Improving the Office With Neurodiversity With Dr. Scott Robertson, ODEP

I really like to emphasise a strengths founded standpoint. So I believe that employers will have to know that neurodivergent other folks like myself convey key strengths, abilities, talents, wisdom and skills that may lend a hand reinforce paintings and the place of job. Plus, employers can pressure efforts to recruit, rent, retain and advance neurodivergent other folks like me to faucet those property and undertake enhanced paintings helps and lodging. Running with business intermediaries and suppliers of services and products can lend a hand reinforce this objective.

Welcome to the Workology Podcast, a podcast for the disruptive place of job chief. Sign up for host Jessica Miller-Merrell, founding father of Workology.com as she sits down and will get to the ground of traits, gear, and case research for the industry chief, HR, and recruiting skilled who’s uninterested in the established order. Now right hereâs Jessica with this episode of Workology.

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:00:59.45] This episode of the Workology Podcast is a part of a podcast sequence powered via the Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship, or PIA. PIA is funded via the U.S. Division of Hard workâs Place of work of Incapacity Employment Coverage, or ODEP. In November of 2020, ODEP introduced PIA to make sure all apprenticeship methods are inclusive and available to other folks with disabilities. PIA collaborates with employers and apprenticeship methods to lend a hand meet employer ability wishes and allow other folks with disabilities to take pleasure in apprenticeships that build up their alternatives for lifelong get entry to to high-growth and high-demand jobs. Sooner than I introduce our visitor, I need to listen from you. Please textual content the phrase podcast to 512-548-3005. You’ll inquire from me questions, go away feedback, and make tips for long run visitors. That is my neighborhood textual content quantity and I need to listen from you. The Workology podcast is subsidized via Upskill HR and Ace The HR Examination. Those are two classes for HR certification prep and HR recertification that Workology provides. Lately, Iâm joined via Dr. Scott Michael Robertson. Heâs a Senior Coverage Marketing consultant with the Place of work of Incapacity Employment Coverage, or ODEP. That is within the U.S. Division of Hard work and heâs an autistic consumer. Scott is a coverage skilled and a social scientist with experience in spaces starting from available rising era to inclusive employment, training and neighborhood residing. He up to now served as a Joseph P. Kennedy Junior Fellow on the U.S. Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling, Hard work and Pensions, or HELP. Scott has additionally served because the Founding Vice President of the Autistic Self Advocacy Community, or ASAN. Itâs a Nationwide 501(c)3 nonprofit group founded in Washington, D.C. Scott finished his PhD in knowledge sciences and era at Penn State College. He gained his graspâs level in human pc interplay on the Faculty of Laptop Science at Carnegie Mellon College. He earned his bachelorâs level in pc science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and graduated summa cum laude. His contemporary honors come with a Henry Viscardi Success Award for exemplary international leaders and a NextGen Public Carrier award for championing variety, fairness and inclusion. Scott, welcome to the Workology Podcast.

Scott Robertson: [00:03:33.06] Hi Jessica. Thanks for having me as of late. It’s nice to talk with you for the podcast and glad Neurodiversity Week 2023. Since weâre audio, I assumed it might be useful to offer a brief, visible description of myself. Iâm a white autistic guy with blue eyes, brown hair and eyeglasses, dressed in a blue blouse as of late.

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:03:51.06] Superior. Neatly, Iâm so excited to have you ever on. Letâs bounce in and speak about your background. What led you in your present function as senior coverage consultant at ODEP?

