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50-75% of autistic adults in the U.S. are “unemployed or underemployed.” So, some brands are trying to lower these statistics through autistic hiring programs.
We have collated some insights on how hiring teams continue to improve talent acquisition practices by making jobs more accessible to a diverse workforce. Here are 10+ examples of companies hiring people with autism:
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #1: Auticon
Name of hiring autistic program: Become a destination for neurodivergent talent.
The gist: Auticon is a majority-autistic company and one of the world’s largest employers of autistic adults, with 400 employees (around 300 of whom are autistic) in 8 countries. They offer permanent roles working on client projects as:
- software engineers
- QA analysts
- data analysts
- and more
They also offer a low-stress job interview process, an inclusive work environment, supportive job coaches, and customized employee career development support.
Source: Auticon
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #2: BHP
Name of hiring autistic program: Neurodiversity through our team’s eyes
The gist: Partnering with the Autism Academy of Software Quality Assurance (AASQA)for an internship program welcoming under 20 interns since 2017.
BHP designs and deploys career paths for each intern and they work with AASQA, the International Software Testing Quality Board, and Curtin University in Western Australia.
The most common fields are data science, software development and testing, engineering, and environmental safety.
source: BHP
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #3: Dell
Name of hiring autistic program: Dell Autism Hiring Program
The gist: Creating neurodiverse-friendly interviewing processes to attract more diverse candidates.
Dell’s strategy for hiring autistic people starts with:
“rethinking the traditional interview process and removing barriers that may limit an individual from fully showcasing their true abilities and potential.”
The company offers wide array of internship opportunities across industries, including data science, supply chains, and cybersecurity. These work programs and employment opportunities guide talent, particularly young adults, through mentoring, coaching, and professional development pathways.
source: Dell
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #4: DXC Technology
Name of hiring autistic program: DXC Dandelion Program
The gist: An award-winning program connecting neurodiverse people with meaningful employment and helping workplaces fill IT skills gaps
According to the program’s official site: The DXC Dandelion Program embraces, supports, and expands the skills of neurodivergent individuals to help them secure long-term, fulfilling IT careers.
DXC Technology has successfully delivered the program for over a decade, empowering neurodiverse IT experts with technical guidance and accommodations like tailored employment programs and workplace awareness training.
Source: DXC Dandelion
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #5: Freddie Mac
Name of hiring autistic program: Seen, Heard, and Empowered
The gist: The program aims to give every talented employee the opportunity to express themselves and succeed in the workplace, ultimately increasing the number of neurodiverse hires in the workforce.
An overview of the Freddie Mac autistic program:
“In the program, leaders mentor new talent beyond the initial hiring process, acting as a continual checkpoint, if needed, for those on the neurodiversity spectrum throughout their careers at Freddie Mac. They also encourage neurodiversity training for future team members and managers.
Source: Freddie Mac
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #6: Ford
Name of hiring autistic program: FordWorks
The gist: Providing hiring, training, and on-the-job support for people with autism and or another neurodiversity.
The FordWorks hiring autistic program:
“has quickly expanded by utilizing the strengths and insights these valued members of our community have to offer. FordWorks participants bring their skills to teams in IT, Product Development, Credit, and Manufacturing and we are looking to expand the program to other roles across the company.”
source: Ford
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #7: Google
Name of hiring autistic program: Google Cloud’s Autism Career Program (in partnership with Stanford Neurodiversity at Work)
The gist: Training 500 managers on better onboarding and coaching for autistic hires.
One goal of the Google autism hiring program is:
“to empower these Googlers to work effectively and empathetically with autistic candidates and ensure Google’s onboarding processes are accessible and equitable. Stanford will also provide coaching to applicants, as well as ongoing support for them, their teammates and managers once they join the Google Cloud team.”
Google’s inclusive program provides autistic individuals in the United States with fulfilling career development opportunities. The initiative opens doors to good jobs while dissolving communication barriers to achieve a more positive work culture.
source: Google Cloud
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #8: HP
Name of hiring autistic program: Spectrum Success Program
The gist: Removing traditional hiring practices that screen out applicants with autism.
HP’s hiring autistic employees program is a partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation and PROVAIL. The program focuses on:
“recruiting, hiring, and retaining qualified candidates with autism.”
HP’s campaign offers multi-level support to neurodivergent individuals, including accessible workplaces, live webinars, and employee engagement programs. These help ease new hires into the workplace.
source: HP
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #9: Ingram Micro
Name of hiring autistic program: ADVANCE+ e-stewards Program
The gist: Providing training for managers and supervisors on hiring autistic people.
Ingram Micro’s autism hiring program gives jobs to neurodivergent people and hires people with other disabilities. Ryan Roudebush, a Senior Program Manager, calls their hiring autism program a success with other businesses. He said:
“Where it’s been piloted before, the autistic employees have proven to be very adept at working in the recycling field, which involves a lot of repetition.”
