Join us for “Neurodiversity Rising: Eliminating Bias in Hiring”…

Join us for “Neurodiversity Rising: Eliminating Bias in Hiring”

Announcing panelists for our free
October 14th virtual conference

Finn Gardiner, Jayanti Owens and William Gilreath on neurodiversity and intersectionality

All those wanting to build, and be part of, a more equitable, inclusive workforce are invited to register for our free, upcoming conference, “Neurodiversity Rising: Eliminating Bias from Hiring.” Neurodivergent keynote speakers, Dr. Temple Grandin and NY State Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, will be joined by a diverse panel of experts offering valuable insights and unique perspectives.

The event’s panel discussion, “Intersectionality and the Future of Neurodiversity Hiring,” will focus on first-hand experiences of neurodivergence and intersectionality, eye-opening research, and ways to identify and avoid bias in talent acquisition.

Job seekers can learn from autistic advocates who have navigated the hiring process en route to employment, while employers and recruiters will be empowered to rethink hiring practices in pursuit of inclusion.

Learn about our incredible panelists, below, and don’t miss your chance to hear this important dialogue.

Finn Gardiner (he/him/his)

Finn Gardiner is a disability rights advocate with interests in educational equity, intersectional justice, comparative policy, and inclusive technology. He holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Tufts University. He is currently the Communications Specialist at the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University.

Gardiner also recently finished a fellowship in Leadership and Education on Neurodevelopmental and Developmental Disabilities—LEND—at the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s E.K. Shriver Center.

Learn more about him at finngardiner.com.

Jayanti Owens (she/her/hers)
Assistant professor of sociology and international and public affairs at Brown University

Jayanti Owens’ research focuses on social stratification and inequality in education, families, and labor markets. Using surveys, experiments, and administrative records, she investigates the causes and consequences of uneven educational and labor market rewards and penalties along lines of gender, race/ethnicity, and immigrant status. In particular, she is interested in differences in behavior presentation and perceptions of these behaviors by key decision-makers in contexts ranging from families and classrooms to workplaces.

Owens’ research has been funded by organizations including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Social Science Research Council. She received a BA from Swarthmore College, where she was a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, and a joint Ph.D. in Sociology and Demography from Princeton University. Prior to coming to Brown she was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Owens has worked in the Education Policy Center of the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. and Mathematica Policy Research in Princeton, NJ.

Learn more about Owens at her personal website: www.jayantiowens.org.

William Gilreath (he/him/his)
Senior Member of Technical Staff, VMware

William is a multifaceted senior software developer, computer scientist, lover of cats, and writer with many years of development experience. He enjoys working with software—developing, testing, writing, and analyzing—and programs in Java for work and fun. William participated in the career preparation and skill-based hiring program with VMware and Neurodiversity in the Workplace.

In his spare time, William writes not only code and technical articles, but also narrative prose including novels, short stories, book chapters, and poetry. On his website, he showcases some of the algorithms, code, programming languages, research papers, and web apps he has created, written, and published.

Learn about William at https://wgilreath.github.io/WillHome.html. He can be reached by email at will.f.gilreath@gmail.com.

Register Now! to see the panel discussion, Intersectionality and the Future of Neurodiversity Hiring, on October 14th

Join us for “Neurodiversity Rising: Eliminating Bias in Hiring”…

Join us for “Neurodiversity Rising: Eliminating Bias in Hiring”

October 14th with Temple Grandin and Yuh-Line Niou

Why is neurodiversity a rising tide in employment, and how can we ensure people of all backgrounds are lifted by the movement? In pursuit of answers, we’re excited to announce our upcoming virtual webinar and panel discussion, “Neurodiversity Rising: Eliminating bias from hiring” on October 14th at 1pm EST. Tickets are free, and the event is open to employers and job seekers, advocates and allies, and anyone interested in ways to promote opportunity for all.

Join us as we define and explore the value of autism and other forms of neurodiversity at work, examine how identities of race, gender and sexuality intersect, and share ways to prevent hiring bias from unfairly excluding highly qualified job candidates.

We are thrilled to welcome two powerful keynote speakers: Dr. Temple Grandin, groundbreaking advocate and author, and NY State Assembly member Yuh-Line Niou, the first Asian-American and openly autistic woman to represent District 65 of lower Manhattan. An expert panel will also be with us to talk through issues of intersectionality, bias and how to cultivate real, meaningful inclusion in the workplace.

