How To Effectively Recruit Autistic Talent?

The idea that some people, due to their disabilities, are not qualified to work because of considered deficiencies, real or imagined, is already considered passe’ and obsolete. Thanks to the rigorous campaign conducted by social activists, our society has made significant progress in including marginalized and PWDs in the workplace. Opportunities now abound for them.

Among those people that benefited tremendously from the inclusion of PWDs are people with autism. In the past, many thought they were not worthy enough to be hired as employees or workers. At best, people considered them as savants with special abilities which arouse the curiosity of the public. At worst, many considered them as a liability to society, what a wrong perception of diversity type!

That is no longer the case today. We know that autistic people are capable of work like everybody else. They do not need to rely on the goodwill of others and society for their needs if they can find employment. They can take care of themselves and live their life the way they want, just like the rest of us.

Providing work for autistic people is a significant step towards further inclusion into society. It allows them to normalize their situation and relationships. At the same time, it also erases the stigma usually attached to them. Therefore, society and its institutions must make moves for their inclusion, especially in the workplace. Everybody stands to benefit from these.

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Practical ideas to hire people autistic people

Here are some of the ideas in recruiting talented people with autism:

An overall policy concerning autistic people

These days, most companies, if not all, do have a DEI policy. DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. These policies assure that people from the marginalized sectors and the underprivileged will have equal opportunities to get employment, rights protected, and complete with other perks and benefits. You can engage professional DEI experts to help you with policy creation.

DEI policy must include provisions for autistic people. It will even be better if the company has a separate policy regarding them. They are marginalized and underprivileged, but their case may still be different with regards to others. Membership to a particular class, gender, or race may also complicate their situation. Companies must be more engaged in dealing with them.

Policies may include special protection and benefits for them aside from those usually accorded in any DEI policy. Benefits like medical care and attention, added incentives, and planning strategies to aggressively hire them are examples of the policies that they can implement concerning autistic people.

Perfect job match

Job mismatch is a perennial problem for most industries in many countries. Part of why unemployment and underemployment remain high is because skills do not match job opportunities for most people, and this problem worsens if we talk about the marginalized, autistic people included.

Companies, therefore, can tailor their specific needs for skilled autistic people. Instead of the usual process of hiring people, companies can hire them by aggressively looking for talented ones. No different from sports scouts looking for available talent, companies must have that attitude and outlook.

Autistic people are known to be very talented persons, but their condition and the associated stigma usually prevent them from seeking employment opportunities. That is where the aggressiveness of companies will come into play. They must pursue these people and make the necessary offer to entice them to work for them.

Aside from that, companies can apply strategies that will pave the way for the greater inclusion of autistic people. Among them are having exams and hiring techniques that can better assess the suitability of the applicants. Those tests will concentrate on what autistic people have to offer.

Extend some invites

Companies need to publicize their intent of hiring people with autism, such as Universities to promote their hiring standards to hire for Universities and Colleges. They can do so by extending invitations to autistic people. Even better, they can organize job fairs that will specifically cater to autistic people. That will give companies a wider audience and can reach an even more significant number of autistic people.

Make some presence on autism job boards.

Autistic people do signify their intent to join a company or have employment. They scour job boards to seek employment. They are like the rest of us, seeking job opportunities to make themselves financially stable and provide for themselves and their families,

Companies must make their presence felt on these job boards, especially those that cater to autistic people. They must maximize what the internet has to offer, and it includes providing opportunities for the inclusion of everybody, including autistic people.

Companies can go to neurodiversity job boards to advertise and show their intention to hire them. Neurodiversity sites, in turn, can extend significant help to companies in hiring those people and give great insights regarding the issues surrounding autistic people.

Provide training programs for autistic people

Companies usually have autism awareness training programs for all the employees. They must also conduct specific training programs for autistic people. The training may include skills development or anything usually accorded to all employees that may increase their productivity.

Consequently, companies can conduct DEI training and seminars for all employees to orient them towards diversity, equity, and inclusion policies of respective companies.  Train the employees to be receptive to the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and have seminars about them.

Use appropriate language

Companies must use language that subscribes to the DEI policy. They must institute language policies specifically about autistic people, ensuring that they will not be victims of innuendoes, verbal abuse, and insults. Companies and all their employees must be sensitive to them, and it includes dealing with autistic people in a language acceptable and appropriate.

Promoting an autistic friendly environment

Companies must promote and ensure a friendly and healthy environment for all their employees, especially autistic people. The companies must be aware of their particular needs. Taking care of them will make them productive and maximize their talent. The environment must also protect and shield them against possible abuses and discrimination.

Every employee needs a healthy, friendly working environment. So, providing one for autistic people is not that much, for the companies will only extend to them what they provide for everyone. Aside from being friendly, the environment must also promote harmony among workers.

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Conclusion

The fight for diversity, equity, and inclusion in society has gone a long way, and we have so much success doing so. Society as a whole is more tolerant towards accepting it and fighting for its cause. We already made significant strides, making social institutions and others break down the walls that divide us and allow us to provide equal opportunities for everybody finally.

We must not leave autistic people in the fight. All the benefits we have won are for everyone, for the marginalized, for everybody. All must have the rights and must receive what is due to them. All must also have equal opportunity and access to everything society has to offer, jobs included.

Ultimately, one will be hired based on qualifications. Companies will not hire one who is not qualified for a job or a task. Qualifications, however, must be based on merit, skills, talent, and attitude. Anyone who has the qualifications, and has a good moral standing, must not be denied the opportunity to work and have employment.

Autistic people have proven that they are more than capable of having jobs. Their condition must not prevent them from having the opportunity to be stable financially and provide for themselves and their family. More than providing them opportunities, we must actively encourage them. All of us will benefit if we put their talent and skill to good, proper use.