Recently I was at the ACG NJ (Association for Corporate Growth) Awards where a speaker asked some important powerful questions that have stuck with me ever since. Here's the bottom line - I hope it inspires you to think or more importantly, act.
"Do you struggle to find talent in your organization?" The audience of 300 all raised their hands.
"Back in the 60s, we said, maybe we should try to hire women?"
"Then in the 70s, we said, well maybe we should try to hire people of color."
"In the 80s/90s, we said, maybe we should try to hire people in wheelchairs or with disabilities.”
“How many people know someone with autism?" Again, all 300 hands seemed to go up in the air.
"How many people have someone with autism in their extended family circle?" Half the room raised their hands.
Then he went on to tell the story of his high-functioning, autistic son who graduated from college with a degree in accounting. He described him as “a little quirky”, doesn't look people in the eye, and may answer a question too directly or honestly. That's why he gets job interviews, but never an offer after being interviewed. He wants to work, and would be a reliable and good worker, however, he doesn't get a job because people unintentionally discriminate against his quirkiness.
Unfortunately, his idiosyncrasies and behavior don't make him the best person for face-to-face interviews via Zoom or in person. Basically, potential employers don't know he's autistic, because he won't say he's autistic on his resume or in person.
At the end the speaker asked, "How many companies have an initiative or program to hire autistic or neurodiverse people?" Two hands went up - PSE&G and a large bank.
He proceeded by encouraging people to think about it and make a change in their business by identifying roles that can be filled by people on all levels of the autism spectrum. Those levels are from higher-functioning people who could do any job in a field of their choice but might not interact in the same way to those individuals who are perhaps a bit more impacted by their disability. At this point, I thought of our office manager's son who is 18 and wants a job to contribute to society yet needs very specific supports in place for him to achieve success. He is fortunate to go to a great school that offers their learners job sampling to determine the best fit for the learner as well as for the employer. This young man currently holds three jobs, harvesting and planting at a hydroponic farm, janitorial work at an athletic training facility, and bussing tables at a catering hall.
As an HR professional, I sat there knowing I was having conversations about the struggle for talent and hadn’t thought to suggest that people think about hiring neurodiverse employees. And on top of that, I probably excluded people I interviewed who were quirky or did not look me in the eye when I talked or had an off-putting direct answer to a question of mine. Someone in my extended family is on the spectrum and got a job after high school and is still there ten years later - a solid, reliable employee who has been promoted and attended technical training. He comes to work calmly (I think he has only taken three sick days in ten years) and does his job. He likes the routine and the pleasant working atmosphere, so he will most likely work there for another ten or more years. A win-win if you ask me!
I believe only one of our clients has made the active decision to hire a neurodiverse employee, the child of a friend who has a college degree (IT). The person they hired is doing well. She is brilliant and has a penchant for troubleshooting and setting things up, and I think she will be very loyal. The manager told me she is a bit opinionated and that phone contact with customers may need to be monitored/limited so she will need to be assigned a coach to provide feedback. Nonetheless, everything looks positive, and they may target this pool of talent more in the future.
I encourage you to give it some thought. Sometimes you simply can’t judge a book by its cover. Does it resonate with you, as it does with me?
If you would like to learn more about creating more diversity in your workplace, please contact Isabelle Brennan, 201-602-8816, or check out our HR & Culture workshops.