Ultranauts began with a simple yet powerful idea: What if the data engineering firm could design a workplace that embraced strengths instead of penalizing differences?
Ten years later, founders Rajesh Anandan and Art Shectman have created a company where a majority of the team brings neurodiversity to the table, whether through autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or auditory challenges. Notably, there are more women than men, even within the leadership team.
The company also boasts a higher proportion of Black managers (one-fifth of leadership) compared to the entry level, and a third of the team identifies as LGBTQ+. Furthermore, a quarter of the firm’s top performers don’t have university degrees. Ultranauts employees also over-index on mental health conditions such as severe anxiety and PTSD.
Ultranauts believes that, like biodiversity in ecosystems, diversity at work leads to more resilient teams capable of thriving in dynamic environments. “We’ve seen how some of our friends have struggled to navigate a society and systems that were just not designed for them,” says Anandan.
Quartz sat down with Anandan for an episode of Reworking Work to discuss the aim of creating a workplace that applies universal design principles to fostering inclusion in a systemic way. From that discussion, we observed seven ways companies can change their hiring processes to embrace diversity of the cognitive sort and beyond.
Make job accommodations universal
Anandan considers job accommodations to be a systemic failure in organizational design that unfairly burdens individuals. “In the past, every time you might disclose a diagnosis or ask for an accommodation, suddenly that puts you at a disadvantage,” he said. When an accommodation is made at Ultranauts, it’s given to all candidates to keep things consistent.
Source job applicants from neurodivergent communities
Anandan suggests looking for organizations that can connect you with autistic adults or those with ADHD, as well as professional communities that care about quality engineering.
Prioritize skills over tenure or specific degrees
Anandan challenges the notion that a set number of years determines job performance. Instead, Ultranauts delves deeper to understand the enabling factors in an individual’s success. They embrace self-taught skills and recognize that degrees and certifications are just one of many pathways to expertise.
Ditch the traditional HR screening interview
Instead of having a recruiter conduct a screening interview, Ultranauts relies on an application form with straightforward yes or no questions assessing competencies and knowledge. This efficient approach saves time and ensures objective evaluation.
Conduct job tests
“We’re not testing for how well you can write a resume,” said Anandan. “We’re actually trying to assess what you can do, so we use job tests. It’s the single most predictive thing you can do to assess someone’s ability to do the job.” The key is to use them for all roles, not just engineering openings.
Interviews come later in the process, after gathering objective data
This ensures that personal connections don’t overshadow a candidate’s abilities. Ultranauts uses structured interview questions and scoring rubrics to maintain consistency and fairness.
Create a structured onboarding process for everyone
Ultranauts designed its onboarding process for all brain types, with systems that can scale and be reproduced over time. The onboarding includes the creation of a quick guide, completed by the new hire, that speaks to their communication and feedback preferences.
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It is estimated that at least 15% of the population, or one in seven people, are neurodivergent, meaning they think, learn, and communicate differently from the majority of the population. Neurodiversity adds to the richness and vibrancy of any workplace and can help spur innovation and creativity. Hiring for neurodiversity can also help ensure workplaces are more accessible to everyone.
Recruiting for neurodiversity is essential to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. To ensure that your organization is leveraging the full range of neurodiversity in your hiring process, here are a few strategies to consider:
1. Adopt a Holistic Approach towards Neurodiversity
Adopting a holistic approach to assessing applicants is the key to recruiting individuals with neurodiversity. This means focusing on talent and abilities as well as looking at the person as a whole. Make sure your assessment methods are crafted to accommodate a range of thinking and communication styles and that interviewers understand the core principles of neurodiversity.
2. Rethink Job Descriptions
The job description is often the first interaction that applicants have with your organization, so make sure they are crafted in a way that allows diverse differences to shine through. Use friendly, understanding language and ensure you emphasize relevant qualities and qualifications over a one-size-fits-all set of criteria.
3. Leverage Technology
Applying technology to the recruitment process can help minimize potential unconscious biases and decision making. For example, using prerecorded video responses or online assessments can provide a more even and level playing field for applicants to demonstrate their skills.
4. Get Involved in Your Community
Getting involved in your community is a great way to promote your organization’s commitment to neurodiversity and access more potential applicants. Consider joining a local or national group or organization dedicated to neurodiversity and organizing awareness events and activities to connect with those individuals.
5. Provide Support and Accommodation
Once you’ve hired an individual with neurodivergence, the next step is to ensure they have the support and accommodations they need to succeed. This may include one-on-one mentorship and/or counseling, an accessible workspace, and flexible working hours to accommodate for any challenges they may be facing.
In conclusion, hiring for neurodiversity is critical for advancing DEI initiatives and creating a more accessible workplace for everyone. With the understanding of neurodiversity and the right strategies in place, organizations can unlock new potential and make workplaces much better for all.
