Tech industry: where autistic workers can thrive

Autism affects more than 1 in 100 people in the UK. Over 700,000 people nationwide are autistic and if you include their families, it affects the daily lives of 2.8 million people.

There’s a saying: ‘if you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism’, which sums up how the disorder affects people in different ways. However, there are common characteristics associated with the disorder, including difficulty with social interaction and sensory sensitivities.

Despite common stereotypes, the tech industry is a highly sociable sector that values face-to-face communication. This can make for a challenging environment for those on the autistic spectrum. However, it’s also one of the most forward-thinking and inclusive industries. According to Thomson Reuters’ 2018 Diversity and Inclusion Index Ranks, 4 of the top 10 most inclusive publicly-traded companies are technology-focused.

So, why is the tech sector seen as a place where autistic workers can thrive?

An evolving recruitment process

In a CWJobs’ article that looks ahead to the recruitment industry in 2019, we highlighted how tech companies are evolving their hiring processes to be more inclusive. Skills-based assessments are increasingly being used in favour of face-to-face interviews to remove human bias from the process.

This levels the playing field for autistic workers who possess the technical skills for the job but may struggle with face-to-face interaction.

Take a look at this short video from the National Autistic Society, which shows what job interviews can be like for someone with autism:

Skill-based recruitment software like Code Signal helps companies make data-driven hiring decisions and is used by companies like Atlassian, Dropbox, Uber and Evernote.

IBM uses skilled-based assessments to find top tech talent and now produces its own tests for other companies to use as part of their recruitment process. Speaking with HR Technologist, Joana Daly, VP of Talent at IBM says, ‘About 15 percent of the people we hire in the U.S. don’t have four-year degrees, there’s an opportunity to broaden the candidates to fill the skills gap.’

Desirable skillsets

Highly-focused concentration, careful attention to detail and out of the box thinking are some of the skills often associated with autism. According to research cited in Forbes, people with autism have increased capacity for extended focus that can be channelled into difficult tasks.

And a study conducted by the Journal of Abnormal Psychology suggests that people with autism have a greater than normal capacity for processing information and are better able to identify ‘critical’ information. The study also suggests that the ability is an underlying reason for the higher than average number of autistic workers in the IT industry.

How tech companies are encouraging autistic candidates

Tech companies that employ autistic workers report seeing a positive business impact. The Autism at Work Employer Roundtable was launched in 2015 and comprises six companies that aim to change the unemployment rate for people on the autistic spectrum.

The companies involved are Ford Motor Company, DXC Technology, Microsoft, JP Morgan, Chase & Co., and SAP. The companies share best practices for hiring autistic employees and aim to assist other businesses that want to start similar hiring programmes.

Microsoft’s Autism Hiring Programme aims to increase the percentage of employees with the disorder at the company. The programme attracts top talent and has an inclusive approach to supporting those on the autism spectrum. As part of its recruitment process, Microsoft asks candidates to complete an online technical assessment. They’re then invited to attend a multiple-day skills assessment programme, which focuses on interview preparation.

Speaking at the United Nations headquarters on World Autism Day last year, Mary Ellen Smith, Corporate Vice President of Worldwide Operations at Microsoft said, ‘these are people who may not be able to pass an initial interview or screen because their social skills might not be 100 percent in line with what’s expected in a typical interview, but what amazing talent are we missing as a result?’

Software company SAP’s Autism at Work Programme aims to have 1% of its total workforce (approximately 650 people) fall on the autism spectrum by 2020. The programme aims to overcome some of the challenges that autistic people face in searching for employment.

Speaking to CIO, José Velasco, head of the Autism at Work program at SAP says: ‘It’s not that they lack the intelligence, skills and technical expertise necessary to thrive in the IT industry, it’s that many on the spectrum lack the social skills and communication abilities that are critical to getting through the screening and interview process.’

The program involves a month-long interview process, which includes having candidates build robots from LEGOs based on detailed instructions. Candidates then choose the format in which the interview process should proceed.

Another tech company working to improve the employment rate of those with autism is Auticon. The international IT company only employs IT consultants with autism. It currently has more than 200 employees worldwide and aims to provide high quality careers to those on the autistic spectrum.