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JTC News + Events

When: September 14, 2023 | 11:00 am - 6:00 pm EST

What: Who is Qualified?: A Transformative Journey to Decode Bias in Recruitment and Retention

At this immersive summit, participants will embark on an intentional roadmap, gaining profound insights into how bias subtly infiltrates our recruitment and retention processes. Through engaging talks, interactive breakout sessions, and a thought-provoking panel session, we'll challenge conventional norms, expose hidden biases, and explore actionable steps to foster more inclusive practices. As a result, you’ll gain practical tools and techniques to revolutionize your approach to diversity recruitment and retention without causing harm or compromising on excellence.

At Team JTC, we have been actively researching neurodiversity as an essential aspect of diversity recruitment, and I am keen to share some of our insights in today’s newsletter. As we will soon see, the inclusion of neurodiversity is a rapidly growing movement in organizational DEI programs and the benefits are already becoming clear.

I want to begin by clarifying the difference between neurodiversity and disability, because they are distinct but overlapping terms and this often causes some confusion.

A person can be said to have a disability if they have “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity” (as defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act).

In the words of two doctors from Harvard, neurodiversity “describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one ‘right’ way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits.”

This helps us to recognize that we should not just equate neurodiversity with disability (while not denying the reality of disability when it manifests that way). And even though “neurodiverse” is most often used to refer to Autism, it is actually much broader because it embraces all aspects of cognitive variation, such as ADHD, PTSD, and developmental or learning disabilities.

But why am I focusing on Neurodiversity in the Workplace?

In short, because it is a critical recruitment issue, and we should not overlook the fact that neurodiversity is just as important as any other aspect of workplace diversity. And since an estimated 15–20% of the population is neurodivergent, based on various studies, you will be missing out on a considerable amount of untapped talent if you are not intentional about including people who identify as neurodivergent in your recruitment strategy.

For example, there is a high rate of under or unemployment among the Autism community—partly due to insufficiently inclusive recruitment practices—but initiatives such as Microsoft’s neurodiversity recruitment program can offer some important insight into how to remedy this. As reported by Fortune, they adapted their recruitment process for Autistic candidates and found that among those hired, half had previously applied to the company but were passed over by the traditional resume screening process. “We train on how to interview someone who’s blind or deaf, so this is just making it more inclusive,” explained Neil Barnett, Microsoft’s Director of Inclusive Hiring and Accessibility. “It’s started a movement.”

Indeed it has: The Neurodiversity @ Work Employer Roundtable, to be exact. This initiative, founded in 2017, comprises a collection of employers with specific neurodiversity recruitment programs that are working together to continually improve and scale the hiring of a more neurodiverse workforce.

With this in mind, here are three dimensions to enable best practices in creating a more equitable and inclusive hiring process for people who identify as neurodiverse.

Dimension #1: Attract

We all know the importance of inclusive job descriptions, but there are some specifics to be aware of when it comes to neurodiverse applicants. Seemingly innocuous phrases such as “excellent communication skills” or “great team player” can deter neurodivergent people from applying altogether, so aim to only specify characteristics that are genuinely needed for the role, and do so as directly as possible. Also, bear in mind that neurodiverse candidates (for example, individuals with Autism) are more likely to read job requirements very literally and might assume they are not qualified for a job, even if they really are.

Taking this into account, it is critical when creating job descriptions to ask yourself and your team, what are the minimum essential requirements and qualifications for the role? Too many specifications can cause potential candidates to self-select out of the process, so avoid requesting more than you really need.

Dimension #2: Accommodations

Several straightforward accommodations can be made to ensure interviews are more equitable for neurodiverse candidates. For example, some interviewees may be unable to pick up on certain social situations or respond to body language. Less emphasis on conversational ability may benefit candidates who struggle with this, and people with Autism will find the process easier if they have advance notice of who they will be meeting, along with a clear itinerary (and perhaps even the list of interview questions).

It also helps to use highly specific questions, as neurodiverse candidates may struggle with open-ended questions or hypothetical situations. For example, rather than a general question about previous roles, ask something more direct such as, “In your last job, did you do any data input?”

Dimension #3: Assessment

Focus on what neurodiverse applicants can do, and not what they can’t. If they have Autism, look to understand where they are on the spectrum and learn their strengths. For instance, some organizations have reshaped the traditional interview process by replacing it with a series of focused skill- or task-specific interviews, and this can benefit neurodiverse candidates. In the UK, the National Autistic Society has worked with employers to set up job trials as an alternative to face-to-face interviews.

Recently, Harvard Business Review intriguingly observed that while inclusion of people with disabilities has a growing profile among major employers, neurodiversity recruitment initiatives have not yet gained much ground. A lot still needs to be done, and it is vital to act now, but how do we put this into practice? If your organization is not yet confident to launch its own initiative in this area, you could consider working with one of the growing number of “neurodiversity intermediaries” that partner with employers throughout the US. For companies wishing to improve their engagement with Autistic candidates specifically, Disability:IN has produced the Autism @ Work Playbook, based on the high-profile neurodiversity recruitment programs of Microsoft and three other employers: SAP, JPMorgan Chase, and Ernst & Young.

We are excited about the growing movement to embrace neurodiversity as part of improved workplace diversity programs, and about the benefits organizations are increasingly experiencing and recognizing as they work to build a more inclusive and equitable diversity recruitment strategy.