www.randstadsourceright.com
a new path to an
untapped talent pool
the opportunity to employ people with autism can
lead to recruitment and business success
by Jim Stroud
Senior Director, RPO Recruitment Strategies & Support
Randstad Sourceright
I
f you are a recruiter, sourcer, or just active
in the realm of HR, let me tell you what you
already know very well: there is a severe
shortage of talent.
It doesn't matter where you are in the world because the pain is
universal. Baby boomers are retiring, and there are not enough
Millennials to fill the gap in the roles left behind. According to the
World Economic Forum, the US will need to add more than 25 million
workers to its talent base by 2030 to sustain economic growth, while
Western Europe will need more than 45 million. On top of this, there
is a "retention issue." According to a study conducted by Deloitte, a
large majority of employers (79%) say they have a serious retention
and engagement problem.
an unlikely solution
Okay, want to hear something else you most likely know? Recruiting
isn't going to get any easier and, moreover, retention will prove
just as challenging (yikes!). As sourcers, we're all fishing in the same
talent pond. How can we make that pond bigger? Or, at least, fill
it up with more fish? Is there an untapped talent pool out there? I
believe there is. To solve the world's skills shortage…we must recruit
people with autism.
Adding more people with autism to the talent pool makes perfect
sense to cultivate their untapped talent potential. Remember
the movie "Rain Man" starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman?
Hoffman's character had an amazing memory, strong mathematical
ability, and an extreme attention to detail. Could your organization
use such talents?
Without a doubt, several large enterprises can and have already
begun leveraging the talent of workers who are on the autistic
spectrum. Microsoft is one example. According to Corporate Vice
President of Worldwide Operations Mary Ellen Smith, "People with
autism bring strengths that we need at Microsoft. Each individual
