Data that points to the exceptional talent of neurodivergent individuals is on the rise. The data – and countless real-life examples – show that many in this talent pool possess skills for pattern recognition, problem-solving, and innovative thinking. When it comes to certain roles in IT, analytics, and business operations, employees with these talents can really shine, often delivering above and beyond within project roles.
This is a finding that CAI learned firsthand when we piloted a program employing a team of neurodivergent employees to help a state department of transportation manage a large digitization project. The state had tried previous efforts to convert paper files for electronic storage and found them to be too slow and prone to error due to the repetitive nature of the work. The department needed an innovative solution – and CAI Neurodiverse Solutions provided it. A team of 4 employees completed the work ahead of schedule and with notable accuracy.
The program is built on this fact – that workforce inclusion can offer companies a competitive advantage. A growing number of public and private organizations engage CAI to solve their problems. CAI Neurodiverse Solutions associates work for pharmaceutical companies, law firms, banking and financial institutions, and healthcare solutions providers. They write test scripts for new enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, analyze data for reporting, develop software, and manage identity and access tools. One thing is consistent: the teams are excelling.
Why does this model work so well? Why do our clients see such success in building employment practices that include neurodivergent individuals? One key ingredient: the CAI team lead, who fosters the human-to-human factor with team members while aligning roles and skills with the needs of the enterprise.
Team leads are frontline managers, working with each of our enterprise clients to understand their specific business problems, tailor the workflow to address those problems, measure the team’s results on a regular basis, and continuously develop and evolve the team’s skills as needed.
Team leads work closely with each associate to further develop them not only to support the current role but also to aid them in achieving both short- and long-term career goals. Their leadership activities commence during our Talent Discovery Session and sustain throughout the client engagement.
Team leads are trained and neurodiversity-certified to work with neurodivergent individuals as designated by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), which is the only training and certification program endorsed by the Autism Society of America. These certifications ensure that the team leads embrace and follow industry standards and best practices for workplace communication, optimal team workflow, and professional development.
This commitment to workplace inclusion ensures positive outcomes for our teams. Employees receive the training, ongoing support, and resources they need to excel at their jobs and fully contributes to the organization's success. And we see that success repeatedly. At a dental insurer, the team verifies data with 95 percent accuracy. At a health solutions provider, the team completes 4 times the number of security requests it is asked to complete. Findings from collective clients show that productivity increases by as much as 120 percent when they employ CAI Neurodiverse Solutions associates.
CAI team leads serve in an important capacity as a liaison, mentor, and supervisor to team members, providing essential communication, technical know-how, and coaching that enables people to do their best work. These are the hallmarks of a successful workforce inclusion initiative and essential components of our commitment to our clients.
