In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the employment of adults with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Among the companies observing World Autism Awareness/Acceptance Day is Procter and Gamble:
At P&G, neurodivergent talent can grow their careers with confidence. Whether it is through inclusive hiring practices, continuously refining accessibility accommodation practices or creating a culture where every employee can bring their authentic selves and skills to work — at P&G, we are unique in our abilities and united in our efforts to build disability confidence.
As we recognize World Autism Acceptance Day (April 2) and Neurodiversity Awareness Month, we celebrate the incredible community of neurodiverse employees who bring their unique abilities to P&G. Neurodivergent people may have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, dyslexia or other neurodivergence and may or may not include neurotypical people.
The co-leads of P&G’s Neurodivergent Support Group, Chris Lidel, Associate Researcher and Data Specialist and Archivist, and Tiffany Peak, Data Specialist and Archivist, recently discussed their unique experiences at P&G with Neurodivergent ally, Brian Frederiksen, Senior Director, Research and Development — along with insights for growing an inclusive workplace where innovation and creativity thrive:
Inclusively Recruiting and Hiring
“I've worked in jobs that weren't so accepting of autism,” shares Tiffany. “When I interviewed, I went into this with the mentality of this is me…I want to find a company that accepts me…that I knew would be accepting of all different kinds of people. And for me, that was P&G.”
Chris’ story of disclosing his Neurodivergence is a little different: “It wasn’t until I got into the company [and] did research through the Intranet to learn what P&G’s stance was — how accepting it would be. I learned about the PwD (People with Disabilities) Network, and I decided to start to branch out. Letting Brian know that I am autistic really helped with that bridging point.”
Accommodating and Supporting Differences
Managers play an important role in employee work experiences, and managers who seek to listen to understand neurodivergent employees can help remove barriers that promote authentic and meaningful contributions to the work they do together.
“Autism is different for everybody, so we're all going to have different needs,” shares Tiffany. “It is extremely important for the manager to get to know their employee and ask questions.”
Reflects Brian, “The job of the manager is to understand what really matters to that person and treat them how they want to be treated.” Whether you are a manager or a colleague, “The biggest thing someone can do is listen to me and believe me when I talk about my experience,” shares Tiffany, when highlighting the best ways to support the Neurodivergent community.
Neurodivergent employees also need empathy and compassion to function most effectively. Importantly, “When you're empathetic with everybody and willing to just be understanding, it makes the whole workspace environment for everybody better,” emphasizes Chris.
Growing Confidence and Communities
Because everyone can belong at P&G, our people, business and communities grow. Chris and Tiffany are both proud of their work with the Neurodivergent Support Group.
“We've had a lot of employees coming and talking about all of the help they've gotten,” shares Chris. They want employees to know that they have their backs. “We will support you 100% and do whatever we can to help you further your career and feel good and safe here,” expands Tiffany.
Neurodivergent P&Gers help us better serve communities around the world — from all walks of life — as we all benefit from inclusive actions that move communities forward. “Procter and Gamble has enabled me to be more myself, to bring more of the tools that I have and to be more bold and share off the cuff ideas that then trigger ideas for other people,” highlights Chris.
These ideas help lead to inclusive innovation that meet the needs of our diverse consumers and make our products superior. At P&G, we believe our shared and unique experiences are an important part of our strength. And we are a better company because of our Neurodiversity.
Visit our social media @ProcterGamble to hear more from Chris, Tiffany and Brian and about how P&G creates a workplace where everyone belongs and thrives. #DisabilityConfident
Click here to learn more about our company’s inclusive job opportunities.
