Diversity is crucial to driving business growth

and encouraging innovative thinking. Multiple

and varied voices, perspectives and experiences
can help generate new ideas about products and
practices. Forbes Insights examined the link
between diversity and corporate innovation
multiple times; the title of Global Diversity and
Inclusion: Fostering Innovation Through a
Diverse Workforcesays it all. In that study,
senior executives overwhelmingly agreed that a
diverse and inclusive workforce brings the
different perspectives that a company needs to
power its innovation strategy and more than
three quarters planned to focus more on
leveraging diversity for innovation and other
business goals in the coming three years as part
of their growth strategies.
But sometimes its important to go back for an
update. And when we conducted this study three
years ago, we missed a very important and
rapidly emerging area: neurodiversity.
Neurodiversity the idea that diverse
neurological conditions, specifically autism, are
simply a natural human variation and
neurological differences should be recognized
and respected as a normal facet of diversity is
not yet a common idea. Indeed, when Forbes
Insights conducted that research about fostering
corporate innovation through diversity just three
years ago, we didnt even think to include it as a
parameter. It may be among the hardest types of
diversity to ensure: its often impossible to tell,
at first glance, if someone is not neurotypical.
Its been well documented that the numbers are
staggering. The CDC estimates that one in 68
children has been identified with an autism
spectrum disorder (ASD).
As the numbers climb, todays children become
tomorrows adults any many may be poised to
enter the workforce, bringing with them
incredible skills and talents, just as with their
neurotypical (i.e., non-autistic) peers. They also
bring with them unique and sometimes
counterintuitive thought processes and
perspectives, which can lead to innovative
approaches to strategic business issues. But how
can organizations effectively harness their
talents to drive innovation and growth?
This question becomes particularly salient now,
as earlier diagnosis and more evolved
interventions mean outcomes may be improving
for some. Over the last 10-15 years, in the U.S.
specifically, theres a lot more access to
treatment, and many are seeking it at an earlier
age, says Jill Mullin, a board-certified behavior
analyst (BCBA), a specialist in applied behavior
analysis (ABA), the scientifically validated
treatment/therapy commonly used with
individuals on the autism spectrum. At the
same time, ABA therapy is evolving and
improving all the time. This means there are
more kids being treated and receiving support to
help them manage their symptoms and develop
their strengths, who may be able to excel in
many areas and go on to seek employment.
In addition to improved and earlier treatments, a
number of other factors may contribute: most
specifically, a steep increase in integration into
mainstream classrooms. According to the U.S.
Department of Education, about 39% of ASD
students spent at least 80% of their day in a
mainstream classroom in 2011, up from 36% in
2008 and just 18% in 2000. As high-functioning
children are increasingly placed in mainstream
classes to learn and develop relationships with
their neurotypical peers, many children are
gaining experience working alongside those who
think differently. And as neurodiverse
individuals gain experience in mainstream
settings throughout their childhoods, theyre
becoming better positioned than ever before to
contribute in the workplace.
Many on the spectrum already work quite
effectively and productively at high-level
careers. And some companies have already
recognized the value, skills and talents those on
the spectrum can bring at the corporate level.
SAP and Freddie Machave launched programs
focused specifically on recruiting talent on the
autism spectrum. Through its global autism
recruitment drive launched in 2013, SAP aims to
build its ASD employees to 1% of its workforce,
testing software for anomalies and bugs. In this
way, the company is seeking to harness many
common ASD characteristics such as strong
attention to detail.
And this is a great start. But what are some ways
companies in general can follow the precepts of
neurodiversity to promote growth even if they
are not specifically reaching out to talent in the
autism population? In other words, how can
company culture change to hire and leverage
different thinkers as a matter of course, as
opposed to a singular, concerted effort to
identify those with a diagnosis? Companies often
talk about talent diversity in terms of gender,
ethnicity, and sexual orientation, but not in the
neurological sense but this can, and should,
change. Neurodiversity may be the last frontier
of talent management, but in many ways the
biggest challenge.
I see many individuals that are very, very
intelligent, and strong in particular areas, says
Jill Mullin. They may have some social
differences, but at the same time they have very
specific strengths that could be the crux for
many areas of growth and innovation.