Information Systems professor Rob Austin spoke with HBS Working Knowledge about neurodiversity and the growing interest some companies have in hiring people with cognitive disabilities like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Austin looks at what is motivating companies to tap into a largely unnoticed labour pool at a time when many bemoan the lack of skilled workers.
Research notes those with ASD think differently and several firms are looking at how to treat those differences as virtues.
Austin notes, "Whether this is the beginning of a bigger movement, I really don’t know, but I hope it does change some things. The prevalence of this kind of condition is actually quite high in our society, so it’s a real shame if we are not engaging those people."
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