Autism @ Work Playbook

1 Autism @ WORK. Playbook . Finding talent and creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with Autism About this guide The Autism @ Work Playbook is the product of a collaborative research project, Autism -Ready Workplace: Creating and Sustaining Autism Hiring Initiatives, led by Dr. Hala Annabi, an associate professor at the University of Washington Information School. To create this guide, the ACCESS-IT. Research Group at the Information School studied the Autism @ Work programs of four leading employers: Microsoft, SAP, JPMorgan Chase and EY. In their research, Dr. Annabi and her team systematically examined how the firms established their programs and how they sustain them. The researchers analyzed key organizational strategies, employment and resourcing models, and hiring and onboarding practices.

2 In their analysis, the researchers distilled best practices and developed this guide for other organizations to use to get their programs started. ACCESS-IT: A Context for Creating Employment Success in Information Technology Dr. Hala Annabi, Director ACCESS-IT is a research program at the University of Washington Information School that aims to improve the representation of women and individuals with Autism in the information technology industry. The program strives to improve representation by creating workplaces ready to welcome and equitably include women and people with Autism . Researchers achieve their goals by studying how to create practices that equitably prepare, recruit, retain, and advance people with Autism and women in the IT industry.

3 For more information about ACCESS-IT, visit HOW TO CITE THIS GUIDE: Annabi, H., Crooks, , Barnett, N., Guadagno, J., Mahoney, , Michelle, J., Pacilio, A., Shukla, H. and Velasco, J. Autism @ Work Playbook : Finding talent and creating meaningful employment opportuni- ties for people with Autism . Seattle, WA: ACCESS-IT, The Information School, University of Washington, 2019. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: We express our appreciation to Doug Parry, Julia Bobrovskiy, and Ellen Pearlman for their support for this project. COPYRIGHT: 2019 the authors. All rights reserved. The publication may be copied and disseminated without charge in part or whole as long as appropriate acknowledgment and citation are given. 2. Autism @ WORK. Playbook .

4 Introduction .. 4. 1. The Planning Phase .. 5. 2. The Business Case .. 16. 3. Program Resourcing Models .. 23. 4. Program Scope & Employment Models .. 26. 5. Recruiting & Sourcing Talent .. 29. 6. Interview & Selection Process .. 33. 7. Training .. 42. 8. Onboarding & Support Circle .. 46. 9. Retention & Career Development .. 54. 10. Remaining Questions .. 59. 11. External Resources .. 61. 3.. Introduction A. t a time of overall high employment, a shrinking labor pool, and a scarcity of qualified talent in STEM, manufacturing and other sectors, businesses of all sizes and across industries are We are focused on not only finding challenged like never before. Shortages of skilled employees and professionals may be among the biggest great talent for our companies, but constraints to growth and sustainability in the new in sharing and helping others begin economy.

5 Their own inclusive hiring journeys. Many individuals on the Autism spectrum have the capabilities businesses need, and with an under- or unemployment rate nearing 80%, they can become a started? There is no one-size-fits-all answer, so we key part of the solution. Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase & wanted to pull together and share some common Co., EY and SAP are just four of many great companies approaches and ideas for you to consider. Every that have started inclusive hiring efforts in the company culture is different. So is its approach to neurodiversity space. recruiting, interviewing, onboarding and developing talent. However, we've found that many of the core In partnership with the University of Washington questions and building blocks are similar.

6 Information School, we are excited to bring together our collective learnings, approaches and insights around Please use this Autism @ Work Playbook to help starting a similar hiring initiative at your own company, address your initial questions and build a framework for no matter the size or industry. your program. We are happy to continue the dialogue to support you in your journey at As a group of large employers that launched the Note Autism @ Work Employer Roundtable, we are focused that we use person-first language, but understand it is a on not only finding great talent for our companies, but personal choice and you can feel free to replace it with in sharing and helping others begin their own inclusive identity-first language if preferred.

7 Hiring journeys. We hope you find this resource helpful and welcome One of the most common questions is: How do I get your feedback or suggestions. Hiren Shukla Hala Annabi Director, Americas Automation Associate Professor;. Center of Excellence Director, ACCESS-IT. James Mahoney Neil Barnett, Jos Velasco Executive Director, Director, Accessibility, Head, Autism at Work Head of Autism at Work and Lead, Autism Hiring Program Program, & Employee Accessibility 4. PART 1. The Planning Phase Organizations interested in establishing Autism @ Work programs often don't know quite how or where to start. In this section, we provide a road map for organizations interested in developing Autism hiring programs and neurodiversity centers of excellence.

8 This chapter contains lessons learned and best practices related to the planning of such programs, identified by leading firms that have successfully designed and launched them in the In the planning phase, consider the following five key questions to guide your efforts: 1. Why Table A are we doing How does this fit our culture and values? 1. this? we are Why doing we z How does this fit our culture and values? zHow does this fitalign ourwith our and culture strategy? values? zz How does this align with our strategy? this? doing this? How does this align with our strategy? Who will champion this effort on the executive level? 2. Who can help? zWho z Who will Who will champion will champion carry it out this this effort effort on onexecutive the executive theonoperational the level?

9 Level? level? 2. Who can can 2. Who help? help? zWho z Who will carryit itoutout will carry on on the the operational operational level? level? zWhat existing internal and external z What existing internal and external entities entities can can help us?help us? What existing internal and external entities can help us? 3. How dodowe Howdo wewemake make make zWhat What isis the z What is theprogram's the program's program's value value value proposition? proposition? proposition? the the business the business case? businesscase? case? zWhat What are z What are are thethecosts the costsof of costs of the thethe program program program andROI? and and the the ROI? the ROI? zHow How do z Howdo we do we scopethethe scope we scope the program program program initially?

10 Initially? initially? 4. Where do we 4. Where do we start? zWhat z What does does aapilot pilotlook look like? like? start? zWhere z Where do Where do we do we find/source wefind/source find/source talent? talent? talent? zHow z Whatdo How arewe do thegrow we KPIs? the program? grow the program? 5. 5. What 5. What does success What does success success zHow z Howdo do we continue we iterate support and grow the development of the program? look like?look like? look like? zcandidates How do we continue support thedevelopment hired through the program z How do we continue to support the development and their ofmanagers? of candidates candidates hired hired through throughand the program thetheir program and their managers?