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Register NOW!!!

For us, this webinar is more than just another event. These issues are of crucial importance to work as we move forward in a new era of impact for our organization and the neurodiversity movement as a whole. We’ve grown so much over the past few years, but there is still much work to do to ensure equal opportunity at work. On October 14th, we’ll share what we’ve learned about creating a more fair and effective hiring process, and look to the future with our speakers and panelists, and discuss how to move forward, together.

Key takeaways will be published and provided to all attendees. You’ll leave inspired and empowered to take new and bold steps toward our shared goal of a more equitable and representative workforce—for everyone.

Completing the Puzzle

Neurodiversity as the Final Piece
to a Successful Workplace

By Michael A. Giongo

“I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”
– The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost

As someone diagnosed with autism at a young age, I have frequently taken the road “less traveled by” when it comes to grasping the nuances of social interactions, planning for long-term objectives, and processing concepts with multiple or multi-step components.

It was an admittedly arduous journey at times, especially in my pre-college days – I can still recall the waves of confusion from not understanding how to behave or respond in certain social situations, the instruction in classrooms and professional environments commanding such attention to detail on my part to the near-extent of seeming like a cacophony threatening to overwhelm my senses.

However, my path has ultimately been one of great reward, most recently exemplified by my experience at SAP, first as an intern of the Center of Expertise (CoE) at SAP through the Autism at Work program and now in a full-time role as a Process Management Specialist. Here, I have been introduced to many inspiring individuals on the autism spectrum who have grown into some of the most distinguished paragons of excellence in their respective positions, as well as a compassionate and enthusiastic community of Autism at Work mentors and colleagues.

I credit SAP, Autism at Work, and my colleagues for providing me with multiple forums to hone my ability as a communicator and overall soft skills, for embracing my interests and attention to detail and allowing me to grow into a role of both personal passion and professional relevance during my internship, and above all, for investing in me beyond the qualifications on my resume and finding professional value in traits of people on the autism spectrum that are unfortunately too often overlooked by other employers. Collectively, they are the golden standard of neurodiversity and professionalism, and I deeply hope that I will have a professional opportunity in the near-future that enables me to continue to establish myself as a member of such a remarkable community and company. As a tribute to them, I am here to share insight from my SAP experience into why neurodiversity should be embraced by all workplaces.

1) Words as Clear as Day – More Streamlined Workplace Communication

“Help me… help you.” – Tom Cruise as Jerry Maguire

When delivering a message, regardless of the means of communication – spoken word, email, text – you must present your words decisively and with intention. Coherence and comprehension is just as essential to social and professional interactions as it is to a well-crafted novel, and I would consider this ability to deliver a concise message the single greatest strength of individuals on the autism spectrum.

Because of our attention to detail and aptitude for logical reasoning, we are able to interpret the delivery of any message as a process that requires input and generates a specific output. Like a culinary recipe, a solidly-crafted message has specific components that must be added in precise quantities to create a satisfying whole, and our processing of steps in an A-to-Z fashion allows us to firmly determine these necessary inputs and deliver a message free of potential misconceptions.

Indeed, I have witnessed this to be a crucial component of the professional success of many of my colleagues on the autism spectrum at SAP. Direct communication is a chief indicator of honesty, and it has been vital in building trust between employees and their superiors. Additionally, clarity from employees breeds clarity from managers and vice versa, resulting in a genuine process-oriented approach to daily, weekly, and long-term objectives where the timelines for and resources needed to accomplish each task necessary for the satisfaction of an objective are definitively understood.

This establishes a collaborative culture where both superiors and their subordinates know how to ask for what they need to succeed in their respective positions, as well as a business that more efficiently manages its intellectual capital.

2) Investment in Others – Business Processes Strengthened, One Relationship at a Time

 “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt

You often feel as if you are fighting the sands of time – such is the world we live in, one often rooted in routines, business obligations, and personal commitments with little time for recreation. We feel so relentlessly driven to satisfy objectives and quell our day-to-day worries that we easily overlook the key to our success and satisfaction: other people.

A fundamental truth of both business and life is that regardless of whatever intentions we may have, people are people and want to be treated as such – they want to be validated, loved, acknowledged, and included. The less you try to “do business” with individuals and the more you convey loyalty to and empathy towards them, the more inclined others will be to work with you.

