for Neurodiverse students. Thanks so much!! Freddie Mac is another early pioneer of supporting neurodiversity in the workplace. If you would like to be considered for a 2024 Neurodiversity@Dell summer internship, please return to this page in October 2023 to learn more and apply. December 2021 | U.S. Department of Labor - DOL for neurodivergent people. AtBravoour mission focuses on enabling people to 'live their lives more fully through what they do' a philosophy that resonates with individuals and corporates as it enables people to embrace their work and achieve success. Effective Autism (Neurodiversity) Employment: A Legal Perspective The Goldman Sachs Neurodiversity Hiring Initiative, an eight-week paid internship program for people who identify as neurodivergent, aims to empower and integrate neurodiverse people into our workplace. This includes CV support, free job coaching, online workshops, a neurodiverse jobs board and more. And these alternative thinking styles can be associated with some unique strengths, such as an ability to . At Enna, we help employers discover and tap this vast pool of hidden talent and help neurodivergent people find great jobs in enlightened organisations, where their uniqueness is supported and celebrated. It is appropriate to refer to a group (or workforce) as neurodiverse, and to individuals as neurodivergent or neurotypical. Dyspraxic people can struggle with balance and processing their thoughts, but they often make great leaders. Interview with the Co-Founder - Vanessa Castaeda Gill. I CAN are Australias first social enterprise founded by people with Autism. It's been developed for recruitment consultants and talent acquisition teams, and is designed to attract more talent and improve your processes. In 2016, the company launched a neurodiversity program, which includes a customized onboarding process and assigning trained office buddies to support new hires. Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage. We are nurturing several career pathways that acknowledge a variety of neurological conditions, including Autism Spectrum Disorder. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. How to increase your recruitment success strike rate from 50% to 90%, Ensure job descriptions are jargon-free and clearly signal that your organisation welcomes neurodivergent individuals, Many recruitment practices often rely on competency frameworks where people are filtered out if they dont meet minimum standards on a set of wide-ranging capabilities review your recruitment approach to ensure youre not screening out talented individuals, Ensure interviewers are informed about neurodiversity so they are fair and empathetic in the interview process (such as by choosing a quiet interview space, avoiding rapid-fire questions and understanding why some people might not make direct eye contact), Avoid really bright lights in your office that can be distracting or lead to sensory overload, Consider how noisy open-plan environments can be distracting or lead to individuals feeling overwhelmed, Complete a desk assessment for any new joiners, helping them make sure their computer screen isnt too bright and they have everything they need to aid personal organisation (such as trays and filing drawers), Train line managers so that they feel confident and able to assist neurodiverse employees at work and help them make the most of their skills, Encourage regular one-to-ones and feedback between line managers and their reports to keep communication channels open and help motivate and support all employees, Make sure neurodiversity is welcomed and championed by senior leaders and that a culture of celebrating difference is encouraged throughout the organisation, Highlight employee support networks and similar resources clearly in the on-boarding process and on the company intranet for anyone who needs them, Ensure individualised support is available to all, from access to mentoring, coaching and counselling make sure that support is clearly signposted, Address comfort at work on a regular basis through workspace preference questionnaires and broader employee satisfaction surveys.