Neurodiversity. It’s a term that’s increasingly familiar to those in the workforce diversity and inclusion sphere, and for good reason. It’s about the strategic integration of people with neurological disabilities into all workplaces, and its practice can yield exceptional results for both employers and employees, including those on the autism spectrum.

This issue has been at the forefront of my mind this month, which is National Autism Awareness Month. As someone who’s spent most of my career researching effective workplace practices for people with disabilities, I find embracing neurodiversity to be an exciting paradigm shift. Years ago, employers often hired people with disabilities for altruistic, charitable reasons, believing it was “the right thing to do.” Later, when the D&I movement emerged, employers began to appreciate bottom line benefits from embracing disability as diversity. Today’s increased focus on neurodiversity indicates even further progress on the part of employers—and refreshingly, it’s all about skills.

That’s right. Numerous businesses that already have a good foundation in disability inclusion are beginning to plan recruiting and onboarding activities that target people in similar professional networks to meet their business needs.  These companies are recognizing and proactively recruiting the skills and talents that people with unique neurological characteristics, including those on the autism spectrum, can offer. It’s a concept that’s gaining steam in many industry sectors, such as manufacturing, telecommunications, finance and information technology.

Continue reading the full article on the US Department of Labor Blog