Advice on hiring, training, and ensuring your workplace is welcoming to members of the autism community.
March 05, 2024
HBR Staff/Roc Canals/MirageC
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Technology and consulting companies have discovered the talents of high-functioning workers with autism spectrum disorder. But there are others with this condition who also have much to contribute. They are the missing middle, the pool of talent between autistic individuals with few support needs and highly specialized technical skills and those unable to work. Accounting clerk, data management associate, inventory management clerk, and digital marketing specialist are all examples of roles suited to many of these people.
In our roles as business leaders and diversity advocates, we’ve observed corporate hiring practices evolve over the years towards companies seeking out, integrating, and supporting neurodiverse talent. But much of the focus has been on inclusion and diversity in selected roles in the technology and consulting sectors to gain a competitive edge in the market. This approach overlooks the broader potential of a significant portion of autistic people who have valuable skills to offer but have not been given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities: the missing middle, the pool of talent between autistic individuals with few support needs and highly specialized technical skills such as software development and financial modeling and those unable to work due to their more intensive and complex daily care.
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Keith Wargo is president and CEO of Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a world where all people with autism can reach their full potential.
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Chet Hurwitz is a cofounder and the board chair of Ventures ATL, a non-profit that provides meaningful employment to adults with autism and other developmental differences.
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