Employers

There are 5.4 million people within the U.S. on the autism spectrum. It is likely that you already know or are working with someone on the spectrum. Autism Spectrum Disorder is truly a spectrum and as a result, effective strategies for working with individuals may vary from person to person.

Benefits of Employing Individuals on the Autism Spectrum

Growing and varied population

Advances in understanding and early support means that more young adults on the autism spectrum are completing college and seeking professional employment in a variety of fields.

Characteristics

Focus, reliability, honesty, and a preference for work over office politics. Tolerance for repetition and routine work tasks.

Skills

Attention to detail, accuracy, intense focus, and exceptional memory. Strong logic and analytic skills.

Efficiency

Support that helps individuals on the autism spectrum in their adjustment to the workplace (such as mentoring, direction communication, and regularly performance feedback) benefits all employees.

Diversity and Section 503 hiring

Employees on the autism spectrum add a valuable dimension of diversity to the workplace and can assist organizations in meeting diversity recruitment and Section 503 utilization goals.

Neurodiverse Hiring Initiative (NHI)

An innovative initiative and partnership between RIT’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education and the Spectrum Support Program will help connect you to with neurodiverse talent. Learn more about the neurodiverse hiring initiative

Guides

RIT Employer Guide to Supervising Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (PDF): You may encounter students on the autism spectrum when recruiting and hiring RIT students for your organization. This guide will help you work effectively with these students as candidates and employees. Objectives include:

  1. Understanding the characteristics of ASD
  2. Understanding the benefits of hiring individuals with ASD
  3. What can you do as a manager, interviewer, co-worker, or recruiter
  4. Resources for further reading

Articles

Harvard Business Review (May/June 2017): Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage

Forbes (2014): Neurodiversity: A New Talent Opportunity

Fortune (2014): The next frontier in workplace diversity: Brain differences

Venture Beat(2017): Software firms are actively seeking “neurodiverse” employees

Fast Company (2016): Microsoft Wants Autistic Coders. Can it Find Them and Keep Them?

Online Resources

Disability In Autism At Work Roundtable: A community of leading employers who have been running autism-focused hiring initiatives for at least one year and are willing to share their first-hand experiences and provide guidance on starting an autism hiring initiative. Access the Autism at Work Playbook

EARN Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability and Inclusion: Tools and strategies for building a more neurodiverse workplace. Includes information about what to consider when developing job descriptions and interviewing as well as considerations for workspaces, work schedules, and workplace accommodations.  

Integrate Autism Employment Advisors: Helping organizations identify, recruit, and retain qualified professionals on the autism spectrum.

Job Accommodation Network: The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.

Microsoft’s Inclusion Journey: A message from Microsoft’s Chief Accessibility Officer.

U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP): Provides resources for employers, service providers, transition-age youth, adults, and policymakers.