This week placed me at several days of meetings in a little-known company in the suburbs of Seattle, Washington called Microsoft. The focus of the entire three-day symposium is Autism at Work.
The keynote on day one was Tom D'Eri,
who co-founded a company called Rising Tide Car Wash. His presentation not only spoke about the trials of setting up this social enterprise that currently employs over 80 individuals with autism but he spoke about the autism advantage that he has been recognized for as his company has more than doubled with now, 150 employees having been employed. Initially, the enterprise was to provide an on-going employment opportunity for his brother who is on the autism spectrum.
However, RTCW has become so much more than that. It not only serves as a job for a number of years for some of the employees but it also can be a first-time job for many others who go onto college or a career after only a year or so.
Tom has proven that you can run a company that makes money and is financially sustainable and at the same time run with a social mission. In fact, the social mission is intriguing and supportable by their customers. They feel that they are not only getting a great car wash but also supporting something that they feel positively about at the same time.
The autism advantage is a mindset that says, "what works for folks on the spectrum works for everyone in the company. I have become a much better company manager since I have been working with the employees of RTCW." One of the other aspects of autism advantage is that by hiring people on the spectrum in your company helps to provide all supervisors with "permission to care" for all of your employees. This mindset can then spread from the supervisors through all aspects of the management and through the entire company.
Tom shared some aspects of RTCW that he has learned over time that he recommends all employers consider for their own companies:
1. Use job auditions and not formal sit down interviews. You are provided with a great deal more authentic information about each applicant that won't come out in a traditional interview.
2. Simple visual supports become helpful for everyone....like color coding aspects of the job.
3. Provide clear and concrete expectations. Being clear about what is expected is good for everyone on a work team.
4. Break down processes into details that are easy to understand.
5. Employees will stay if they see a clear road for progress and promotion.
In addition to benefiting neurodiverse employees, RTCW has now learned that the same approaches bring amazing benefits to opportunity youth who are looking for their first jobs. They are employing more and more disadvantaged youth and homeless youth who take great pride in their job, being valued and drawing a salary.
In closing, Tom reiterated that there is a competitive edge when companies hire individuals on the spectrum. The culture of the company is transformed and the bottom line grows. He said, "our company believes that when meeting potential employees we believe that we should be "screening in" instead of "screening out."
The keynote on day one was Tom D'Eri,
who co-founded a company called Rising Tide Car Wash. His presentation not only spoke about the trials of setting up this social enterprise that currently employs over 80 individuals with autism but he spoke about the autism advantage that he has been recognized for as his company has more than doubled with now, 150 employees having been employed. Initially, the enterprise was to provide an on-going employment opportunity for his brother who is on the autism spectrum.Tom has proven that you can run a company that makes money and is financially sustainable and at the same time run with a social mission. In fact, the social mission is intriguing and supportable by their customers. They feel that they are not only getting a great car wash but also supporting something that they feel positively about at the same time.
The autism advantage is a mindset that says, "what works for folks on the spectrum works for everyone in the company. I have become a much better company manager since I have been working with the employees of RTCW." One of the other aspects of autism advantage is that by hiring people on the spectrum in your company helps to provide all supervisors with "permission to care" for all of your employees. This mindset can then spread from the supervisors through all aspects of the management and through the entire company.
Tom shared some aspects of RTCW that he has learned over time that he recommends all employers consider for their own companies:
1. Use job auditions and not formal sit down interviews. You are provided with a great deal more authentic information about each applicant that won't come out in a traditional interview.
2. Simple visual supports become helpful for everyone....like color coding aspects of the job.
3. Provide clear and concrete expectations. Being clear about what is expected is good for everyone on a work team.
4. Break down processes into details that are easy to understand.
5. Employees will stay if they see a clear road for progress and promotion.
In addition to benefiting neurodiverse employees, RTCW has now learned that the same approaches bring amazing benefits to opportunity youth who are looking for their first jobs. They are employing more and more disadvantaged youth and homeless youth who take great pride in their job, being valued and drawing a salary.
In closing, Tom reiterated that there is a competitive edge when companies hire individuals on the spectrum. The culture of the company is transformed and the bottom line grows. He said, "our company believes that when meeting potential employees we believe that we should be "screening in" instead of "screening out."
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