Tapping into Talent: Neurodiversity Employment Research Project

Over the past few years, there has been an emerging landscape of corporate neurodiversity employment programs developing across the globe. Funded by Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), this project explores and investigates the organizational processes, management principles, and work practices used by companies with established employment programs catered to neurodivergent individuals. As of 2021, the research team has studied more than a dozen global organizations, ranging from non-profits, social enterprises, and for-profit firms. The Neurodiversity Employment Research Project is an initiative at the Ivey Business School led by Professor Robert Austin. The following video details an overview of the research project – its history, its purpose, and its findings so far. The initial analysis suggests that neurodiversity employment programs are a win-win for all those involved: the programs themselves grant career opportunities to neurodivergent individuals, while simultaneously enabling firms access to a diversified talent pool. The goal of this project is to contribute to an improved understanding of best practices for neurodiversity employment programs with the hope that these programs continue to expand in the years to come