I find most individuals on the autism spectrum to be deeply beholden to this core tenet of human interaction. Because of the challenges we face, we are infinitely grateful for the successful personal connections we formulate, and this blossoms into a deep intrinsic appreciation for not only the people with whom we develop relationships, but also the qualities with which they enrich the personal bonds that we have with them. This is where the power of SAP’s approach to neurodiversity and the mentoring of the Autism of Work team lies – their emphasis on social trainings, combined with their recognition of the natural empathy and loyalty of many workers on the autism spectrum, develops employees who become expert at formulating bonds with colleagues and customers.

Committing to employees with high personal character and facilitating their social growth with clients and coworkers yields a united and harmonious workplace free of discord and objectives muddled by personal agendas, as well as higher customer and worker retention.

Build a lasting bond with a simple handshake.

3) Understanding the Process of Success – Goal-Setting as the Genesis of Business and Worker Efficiency

“A goal properly set is halfway reached.” – Zig Ziglar

Human nature, in essence, is a paradox: everybody wants to achieve, but very few genuinely comprehend what is needed to harvest success because they fail to clearly define what constitutes it. Attempting to attain what you desire without a firm understanding of the “what” is movement without purpose. It culminates in wasted spiritual and physical energy, time, and in business, precious financial resources and intellectual capital.

Goal setting is the only way to solidify benchmarks and measure success, both professionally and personally. Due to the natural capacity for logical analysis among most neurodiverse individuals, the definition of daily objectives and what constitutes their attainment personally, financially, and materially is often a seamless process for us. With the guidance of superiors who understand how to communicate long-term timelines in simple terms and frame them in a daily sense, as well as organize their employees into explicit roles, the ability to define to precise objectives becomes an indisputable asset. The skill of processing the “big picture” can evolve as an area of increasing comfort for us with each project and meeting, as well.

            SAP is a prime example of this dynamic, as they are comprised of managers who are excellent organizers of people and can effectively deliver a message appropriate to both the situation and the individuals with whom they are interacting, and this aids employees in maintaining a high level of organization on a micro level while understanding the vitality of their tasks at a macro level.

Goal setting acts as the fuel not only for a precise, financially efficient company with a seamless process, but also for a workplace bound by unyielding thirst for exhilarating and honest achievement – the standards of the individual become the standards of the team, and

ultimately the standards of the company.

Inspiration is the compass that guides innovation.

4) Diversity of Skill and Perspective – Encouraging Professional and Personal Innovation

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” – Steve Jobs

Arguably the most critical aspect of software design is “look and feel” – “look” pertains to the visual appearance of a website or application, which is exemplified by features such as font, color palette, and organization of text, whereas “feel” refers to the behavior of the dynamic features of the site or application, including buttons and menus, and the emotions that these provoke in the user. In this technology and social media-dominated day of age, “look and feel” is as invaluable as ever to the establishment of a company’s brand.

This is also applicable to the daily operations of the company, especially when describing the balance between hard and soft skills that is necessary to maintain a functional business. Hard skills serve as the foundation for the services the company offers to its clients and comprise the identity, or “look”, of the company.

However, the means for providing these services is as valuable to the operations of the company as the services themselves. This is where soft skills are of significance – employing individuals with vibrant interpersonal skills formulates a powerful “feel” for the company and enables the company to better connect to customers, understand their needs, and consequently provide more thorough and expedient satisfaction of clients.

By integrating individuals on the autism spectrum in the workplace with individuals for whom soft skills may come more naturally, a mutualistic workplace environment where evolving business processes benefit from the specializations of employees and colleagues directly contribute to the enhancement of each other’s soft and hard skills through both mentoring and collaboration on professional objectives is born.

“The biggest emotion in creation is the bridge to optimism.” – Brian May

Human beings are not meant to stay in stasis, but rather “blaze trails” – we are all driven by the quest to find meaning in the self and our experiences, as well as a universal thirst for creative rebirth, and this comes to fruition through the consistent generation and recalibration of benchmarks among both individuals and groups. This dynamic is readily obvious professionally, with companies propelled by the need to regularly update their services and products to satisfy ever-fluctuating customer trends, and employees consistently seeking to lend talents to endeavors where they can kindle their powers of creation and enhance their professional and personal self-worth.

