Autism at work
The talent question
Companies all over the world are competing to attract and retain talented people. But what do they mean by “talent”? An expert? A generalist? An expert-generalist? What about more specific traits: superior attention to detail, focus, observation skills, ability to retain facts, in-depth knowledge in areas of interest, respect for rules, and integrity?1
These are potential strengths of people on the spectrum. Given the proper support, they just might accomplish even better than neurotypical people. Without any doubt, they deserve the chance. It’s important to remember is that people with autism are not alike. While their challenges may seem similar, their individual strengths are uniquely their own.
Hiring neurodiverse talent
To take advantage of neurodiverse talent, companies need to adapt their hiring process to include a broader definition of talent. One huge hurdle is the interview process, which causes many talented prospects to drop out of the running. Using assessment techniques that are non-traditional and non-interview-based has proven effective. Today, many prominent companies are reforming their HR process and hiring – and seeing the fruits of their efforts pay off. 2
Success stories
Among the earliest companies to hire was SAP in 2013. Their Autism at Work Program includes interviewing, onboarding and adapting processes that remove barriers for autistic adults. SAP has 90% employee retentions rates through the program.3
Ultranauts, engineering and assurance services company, proudly states that of their cognitively diverse fully remote working team, 75% are on the autism spectrum. And they say, “100% of Ultranauts believe our differences make us better together.” 4
We concur!
1 DAIVERGENT, “7 Tech Companies That Hire Autistic Adults” by Bernadette Wilson, 7 February 2020
2 Harvard Business Review, “Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage” by Robert D. Austin and Gary P. Pisano, May–June 2017
3 DAIVERGENT, “7 Tech Companies That Hire Autistic Adults” by Bernadette Wilson, 7 February 2020
4 Ultranauts https://ultranauts.co/company/
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