Fostering neurodiversity in the workplace
Neurodiversity supports the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in different ways; and considers these differences to be a natural variation within the human population. Neurodivergent individuals include those with Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Tourette Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and other diagnoses.
Based on 2020 data from the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, nationwide approximately 2.2% of adults aged 18-84 are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Approximately 4.4% of adults between the ages of 18-44 have a diagnosis of ADHD.
According to Harvard Business Review (2017), many neurodivergent individuals have above-average abilities in pattern recognition, memory, attention to detail, and visual thinking, yet many remain unemployed due to mainstream hiring practices.
Despite having the ability and desire to work it is estimated that approximately 85% of adults with ASD are unemployed or underemployed