And it is why neurodiversity is essential to the evolution of any business – it is both a financially responsible and morally righteous business practice if the process for training workers is solidly organized and spearheaded by individuals of impeccable character. Neurodiversity enables a company to become “state-of-the-art” both spiritually and economically through the amplification of productivity and community outreach, as well as the championing of diversity and unity, and it enables people on the autism spectrum to be a driving force behind daily business and hiring processes.

I am eternally grateful for the experience that SAP has provided me, as it has instilled in me enhanced social confidence in my professional and personal dealings and led me to fully realize how rich of an impact I and other individuals on the autism spectrum can have intellectually and emotionally on not only a global business, but also other people.

It is my hope and dream that others on the autism spectrum can experience these same rewards and that neurodiversity evolves from “market inefficiency” to the “norm” in corporate America.

About the Author

Michael was born in Phoenixville, PA. He is an alumnus of Ursinus College, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in math and physics, and is now employed at SAP as a Sales Operations Process Management Specialist. Here, he applies his analytical skills to produce data analysis to help guide the difficult, but necessary financial and sales decisions made at an executive level by SAP. In my spare time, he works with his father, providing business and technology insights that have helped to shape the vision and direction of his ever-evolving physician-focused financial education business.

Michael is a member of SAP’s Autism at Work program and active in his community. He has had the honor of sharing his story on various panels, from the PA Disability Employment Summit to the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Challenge and SAP Select at SAPPHIRE NOW.

In addition to his civic pursuits, Michael maintains a strong passion for exercise, reading, and his beloved Philadelphia Eagles. He currently resides in the Greater Philadelphia Area.

Copyright

All rights reserved. This material/or content may not be reproduced or distributed, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the author, Michael A. Giongo.

World Autism Day 2020

Three Techniques for Stressful Moments

Career Guidance Networking Opportunity

Career Guidance Networking Opportunity

Please join us on April 7, 2020, 3-5 pm, for this Career Development Webinar. Registration is Free. Details below.

Register NOW!

Tips for HR Professionals

Join our team!

New Employment Opportunity in Boston!!

Job Description
Position title: Greater Boston Area Liaison
Reports to:  Director, Neurodiversity in the Workplace
FLSA status:  Exempt 

Position Summary: The Liaison for the Greater Boston Hub will represent the Neurodiversity in the Workplace (NITW) program in the region. The aim of this position is to advance the goal of making neurodiversity an integral part of the modern workforce. The liaison will move us closer to this goal by fostering more meaningful participation and facilitation of neurodiversity hiring initiatives in the greater Boston area. The liaison will be responsible for continuing the conversation among interested parties (corporate, NGO, and governmental), leveraging existing partnerships, and creating new partnerships in and around the topic.

The position’s responsibilities (after training and onboarding) include but are not limited to:

• Speaking knowledgably about the topic of neurodiversity and autism employment.
• Working with corporate partners in a consulting relationship to help implement methods for hiring neurodiverse individuals.
• Organizing communities to boost the abilities of companies, providers, state offices, and higher education to conduct neurodiversity programming and initiatives.
• Organizing and presenting at conferences and events designed to encourage companies/ partners to become engaged.
• Managing multiple stakeholders including, colleges and universities, governmental organizations, NGOs, etc.
• Facilitating the employment process for neurodiverse individuals at partner locations
• Utilizing best practices to train local service providers to support new employees
• Utilizing best practices to train hiring managers at partner locations
• Collaborating with the NITW team to implement national efforts and projects.
• Designing and developing corporate neurodiversity inclusion curriculum with the guidance of NITW staff.
• Attending regional, national, and local events as appropriate.
• Performing additional duties as required by program leadership and partners.

Qualifications

1. This position requires a Bachelor’s Degree, plus more than 3 years of experience in any of the following: workforce development, talent acquisition, community organizing, business development or any other closely related field.
2. Clear criminal and child abuse history, medical and drug screen will be required.
3. Demonstration of effective verbal and written communication skills are essential.
4. The ability to work independently
5. This position requires a flexible work schedule and occasional availability on weekends and/or evenings.

Working Conditions

1. Must be able to travel independently to partner sites
2. Accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
3. Flexible work hours and location are available for liaison position with at least 50% of time spent in a Cambridge/ Boston office environment
4. Up to 25% national travel.

Position is contingent upon funding.

We are an equal opportunity employer (EEO).

