Today, I want to talk about neurodivergence in technology. There is a strong belief that autistic people are especially good at ‘tech,’ and to a large extent, this is true. However, many of us are average in ability or can just about find our way around a keyboard and manage our inbox. While others will be reasonably good with technology and are computer literate. A vast majority of us won't be geniuses when it comes to engineering, AI or coding, but are much better with the creative sides of our brains.
Autism in tech organisations is extremely common
This stereotype that ‘autistic people are good at coding/tech/computers,’ is embedded in our culture. Many of us are good and many aren’t, and there’s plenty of research out there looking at the left side, and right side of the brain in autistic people.
But we’re not here for that today. It may be that some autistic people excel at technology because we’re good at paying attention to detail and identifying patterns. These skills could help in any industry, but in tech, they are especially useful. This is reflected in the job market, as more tech organisations are open to hiring autistic people.
For those on the spectrum to thrive in any organisation, the onus is on everyone to learn how to communicate better. This starts at the top and filters down. This way, the unique skills and talents of an autistic brain can be utilised to best effect.
Autism in tech companies in the US
But there are still changes that need to be made:
In America, there are over 13 million American adults living with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In 2024 - “they still remain one of the largest untapped talent pool in the US workforce.” There still seems to be a problem in fully embracing neurodivergent minds, and tapping into their unique skills and perspectives.
Can it be that in some businesses there is a mindset where everyone must ‘fit in’ with the organisation’s culture? That there is a preconceived expectation of how people should think and behave at work? This doesn’t help autistic people or neurotypicals, causing friction and stress for everyone.
Yet, some organisations have embraced having autistic people in the workplace. Some are even creating an autistic workforce where the majority of the employees are on the spectrum. They recognise what hiring an autistic person can do for their company. They work hard to celebrate the unique skills that many autistic people can bring, and recognise the advantages that can help transform their business.
At Ventures ATL a data management and product fulfilment company, has 25 employees and 23 are on the spectrum:
“We have noticed an interesting trend in the last 18 months as many of the strongest applicants are individuals with substantial work experience who are better positioned for success in our environment than the traditional workplace environments. In this regard, we have hired several neurodiverse employees in their forties who have brought substantial technical skills and workplace experience.”
For the future, they say that they are -
“.... determined to operate only those businesses for which there is a real commercial demand for the service and where the jobs align with the strengths and interests frequently found in the autism population.”
At AutonomyWorks, the business was specifically created for those on the spectrum, with 60 out of 75 being autistic. AutonomyWorks' main areas of work are data management, digital marketing operations and AI automation. As they see it -
“AutonomyWorks empowers your company to focus on strategy by taking on activities that divert time and energy away from critical business functions and decisions. We leverage the unique talents of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), along with technology and systems design, to provide both cost-competitive solutions and exceptional quality.”
Ultranauts have employees in 30 states with 75% of those being neurodivergent. Applicants were sourced exclusively from networks of neurodiversity-focused websites, blogs, influencers and social media groups. They will upskill their employees as the business evolves.
Autism in UK tech companies
In the UK research carried out by University College of London, and published in June 2023, suggests there are far more autistic people than the government originally reported, and is now estimated at 1.2 million, double the original figure of 700, 000.
According to a new global study, there is an urgent need for more “equitable and inclusive workplaces.”
The study “Neurodiversity in the tech industry” published in December 2023, and carried out by the Tavistock Institute based in London, argues that those who are neurodivergent and employed within the tech sector felt “impacted by their neurodivergent conditions almost every day. Their study highlighted the “key challenges” that lay ahead in ensuring a workplace environment that was both inclusive and accessible.
At Auticon an award-winning tech company, they employ 15 IT consultants who are all autistic and who spend time working for companies like GlaxoSmithKline and Experian. Auticon’s services include data services, quality insurance testing and software development.
“Studies have been conducted, and evidence shows that autistic employees showed skills such as attention to detail, work ethic and quality of work at an above standard level than their neurotypical employees showed. They have the same productivity levels as their fellow employees and bring a variety of skills which have a positive impact on the workplace, as well as increasing awareness of autism in tech.”
We know that autistic people and others under the neurodivergent umbrella have some amazing skills including memory, pattern recognition and attention to detail. This makes them ideal for analysing problems, but that’s not to say that neurotypical people can’t do these things, but that perhaps some neurodivergent people are best suited for jobs where these skills can be exploited to best effect.
ADHD and creativity and the upsurge in diagnoses
As we know autism is not the only condition under the neurodivergent umbrella, there is also ADHD, and like autism, we are now seeing an upsurge in diagnoses. There is growing awareness of a rise in those with both autism and ADHD (AuDHD) - it will be interesting to see how this develops over the coming years.
An inclusive workforce is the best workforce - but are autistic people only suited to tech jobs alone?
The transcript of a recent discussion in the Wall Street Journal would suggest otherwise, they argue that -
“While a lot of neurodivergent workers tend to be good coders, E&Y has said that they've actually expanded these roles to be beyond tech as well. So a lot of employees are now working with pharma clients, are now working with retailers. People are recognizing that their talents stretch way beyond tech. That said, tech is where a lot of neurodivergent workers have excelled, partly because of the accommodations that tech companies have made to make this demographic feel more comfortable.”
Although we associate those with ADHD with creativity, those on the spectrum have long been associated with tech, coding and software engineering. What Preetika Rana explains for the WSJ, is that businesses in retail, banking and others are now recognising the skills of people with autism and that they may be suited to other industries as well as tech.
It could be that because tech is the only industry that’s been willing to make allowance in the workplace for neurodivergent minds, it might go some way to explain why a lot of autistic people are so closely associated with it, and as we mentioned at the beginning, tech and autism has long had a close association in people’s minds.
Autistic people can also be extremely creative - they are not always tech-orientated
I am well aware of many creatives on the spectrum ranging from artists, craftwork, writers and poets, although many of them are freelance. Perhaps being creatives, freelance is a better option giving them flexibility in how and when they work.
It will be interesting to see how the face of employment changes over the coming year with the increase in those who identify as neurodivergent.
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