Empowering a diverse workforce by creating a sense of belonging

With talent scarce and competition fierce, companies need to approach their talent agendas differently. Here are three lessons from EY Neurodiversity Centres of Excellence.

In brief 

• Disrupt hiring processes and create a comfortable environment that allows people to bring their full selves to the job.
• Design onboarding and training that’s fit for purpose.
• Cultivate a sense of belonging for all that creates an environment that’s not only inclusive, but supportive of a broader spectrum of flexibility requirements and working styles.

Originally published in Municipal World Magazine

Companies are making record-breaking investments in digital transformation this year, up 65% from 2020, as nearly three-quarters of executives say they must radically transform their operations during the next two years to compete effectively in their industry. Across all sectors, companies will need to focus on scaling technology solutions and realizing benefits as they step up their investments in high-priority projects. Despite these investments in transformation, the lack of available skills and talent to see these through to fruition can minimize the value realization and long-term success.

It’s no surprise that areas such as data modernization, data visualization, intelligent automation and advanced analytics have increased dramatically in demand over the last decade. A report by TECHNATION found that Canada’s AI-related job postings increased 46% between 2015 and 2018 — and that was pre-pandemic. The accelerated move to digital in the last couple of years has only furthered the need for talent with the technical skills and expertise required to help companies innovate, evolve and transform to navigate today’s fast-paced and competitive environment.

As companies across industries become more data-driven and connected through digital technologies, they must find new sources of talent to help address these emerging areas. But where do you begin when every organization is going after the same people?

With talent scarce and competition fierce, companies need to be approaching their talent agendas differently. Both public and private sectors must think outside of the box to leverage members of the broader community — looking beyond a candidate’s experience to their transferable skills and potential — to build a sustainable workforce. By expanding horizons, organizations will come to realize that there are a number of highly skilled, underrepresented groups who can fill the talent gap.

One way the Government of Canada is doing this is through the EY Cybersecurity Workforce Enablement Program, which collaborates with WithYouWithMe, The Canadian Armed Forces and Shared Services Canada to upskill veterans for projects in cybersecurity. While maybe an unconventional source, military personnel are trained in land, air and sea and by simply adding new digital terrain, the program leverages the expertise and skills that they already possess.

Another example is how organizations are tapping into the often-overlooked talent pool among our neurodiverse community. A survey in 2017 found that only 33% of Canadians with autism were employed. And even among those employed, an overwhelming majority (86%) reported that they’re not able to support themselves due to either limited hours, lack of competitive wages or jobs, or being placed in roles that don’t maximize their skills.

The reality is neurodiverse teams can bring incredible value to the organization. At EY, we know the value diverse cognitive profiles bring to our business. Through the Neurodiversity Centres of Excellence (NCoE) network, the firm created supportive working environments  that fuel innovation in technology, bring a new dimension of creativity and drive greater diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Starting in Philadelphia in 2016, the NCoE model has expanded globally, including a rapidly growing Canadian team that spans cities across the country including Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax

Engaged across the broader firm, the NCoE talent team offers advanced technology capabilities with skills across business and technology consulting, including sought-after skills in data analytics, digital, blockchain, automation, AI and cybersecurity.

Having diverse perspectives has been critical to help unlock new value and identify areas of opportunity. But just like any other diverse group, organizations need to ensure policies, processes and programs are inclusive to allow neurodivergent individuals to be set up for success. And it’s not just about attracting talent, but fostering a sense of belonging where people feel welcomed, heard and valued so that they remain at the organization and continue to contribute in meaningful ways. The EY NCoE is proud to have a retention rate of 98% in Canada, which can be credited towards three key factors.

Disrupting the hiring process. The traditional hiring process is often a challenge for neurodivergent professionals, creating a lack of rewarding career opportunities. Barriers such as behavioral interviews that focus on social competence rather than job-related or technical skills, or that increase likelihood of bias during the hiring process, are known to contribute to lack of employment parity. Organizations should consider disrupting hiring processes and creating a comfortable environment that allows people to bring their full selves to the job. At EY, we’ve eliminated the traditional interview for NCoE candidates and instead use a methodology where the individual gets to learn about the firm and culture and demonstrate aptitude through a skills-focused, non-traditional hiring process that’s both informed and facilitated by neurodiverse staff and advisors within the firm.

Building an environment fit for purpose. This same methodology must pulse through the onboarding stage — providing gradual and transparent processes, peer mentorship and training that allow employees the time to navigate the culture of the employer and frontload information. Designing training for neurodiverse teams focuses on best practice communication in clear, straightforward messages. Once settled, leaders must align consultants to their strength areas and engage them on teams to highlight their complementary skills. This is consistent with building a best practice multidisciplinary project team. 

Fostering a culture of belonging. Belonging isn’t something leaders can take for granted. Organizations must be purposeful in cultivating a sense of belonging for all — creating an environment that’s not only inclusive, but supportive of a broader spectrum of flexibility requirements and working styles, for instance, without judgement or exclusion. Because when people feel free to be their authentic selves, they bring their best self to everything they do, contributing fresh perspectives, creativity and delivering innovative solutions — in business and in our communities. 

The reality is that no industry is immune to labour shortages. Finding solutions to today’s most pressing business challenges will depend on embracing the full power of diversity. The strength of an organization comes from the variability and diversity of its workforce to bring differentiated ideas and perspectives to the table. Research shows that organizations who hire inclusively are:

• 2x more likely to meet or exceed financial targets
  
• 3x more likely to have high-performing teams
• 6x move innovative and agile
• 8x more likely to achieve better business outcomes

In addition to the critical business needs Canada’s NCoE consulting team is addressing, there are opportunities to support one another and the community. Just as EY reached out a decade ago for help in launching a neurodiversity program, we have listened to calls from other businesses and clients. Our NCoE has assembled a neurodiverse team of consultants with backgrounds across DEI Recruiting, Learning and Training, Policy and Technology, who are helping clients that are looking to expand their own inclusion and neurodiversity efforts. 

Canada has a tremendous opportunity to be a world leader in this area. Community partners like government agencies, non-profits and career centres can all help to support neurodivergent individuals more broadly. At the end of the day, we live in a neurodiverse society. Yet our world, including our working world, has far too often been designed for what society has defined as the “norm.”  Talented people have missed opportunities because the working world wasn’t designed to include them. We can — and must — change that.