Apply today by submitting your cover letter and resume to neurodiversity@nitw.org 

Neurodiversity Employment in the Upcoming Decade

Neurodiversity Employment in the Upcoming Decade
by Bridget McElroy and Amanda Zorzi

As humans have evolved, variations in the human genome have led to differing neurotypes across our species. Neurodiversity refers to these natural variances in the brain which result in different ways of thinking, learning, and socializing. This diversity in brain functioning has and will continue to have advantages for society as a whole.

The neurodiversity movement challenges the medical model’s idea that a neurodivergence like autism or ADHD is dysfunctional and inherently requires treatment. Instead, it supports the notion that neurological differences among people should be recognized and respected, and calls society to further adapt to meet the needs associated with neurodivergence.

I view ‘autistic’ as a word for a part of how my brain works, not for a narrow set of behaviors and certainly not for a set of boundaries of a stereotype that I have to stay inside. — Amanda Baggs, American blogger 

Over the past decade, employers have begun to embrace the benefits associated with a neurodiverse workforce. These initiatives, along with the continued efforts of self-advocates and allies, have sparked increased energy around the topic throughout society. Our organization supports this movement by helping companies diversify their workforce and adapting the socially nuanced interview process to focus on job-related skills. We do this by replacing a traditional interview with a project that requires the same technical skills needed for the identified role and providing candidates with an opportunity to directly showcase those skills to hiring managers. This process has been successfully utilized by SAP, Lincoln Financial Group, Thermo Fisher, Bank of America, VMWare and more. 

While considerable progress has been made during the past decade, the stigma around human differences is still undoubtedly present and more work lies ahead in terms of acceptance and appreciation of our varied existences within the workplace. It is our hope that this movement continues to evolve and expand in the next ten years. Here are some of our aspirations for the neurodiversity movement in the workplace:

Increased accessibility of meaningful employment leads to increased innovation across technical fields

Some of the most significant early innovators such as Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Emily Dickinson are thought to be on the autism spectrum based on reported characteristics. In today’s workforce, common interview processes rely heavily on nuanced social interaction which excludes many highly-skilled candidates from the workforce. By relying solely on these hiring methods, we could be missing out on this generation’s most innovative thinkers. As more companies adapt their hiring processes and establish inclusive work environments so that this untapped talent pool has increased access to employment, we anticipate a significant increase in progress and innovation. 

Types of opportunities expand for neurodivergent individuals with varying interests and career goals 

STEM fields are leading the way in this initiative, but this is not the sole area of interest and skill for neurodivergent individuals. Over the next ten years, we want to see an increase in available job opportunities for candidates interested in journalism, history, library science, education, and beyond. We envision a future where the skills and passions of those with ASD are what determines their futures.

Autistic people are individuals. We are not all math geniuses, we don’t all like trains. I am hopeless with technology and much prefer painting. There is no ‘typical Autistic.’ But I think we probably all like being respected and validated. — Jeanette Purkis

Neurodiversity is a key part of every organization’s talent acquisition strategy

Currently, most neurodiversity hiring initiatives are niche projects led by motivated employees within large corporations. We anticipate this initiative expanding into businesses of all sizes and disciplines, and envision a future where neurodiversity is an integral component of every company’s hiring practices and supported in all workplace cultures. A truly inclusive workplace would utilize accessible interview practices that focus on job-related skills, include access to more varied support services such as job coaching as a standard part of a benefits package, and promote open communication regarding individual needs.

What does the neurodiversity movement mean to you? Reach out to us at neurodiversity@sparcphilly.org.

Are you or is someone you know experiencing unemployment due to barriers related to the traditional interview process? We will be facilitating numerous hiring programs nationally in 2020. Fill out our intake form to become a part of our candidate database, and we’ll reach out to you if any of our upcoming hiring programs fit your qualifications and interests. 

Continued Reading:

https://aeon.co/essays/the-autistic-view-of-the-world-is-not-the-neurotypical-cliche

https://www.neurodiversitymedia.com/post/neurodiversity-2020-better-stories 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/my-life-aspergers/201902/whats-next-autistic-adults

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWxmEv7fOFY

https://neurocosmopolitanism.com/neurodiversity-some-basic-terms-definitions/

http://respectfullyconnected.com/2015/11/10-neurodiversity-friendly/?fbclid=IwAR0YjXD96aWfPo-lJiSG0av8y_ucv7aEUqNvhEigkbBEwTTQUSrlMSXISEU