Autistic Workers / Why hiring them can be good for business

For a growing number of companies, autistic people have become a prime target for employment.  With increasing cases of autistic workers rising to be top IT engineers, they are now sought out not only for their specific capabilities, but also for their psychological profile. The German group SAP, Europe’s largest software developer, announced in May that it would hire 650 people with Asperger syndrome to program and test management software…

When it comes to studying closely hundreds of pages of very complicated documents, they are often unmatched in performing the task of reading through dense materials until a solution is found. Still, employers should be aware those with autism are less likely to show a sense of humor in the workplace or be tolerant of coworkers messy desks.

“It’s absolutely fascinating to see how these people can focus on one specific thing and ignore all the rest,” says Anka Wittenberg, spokesperson for SAP. After a successful trial in its research and development center of Bangalore, the German group decided to collaborate with Copenhagen-based employment agency Specialisterne.

The announcement of that partnership triggered a flood of spontaneous requests from autistic people and attracted the attention of the local media. “We weren’t expecting such a reaction,” admits Wittenberg. “It proves that we’re on the right path.” With branches on several continents, Specialisterne was described by the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities, Vladimir Spidla, as a “model for Europe.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at 

via Why Hiring Autistic Workers Can Be Good For Business – All News Is Global.

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