Advantages and efforts of Neurodiversity
The transition to adulthood in neurodiverse individuals can be difficult not because they are incapable, but there are not many opportunities for them in the workforce. However, recently, many different companies such as Microsoft, JP Morgan, Chase, and many others have made efforts to strive for further diversity and inclusion within the workforce, including neurodiverse individuals. According to Autism Speaks, the employment rate of adults with disabilities is much lower than that of people without disabilities, and the rate for people with autism is lower still.
It can be difficult for individuals with autism spectrum disorder to communicate and interact socially, which can hinder job communication and collaboration. However, many neurodiverse individuals have abilities that are higher than the average population such as: memory, mathematical comprehension, and etc. There is a negative stigma surrounding neurodiversity that people need to be cured. However, with the right support and accommodation, they can thrive to be more efficient and effective than the average person. However, there needs to be efforts made to increase employment within the untapped pool of neurodiverse individuals. “Over the past two years HPE’s program has placed more than 30 participants in software-testing roles at Australia’s Department of Human Services (DHS). Preliminary results suggest that the organization’s neurodiverse testing teams are 30% more productive than the others.” Although it may require a little more work to accommodate neurodiverse individuals, the payoff and benefit to the firm is considerable.
References:
https://hbr.org/2017/05/neurodiversity-as-a-competitive-advantage