260 Embracing Autism in the Workplace With Tara May (Encore)

Tara May, CEO of Aspiritech and International Neurodiversity Advocate, discusses the importance of embracing autism in the workplace. Aspiritech employs 90% autistic professionals, highlighting their unique strengths. Tara shares her insights on fostering innovation, cultural transformation, and the ROI of kindness. Learn how to create an inclusive environment that leverages the talents of autistic individuals. Takeaways include: 1 Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Tara May emphasizes the importance of integrating neurodivergent individuals, particularly those on the autism spectrum, into various levels of a company. This approach not only fosters innovation but also enhances productivity by leveraging unique skill sets. 2 ROI of Kindness: Tara May advocates for a company culture that prioritizes kindness and psychological safety. This philosophy not only improves employee well-being but also drives business success and innovation. 3 Career Progression for Autistic Employees: Aspiritech focuses on undoing the low self-esteem instilled in autistic individuals from a young age. By emphasizing strengths and potential, the company ensures meaningful career progression for its neurodivergent employees. 4 Unique Strengths of Autistic Employees: Autistic individuals often excel in tasks requiring high levels of focus and the ability to spot anomalies in large data sets. These strengths make them particularly well-suited for roles in tech services, including software testing and AI model building. 5 Universal Design and Employee-Centric Approach: Aspiritech employs universal design principles to create an inclusive work environment. This employee-centric approach ensures that all team members, regardless of neurodiversity, can thrive both in work and life. "Autistic people don't just belong in entry level positions or single departments. When we are able to pair a business need with something an autistic person has an incredible passion for, magic happens, productivity is insane." - Tara May #autism #autismspectrum #neurodivergent #sensory #inclusiveworkplace #employees #managers #podcast #managesmarter #salesfuel Connect with Tara May ⁠www.taranicoalmay.com⁠ ⁠www.aspiritech.org⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/taranmay/⁠ Connect with Manage Smarter Hosts · Website: ⁠ManageSmarter.com⁠ · LinkedIn: ⁠Audrey Strong⁠ · LinkedIn: ⁠C.Lee Smith⁠ Connect with SalesFuel · Website: ⁠http://salesfuel.com/⁠ · Twitter: ⁠@SalesFuel⁠ · Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices