As a former hiring manager I have been taking a critical look back at hiring practices. I brought on many new hires in my career, but had little to no training in dealing with neurodiverse individuals in the workplace. I wish I had it all to do over again, but alas, that is not going to happen. As I am happily retired, I am now directing my attention on how we can change the landscape for those on the spectrum who are preparing to enter the workforce.

Neurodiversity, ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, all of these words are becoming more commonplace in our vocabulary these days. They are not new words. They are just getting more focus these days. More children are being diagnosed (1 in 36). More children who were diagnosed are now becoming adults who are ready to enter the workforce. Employment is illusive to so many who are on the spectrum, with up to 80% of adults on the spectrum being unemployed or underemployed. With these statistics in mind, here are 3 ways businesses can support more neurodiversity in the workplace.

• Training: Training programs that educate people and bring about awareness of neurodiversity would be beneficial in supporting neurodivergent employees. Understanding diverse communication styles and finding ways of building inclusiveness into the work environment would be paramount in making neurodiverse employees feel included.

• Accommodations and Flexibility: Offer accommodations and flexibility to support neurodiverse employees in their work environment. This could be a break out room or noise-canceling headphones for individuals with noise or sensory issues, offering remote or flexible work hours, or providing assistive technologies and tools to support diverse learning and working styles. Encouraging open communication between employees and managers can help identify and implement effective accommodations.

• Inclusive Policies and Practices: Review and revise existing policies and practices to ensure they are inclusive of neurodiverse individuals. Eliminate bias in the hiring process, allowing for the fact that many neurodiverse individuals may not feel comfortable in a typical interview process.

  These are just a few ways businesses can promote a culture of acceptance and understanding where differences are celebrated, and neurodiverse employees are supported in the workplace.

  When businesses and hiring managers change the landscape for autistic individuals we all win.