We Are All Neurodiverse In Some Way: Australia Expands Workplace Neurodiversity

Globally, Forrester researchers found that diverse organizations were more profitable and innovative, and did a better job of retaining top talent. Gartner analysts said that companies in many industries have tied DEI goals into numerous organizational activities such as employee pipelines and compensation, and supply chain partnerships. However, an article in The Age reported that although one in 59 people was on the autism spectrum, 32 percent of working age Australians with autism were unemployed. Experts explored the importance of creating neurodiverse workplaces during a recent episode of The Best Run Podcast, hosted by Rushenka Perera, head of marketing at SAP ANZ.

Understanding neurodiversity beyond labels

Andrew Eddy, CEO of Untapped Holdings, said that neurodiversity was coined by a Sydney-based sociologist to describe the infinite neuro-cognitive variability across people. It’s currently used to describe people with neurological differences such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, PTSD, and Tourette’s Syndrome. Untapped is a social enterprise focused on developing a neurodiverse employment ecosystem to increase opportunities for people with autism. Working with corporate partners that include SAP, as well as educators, researchers, parents, and students, Untapped created the Neurodiversity Hub initiative, working with universities and colleges to foster educational and employment inclusion.

“Neurodiversity is really about extending the level of diversity that we have in the workplace because we are all neurodiverse in some way – we all have different ways of thinking,” he said. “See it as a way of intentionally broadening the diversity of thought and ways of thinking that we already have in the workplace – extending that further and being more inclusive of people that have those labels.”

Neurodiverse people add business capabilities

According to Eddy, it’s important for organisations to look at neurodiversity from a business-capability perspective, rather than just through an inclusion and diversity lens.

“We go into a company and talk to the business people and talent acquisition about the potential gaps in the capabilities of the business, and how some of those gaps could be filled by a group of individuals who have some great talents, including loyalty – being very sticky employees – with a very focused approach to the way they do their work, a different way of seeing things, attention to detail, and great memory,” he said.

Neurodiversity impacts entire workforce

SAP expanded its global Autism at Work program to SAP ANZ, where neurodiverse people have joined the region’s finance, development and coding, and project management teams. The impact has been profound on both the business overall and numerous teams.

“We wanted to diversify our talent and the benefits they could bring to our organization,” said Sehida Frawley, head of services at SAP ANZ. “The positive benefits are not just what those individuals contribute to our business, but what it’s [also] done to change team working relationships…it’s influenced all of our communication skills, how you nurture and develop individuals and consider their different needs.”

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