Large corporations such as SAP, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Ford, IBM, and others have recognized the competitive advantage of neurodiversity and begun to utilize the special gifts and talents of individuals with autism and other neurological differences to improve the workplace. Small businesses as well can and should utilize these benefits.
The Rising Tide carwash in Parkland, Florida is not your typical carwash. Customers laud their attention to detail and exemplary service. Rising Tide’s primary mission is to employ adults with autism.
“We view autism as one of our competitive advantages,” says the company’s COO Tom D’Eri. “[Our staff] have a great eye for detail.”
In 2013, Tom’s father, John D’Eri, founded Rising Tide. His hope was that the car wash would provide his then 24-year-old son, Andrew, with purpose, fulfillment, and the ability to live an independent life.
Like many parents of individuals with autism, John was afraid of what would happen to Andrew once he was gone.
“I don’t want him to sit in a room, taken care of by others once I’m gone,” John says in this video report on the Rising Tide carwash. “I want him to have a job, I want him to have friends.”
The carwash has fostered purpose and independence for Andrew as well as many others. The company’s staff is almost entirely made up of autistic individuals; something which Tom believes gives them a competitive advantage:
“There are really important skills that people with autism have, that make them, in some cases, the best employees you could have.”
What John and Tom understand is something many small businesses could benefit from: the value of neurodiversity in the workplace. This is something that many large corporations are already using to their advantage.
In 2015, Microsoft announced it would begin hiring more autistic people. Corporate vice-president Mary Ellen Smith stated that “People with autism bring strengths that we need at Microsoft.”
A company like Specialisterne, for example, is a big reason why hiring neurodiverse individuals has become more and more common for large companies like Microsoft. The worldwide social innovation enterprise is dedicated to helping neurodiverse people enter the workforce at high levels. According to the company’s website, Specialisterne has set the “gold standard” for neurodiversity employment, working with companies like SAP, IBM, and PricewaterhouseCoopers to find placement for people on the autism spectrum and other neurodiverse individuals. Specialisterne’s Irish branch, hosted by SAP, is helping the software giant increase its number of neurodiverse employees from seven individuals to one-percent of its global workforce (roughly 650 people).
Individuals with autism see the world differently than neurotypicals do. They have unique talents, perspectives, and skills that can be tremendously beneficial to businesses and society. The problem is that autistic individuals face stigma rooted in misunderstanding and ignorance. Additionally, individuals with autism often have eccentricities, lack social skills, have sensory intolerance issues, and can be blatantly honest. Because of these traits, individuals with autism often have trouble getting past the interview stage for a job or maintaining a position once they are hired.
All businesses looking for dedicated employees should strongly consider what neurodiversity can bring to their organization. John and Tom at Rising Tide carwash are just one example. They’ve now opened a second location, and have started Rising Tide U, a training organization that provides a blueprint for families who want to start a business to help their loved one with autism gain purpose and build a future for themselves.
While it is tremendous to see large corporations recognizing the value of neurodiversity, Rising Tide shows the potential for small business to do the same with their workplace. Not only does an autistic staff with an extraordinary attention to detail provide a competitive edge for the company, it is also a powerful way to change people’s perception of individuals with autism while also providing employment opportunities to a sector of our population who deserve the opportunity to contribute to society.