The Importance of Inclusion in the Workplace

If there is one thing that as an advocate I am extremely passionate about, it is inclusion for those with disabilities and who are neurodiverse. Even those who seem like they don’t deserve a seat at the table because they are one of the two should deserve a seat nonetheless. For someone with autism or any neurodiverse condition, they want to achieve something in life, something that they are passionate about.

Unfortunately, there are some groups or companies that will deny a neurodiverse individual from pursuing their dreams within the organization simply because they just don’t think they will bring success to it or that they will be viewed more as a hinderance than an asset, which is a shame.

If I could offer an example, there is a gal at my place of employment who has down syndrome and while her work ethic is poor, the customers love her because of her personality and good nature. Just making people happy is enough to make the company I work for good in the eyes of customers.

If there is one thing that autistic and neurodiverse individuals can bring to the table it is possibility…it is an open mind…it is a willingness to learn and contribute regardless of their ability. I mean, just look at the statistics below:

It’s important that we give neurodiverse individuals a chance because you never know…that individual may end up becoming CEO or President of a major company one day.

But, most neurodiverse individuals may just be happy to have a job and be part of a great company or organization regardless of the position they hold whether it’s as a janitor who cleans or a manager or vice president. I mean, just look at these neurodiverse people in a segment that was done on “60 Minutes” in 2020:

The fact of the matter is that the more companies and organizations open their doors, the better. Remember that no matter who you are or where you come from, there is always a seat at the table. If there is one thing that is the future of our workforce, it’s disabled and neurodiverse individuals.

And this will not be the only blog post on inclusion for disabled/neurodiverse individuals. In fact, there will be more to come in the future! Some of the topics I plan to cover include:

1. Interview Process
2. Ableism
3. Having a Voice in the Workplace
4. Workplace Accommodations
5. Best Neurodiverse Companies or Organizations to get involved with

Catch you all later!

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Jeff Snyder

I was born in 1989 in Providence, RI, and have lived my entire life in Seekonk, MA. I was diagnosed with Autism in 1990 and ever since then, I have achieved multiple successes in my life in areas of education, long-term employment, independent living, and speaking/panel engagements.