Neurodiverse hiring advances talent diversity
One of the ways to solve today’s hiring challenge is through hiring from among the neurodiversity population—a largely untapped pool of highly capable workers. Hiring from this untapped pool has the potential to enrich the workforce with unexpected talents.
The Harvard Business Review says that as many as 80% of people who are neurodiverse are unemployed, including those who are highly capable and educated. According to the Stanford Neurodiversity Project, “neurodiversity is a concept that regards individuals with differences in brain function and behavioral traits as part of normal variation in the human population.” The project’s goal is uncovering “the strengths of neurodiverse individuals and utilizing their talents to increase innovation and productivity of the society as a whole.”
When someone suggests tackling a problem by “thinking outside of the box,” the instruction can be challenging for neurotypical employees—those who think how the majority of the population does. For a person who is neurodiverse, thinking outside of the box is normal.
In April 2015, Microsoft launched its Neurodiversity Hiring Program, stating that diverse teams positively impact their company’s culture and working environment and strengthens their workforce with innovative thinking and creative solutions.” Companies such as Wells Fargo, Capital One, Ford, and many others have started programs to include the neurodiverse in their workforce hiring strategy and are seeing remarkable outcomes.
Warehousing and logistics jobs are potential pathways suitable for those who can focus and think outside of the box. Hiring neurodiverse workers is also a strategy to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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