What can Organizations do to Create an Environment that Supports and Retains Neurodiverse Employees?

Abstract

Neurodiverse individuals are currently one of the most underemployed minority groups: in the United States, general unemployment for neurodiverse individuals is 30-40%, while up to 85% of people on the autism spectrum are unemployed. An increasing number of organizations are zooming in on this issue and aiming to intentionally support, engage, and retain neurodiverse individuals through the implementation of programs, cultures, and environments. However, a vast majority of these efforts are still in their infancy and their effectiveness is largely unknown. This whitepaper seeks to address how employers can most effectively include their neurodiverse employees in the modern workplace through the examination of current academic and business research; neurodiversity and disability theory; and case studies.