How to enhance your workforce by tapping into neurodivergent talent

In this episode, presenter and reporter Kait Borsay leads a discussion on the huge value of tapping into neurodivergent talent for employees, employers, society and the world. Joining her are Hiren Shukla, EY Global and Americas Neuro-Diverse Center of Excellence Leader; John Leonard, Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Trade at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and Rob Austin, Professor of Information Systems at Ivey Business School in Ontario, Canada.

Understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity have grown in recent years, but some organizations still view these efforts as charitable rather than what John calls “a mission enabler.” To combat this, our guests share positive examples from their own organizations, including faster hiring processes at CBP and the world’s largest neurodiversity model and program at EY. They also suggest ways to recognize, support and unlock the strengths of neurodiverse people, who make up an estimated 15% to 20% of the population.

Key takeaways:

• Employers increasingly recognize that neurodiverse people aren’t a homogenous group with superpowers. They’re individuals with unique strengths that have historically remained untapped.
• Organizations that recognize those strengths, and structure assessments and roles to optimize them, will see more innovation, creativity and problem-solving across the board.
• To reap the benefits, employers need to embrace new ways of hiring and working from the top down. This includes educating managers to be aware of their biases and using proof points to drive change.

The series is also available to listen to on Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon Music and Podbean.

If you’d like to read more, a full text transcript of this podcast is available. Read the transcript.