{"id":7455,"date":"2024-09-17T12:59:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-17T17:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mhisolutionsmag.com\/?p=7455"},"modified":"2024-09-17T09:41:24","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T14:41:24","slug":"welcoming-neurodiversity-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mhisolutionsmag.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/17\/welcoming-neurodiversity-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcoming Neurodiversity in the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

DEI Feature<\/h4>\n
\"christyBY CHRISTY DULA<\/span>, CHIEF EXPERIENCE & DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MHI<\/figure>\n

W<\/span>hen considering your organization\u2019s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, is neurodiversity a part of those efforts? It\u2019s estimated that up to 40% of neurodiverse adults are unemployed. That includes persons with certain neurological differences, including those with autism spectrum disorder\u2014a neurological condition that affects social interaction and communication skills.<\/p>\n

\"welcomingAs the parent of a son on the spectrum, this is a topic in which I am greatly interested. Chances are, you also know a child or adult (or several) with autism, as the rate of diagnoses has grown over the last 20 years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s 2023 statistics, 1 in 36 American children and 1 in 45 adults have autism.<\/p>\n

With the continued workforce shortage impacting supply chains, an opportunity clearly exists. Yet, many organizations\u2014even those with DEI initiatives\u2014are unsure how to create a welcoming environment for autistic or other neurodiverse individuals. That\u2019s why I was thrilled to hear more on this topic from Tara May, CEO of Aspiritech, and Scott Summerville, president and CEO of MHI member Mitsubishi Electric Automation.<\/p>\n

Simple Supports Unlock Greater Inclusivity<\/h4>\n

Aspiritech is a non-profit whose mission is providing meaningful employment for autistic adults.<\/p>\n

“We are a tech services company offering quality assurance, accessibility testing, data services and artificial intelligence (AI) services. More than 90% of our team is on the autism spectrum,” explained May, who also has an autistic son. “We also offer consulting on how to create a workplace culture that is inclusive to neurodiversity, such as autism.”<\/p>\n

Among Aspiritech\u2019s consulting clients are companies looking to fill manufacturing and warehousing positions. Regardless of an organization\u2019s industry or job openings, May said the biggest obstacle to hiring neurodivergent individuals is the interview process.<\/p>\n

“Interviews are geared toward neurotypical people,” she declared. “What\u2019s important? Eye contact, a firm handshake and the ability to sell yourself. Autism and many other forms of neurodivergence fundamentally include social difficulties that don\u2019t match expected norms.”<\/p>\n

Instead, May recommends finding a different way to assess candidates\u2019 skills, such as giving them a project to complete, or sharing interview questions ahead of time to allow for preparation. “These sorts of things can make a huge difference in opening up a really productive talent pool that tends to stay very loyal to the jobs they\u2019re in, improving retention,” she said.<\/p>\n

In May\u2019s observations, many organizations have a strong desire to hire more neurodivergent and disabled persons but often fear missteps. “The most frequently asked question I get is, \u2018what do I need to know about working with autistic people?\u2019 The answer is: nothing. They\u2019re human and they need some really simple and easy supports to help them be successful\u2014just like your neurotypical employees do,” she explained. “That\u2019s it.”<\/p>\n

For example, in working with her autistic staffers at Aspiritech, May discovered a preference for communication in multiple formats. “We have some auditory learners, some visual learners and so on. I thought, \u2018why wasn\u2019t I doing that for the neurotypical teams I led in my corporate career?\u2019” she said. “There truly are many free and easy accommodations that can make an organization more inclusive very quickly.”<\/p>\n

Diversity Results from Intention<\/h4>\n

Summerville agreed. He believes the key to successfully hiring and supporting a more diverse workforce is to act with intention. He serves on the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) Board of Directors. Through grants, the foundation supports programs focused on empowering youth with disabilities or neurodivergence to lead productive lives through increased employment.<\/p>\n

Aspiritech is a recipient of a MEAF grant, which is how Summerville and May became acquainted. Since then, Mitsubishi Electric Automation has become an Aspiritech client, while its hiring managers have leveraged the non-profit\u2019s advisory services for guidance in developing its neurodivergent hiring initiatives.<\/p>\n

“Our Future Workforce program\u2019s goal is to broaden our talent pool for new hires,” Summerville explained. “The initiative includes neurodivergent individuals, as well as other underrepresented groups. That includes women, veterans, recent college graduates or early career entrants and persons with disabilities.”<\/p>\n

In 2023, 33% of new hires originated from this program. To the company\u2019s knowledge, however, no neurodivergent or autistic individuals have been hired as part of the initiative.<\/p>\n

“With a workforce our size\u2014and the increasing occurrence of autism diagnoses\u2014we undoubtedly do have employees on the spectrum who haven\u2019t shared that information,” he said.<\/p>\n

That said, Summerville and his team wanted to be prepared to welcome and support neurodivergent new hires. The company engaged a consultant to audit its operations, provide training to dispel misconceptions and help staffers better understand behaviors on the spectrum. Because individuals with autism can be sensitive to lights, noise and temperature, one recommendation was to create sensory rooms. These private spaces allow the occupant to adjust the environment to their optimal workplace setting.<\/p>\n

Click here to read the full feature.<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

ISTOCK.COM\/FATCAMERA<\/a><\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DEI Feature BY CHRISTY DULA, CHIEF EXPERIENCE & DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MHI When considering your organization\u2019s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, is neurodiversity a part of those efforts? It\u2019s estimated that up to 40% of neurodiverse adults are unemployed. That includes persons with certain neurological differences, including those with autism spectrum disorder\u2014a neurological condition …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":7457,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,2355,5],"tags":[3897,3898,2151,2148,3836,442,1902,1907,3899,3896,2443,466],"class_list":["post-7455","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-article","category-diversity-equity-inclusion","category-features","tag-autism","tag-autistic","tag-dei","tag-diversity","tag-equity-and-inclusion","tag-mhi-solutions","tag-mhi-solutions-magazine","tag-mhisolutionsmag","tag-neurodiverse","tag-neurodiversity","tag-spectrum","tag-supply-chain"],"yoast_head":"\nWelcoming Neurodiversity in the Workplace - MHI Solutions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mhisolutions-digital.com\/mhiq\/0424_volume_12__issue_4\/MobilePagedArticle.action?app=false&cmsId=4218364\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Welcoming Neurodiversity in the Workplace - MHI Solutions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"DEI Feature BY CHRISTY DULA, CHIEF EXPERIENCE & DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MHI When considering your organization\u2019s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, is neurodiversity a part of those efforts? 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