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Download this post…Confirmed cases include Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Bill Gates. Non-confirmed cases include the late Steve Jobs Sam Altman and Mark Zuckerberg.
Asperger’s Syndrome is a developmental disorder (not a “disease”) that exhibits certain distinguishable characteristics such as:
- Difficulty understanding emotional issues
- Difficulty interpreting social cues, body language, tone of voice and facial expressions
- Black and white thinking
- Lack of empathy
- Repetitive behaviors
- Avoiding eye contact with others
- Setting and following fixed routines, change is hard
- Unusual facial expressions, body postures. and gestures
- Narrow focus on only a few interests, bordering on obsession
- Inability to understand perspectives of other people
Aspies are more four times more likely to be male than female.
The long-standing practice of hiring Aspies has been routine for companies in the AI programming world, but I can’t find any statistics showing the percentage of the workforce that is affected. As Aspies move up the ladder, would they be more likely to hire other Aspies? Probably so. When rising to the C-Suite level, an Aspie may “engineer” the company to fit his view of the world.
The article is from TURING, an “AI powered, Human Led” company that serves a global clientele with human resources and talent needs. One specialty is finding and delivering Aspies to high-tech jobs.
In the comments below, tell me what you think about “Aspies” in Big Tech and in particular in AI. – Patrick Wood, Editor.
Which tech companies are hiring autistic workers? Is Microsoft hiring autistic employees? Is SAP hiring autistic employees?
Looking for answers to these questions? Let’s dive in.
Hiring autistic workers: Why is it important?
Top tech companies that are hiring autistic workers on priority
Step 1: Alter the interview process
The typical interview evaluates and over-indexes hard talents like data analysis, software knowledge, and project management abilities. While many autistic candidates are technically bright, they fail to exhibit their skills and expertise in the interviews. As a result, hiring managers do not select autistic candidates.
So, how can you alter your interview process to make it more inclusive? Here’s how:
- While hiring autistic workers, include questions that evaluate a candidate’s inherent sensitivity level. For example, inquire about their thought process in decision-making process in their previous job role.
- To avoid overstimulation, break up virtual or in-person interviews into successive sessions or stretch them out over a few days.
- Provide ‘work from home’ assignments. You can examine a candidate’s creative and communication skills through do-it-from-home case studies, presentations, and tests.
Step 2: Construct a well-balanced work environment
Most times, autistic people are affected by their environment. For example, an autistic person’s encounter with other candidates in the waiting area can trigger a communication barrier.
So, how do you create a well-balanced environment? Here’s how:
- You can demonstrate a solid work-life balance by clearly establishing work hours and expected response times. Autistic people are prone to overwork, so it’s critical to encourage them to take time off.
- Normalize ‘no meeting days’ in your company, and the ‘do not disturb mode’ on work messaging apps.
- Remove toxic people who bully, belittle, or lead by coercion and fear. The longer these individuals remain with your company, the more likely you will lose your greatest talent.
Final thoughts on hiring autistic workers into your company
Read full story here…