The pilot program enables individuals to improve their social interaction skills and hone in on their professional strengths. Ingram implements the program to find employees who want to stay, reducing turnover and unemployment rates.
source: Inside Indiana Business
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #10: JPMorgan Chase
Name of hiring autistic program: Autism at Work
The gist: Looking beyond traditional interview processes to find highly qualified employees including people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
James Mahoney, Executive Director and Head of Autism at Work for JPMorgan Chase, said:
“I firmly believe that companies could always benefit from having employees who see things in an unconventional way, which is something to remember any time an individual on the spectrum is seeking a job.”
Through the program, JPMorgan Chase offers comprehensive support as one of the top autism-friendly employers. In one case study, the program assisted a hire in regulating her emotions in response to sensory overload and improving interpersonal relationships at the workplace.
The guided program even provided the hire with a healthier and more holistic lifestyle, which advanced her weight loss goals.
source: JPMorgan Chase
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #11: Microsoft
Name of hiring autistic program: Microsoft Neurodiversity Hiring Program
The gist: Extending the interview process for autistic applicants to help Microsoft be a better “employer of choice”
The Microsoft autism program gives applicants an extended interview process focusing on workability, team projects, and skill assessment. The program website says:
“Our process gives candidates the opportunity to showcase their unique talents while learning about Microsoft as an employer of choice.”
source: Microsoft
Company with Autistic Hiring Program #12: Rising Tide Car Wash
Name of hiring autistic program: The business IS the program.
The gist: Creating a welcoming and inclusive working environment for people with autism so they can gain more work experience and learn what they excel in.
Rising Tide Car Wash hires mostly people with autism (or on the spectrum). In 2020,
the program was so successful that the company decided to open a third location in 2022.
Co-founder John D’Eri and his son Thomas opened a car wash business inspired by his other son diagnosed with autism as a toddler.
D’Eri’s mission:
“to create a social enterprise to give people with autism an opportunity to have real opportunities and real jobs that would challenge them and give them skills.”
The company has hired more than 170 neurodivergent employees, constantly working to resolve the high unemployment rates among individuals with autism.
source: Sun Sentinel
Company with Autistic Program #13: SAP
Name of hiring autistic program: Autism at Work
The gist: Encouraging non-traditional answers and skillset during the application process for people who are neurodivergent.
SAP started one of the earliest programs in hiring talent with autism back in 2013, which:
“leverages the unique abilities and perspectives of people with autism to foster innovation as we help customers become intelligent enterprises. The program taps into an underutilized talent source, reducing barriers of entry so qualified individuals can fully develop their potential.”
Autism at Work involves a candidate-first, 4-step process:
source: SAP
- Apply directly to a role that piques the job seeker’s interest from SAP’s site.
- Have candidates update their resumes and demonstrate their capabilities, including work experience and technical skills.
- Support applicants throughout the hiring process, including accommodations like sharing interview topics in advance.
- Onboard and introduce new hires to the SAP support circle community that optimizes candidate experiences.
Company with Autistic Program #14: Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
Name of hiring autistic program: Neurodiversity@Work
The gist: At WTW, we often tell clients, “It’s about meeting employees where they are and where they want to go.”
WTW supports and endorses a broad range of neurodivergent policies and accommodations, including flexible work arrangements, quiet spaces at the office, and mentors (accountability buddies) to help them succeed in their careers.
Source: Willis Towers Watson
Closing Thoughts – The Journey Toward a More Neurodiverse Workforce
Based on Google search results, candidates, local agencies in recruitment, and related service providers want to know if these five companies are hiring autistic employees.
These searches tell me that job candidates actively search for companies with autistic hiring programs.
- Amazon (STAR [Spectrum Talent Acquisition and Representation] Program)
- Walgreens
- Meta (Neurodiversity Hiring Program)
- CBS
- Tesla
While CBS and Tesla do not offer dedicated autistic hiring programs, they continue to provide strong support for a diverse and inclusive workforce.
If your hiring team members have considered strategies for recruiting autistic job seekers, our blog, 6 Tips for Hiring Autistic Workers, might help!
Partnering with organizations like the Autism Society, Ken’s Krew (which partners with industry leader Home Depot), or the Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) could further enhance your company’s diversity and inclusive hiring practices.
These organizations offer workplace policy recommendations or specialized consultation services tailored to employers seeking to create an inclusive and supportive workplace culture.
Why I Wrote This?
Hiring autistic employees doesn’t have to be difficult. Ongig’s mission is to help remove bias from your job descriptions so you can be more inclusive to neurodiverse employees and lead them to the right jobs. If you’d like a cloud-based software tool to reliably generate inclusive job content that optimizes your hiring processes, check out Ongig’s Text Analyzer.
Shout-outs:
- Why Autism Speaks Is Encouraging Companies To Hire Those On The Autistic Spectrum (by Jennifer “Jay” Palumbo)
- Employing autistic staff, Rising Tide Car Wash plans third location (by Scott Luxor)
- Ingram Micro Joins Program to Provide Jobs to Autistic Workers (by Alex Brown)
- Littleton’s Dirt Coffee Serves the Community for a Cause (by Erica Buehler)
