A Look Into 4 Companies that Hire Neurodiverse Talent

Diversity in the workplace is a growing priority. As its strength becomes widely recognized, companies are making efforts to elevate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and identity representation—often with focus on ethnicity, gender and cultural differences.

As this support for diversity grows, another valuable group that companies are beginning to discover is neurodiverse talent: In an article by the Harvard Business Review, neurodiverse individuals are reported to have strong memorization, mathematical and pattern recognition skills. In the workplace, these skills transfer into abilities to innovate and problem-solve, which are crucial skills to have, especially in high-tech environments.

Today, many employers are investing in neurodiversity recruitment programs. From autism programs to a hiring process that includes pymetric games, companies are incorporating a number of accommodations to ease the hiring process for differently-abled individuals and create space for them to shine and succeed. 

Listed below are 4 companies that hire from—and thrive with—neurodiverse talent:

SAP

As one of the leading companies to launch neurodiversity recruitment initiatives, SAP’s Autism At Work program recruits candidates of ranging abilities to an inclusive workplace. According to the company, SAP also has a 90 per cent retention rate of employees who are on the autism spectrum.

Microsoft

Microsoft strives for its products to reflect the diverse needs of its users. With an Autism Program that recruits and retains neurodiverse employees, their hiring process focuses on team projects and skill assessments that allow applicants to showcase their varied strengths and talents. 

JP Morgan

JPMorgan’s  hiring process involves a series of 12 pymetric games that match applicants to meaningful jobs they can succeed in. Pymetrics are behaviour-based neuroscience games created to measure cognitive, social and behavioral attitudes, and by including them in the recruitment process, individuals are allowed to showcase their skills beyond simple application materials.

Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young leverages different abilities through its neurodiversity program. Additionally, they collaborate with Microsoft, SAP, Deloitte and many other companies to create job opportunities for neurodiverse applicants.

As the nature of work evolves, it is necessary for companies to further their efforts in building and growing environments that nurture ranging talents and abilities so employees can collectively thrive, and drive the company towards success.