Scott Robertson: [00:04:00.77] So, that may be a nice query. I’ve an excessively extraordinary background as a coverage adviser, senior coverage consultant right here. Iâve had an passion for a in point of fact very long time on making improvements to get entry to to lifestyles alternatives for other folks with disabilities. A few of my passion in that house comes from my lived enjoy as an individual with important disabilities, together with my autism. And so I assumed it might be a superb opportunity to lend a hand strengthen get entry to to gainful, aggressive, built-in employment for other folks with disabilities. And a gap came about to be to be had right here on the Place of work of Incapacity Employment Coverage in 2015 after I joined the U.S. Division of Hard work. And I had simply left the Hill aÂ 12 months sooner than and used to be on the lookout for nice alternatives on this house that would have compatibility my talents and skills and my passion once more on making improvements to get entry to to alternatives for other folks with disabilities. And I cling a number of key roles for my activity right here as a Senior Coverage Marketing consultant at the Employment-Comparable Helps Coverage Staff on the Place of work of Incapacity Employment Coverage or ODEP right here within the U.S. Division of Hard work, DOL. First, I function a Federal Undertaking Supervisor for the Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship, PIA,Â to strengthen get entry to to profession pathways in high-growth, high-demand spaces comparable to knowledge era and well being care.

Scott Robertson: [00:05:26.73] I advance nationwide insurance policies and practices to lend a hand foster inclusive apprenticeships and reinforce inclusive ability pipelines for those profession pathways. 2nd, I direct efforts to pressure neurodiversity at paintings and reinforce nationwide autism insurance policies and practices, together with for our core priorities beneath the federal Autism CARES Act. As an example, I function a key material skilled for ODEPâs venture on analysis reinforce services and products for employment of younger adults at the autism spectrum. We name it REYAAS for brief. And I constitute ODEP on the Federal Interagency Workgroup on Autism. I additionally function the change federal consultant for DOL at the U.S. Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee or the IACC. Each my lived standpoint as an autistic consumer and my skilled experience reinforce this paintings and lend a hand form my concepts for stepped forward helps. Iâve additionally helped pressure insurance policies and practices for available rising era. This center of attention has incorporated fairness and get entry to for synthetic intelligence or AI and automatic cars because it pertains to employment.

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:06:34.15] Wow. What a fascinating background and thrilling spaces that you simplyâre in point of fact ready to affect. For this podcast, I sought after to concentrate on the subject of neurodivergence. So perhaps for the ones in our target market who aren’t acquainted, are you able to outline what neurodivergent approach for us?

Scott Robertson: [00:06:54.31] Certain. That could be a nice query. First, let me lend a hand outline neurodiversity in order that the target market can achieve a clearer standpoint in this context. Neurodiversity, which stands for neurological variety, refers back to the various considering, studying, and belief of lifestyles studies amongst all other folks right here in the USA and all over the world. It advantages the place of job in the similar means that biodiversity and wealthy ecosystems with various animals, crops and different species lend a hand planet Earth to thrive. Neurodivergence refers to a subset of people that would possibly assume, be informed and understand the arena moderately atypically, and we ceaselessly display up as outliers on cognitive trying out. Numerous neurodivergent other folks come with other folks at the autism spectrum like myself, other folks with ADHD, other folks with highbrow incapacity and psychological well being prerequisites and other folks with quite a lot of different cognitive disabilities. Continuously neurodivergent other folks have untapped or under-tapped strengths, abilities and talents that may reinforce places of work. We additionally ceaselessly enjoy main limitations to achieving and maintaining employment and get ready and able talents for the place of job. Plus, inclusive apprenticeships and different kinds of work-based studying can be offering pivotal gateways to gainful employment and profession paths for neurodivergent other folks like me.

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:08:20.42] So, for HR leaders, are you able to communicate perhaps about what some lodging may seem like for neurodivergent people?

Scott Robertson: [00:08:29.63] Certain. So this center of attention on paintings lodging and helps; it in point of fact carries main significance for our efforts to lend a hand propel paintings and profession good fortune for neurodivergent other folks like myself and other folks with disabilities. Iâm a large believer that well-aligned lodging and helps can pressure and reinforce efficiency within the place of job and for on-the-job studying, which is often known as on-the-job coaching, and similar instruction for inclusive apprenticeships. Pivotally, HR leaders will have to make sure that staff can request paintings lodging and helps that are adapted to suit their distinctive lifestyles eventualities and cope with main demanding situations. Via adapted, I imply personalizing helps to lend a hand cope with particular limitations and demanding situations and spice up strengths. Some commonplace examples of lodging and helps for lots of neurodivergent other folks come with versatile schedules, expanded telework, government training and activity training and mentoring, place of job trainings on neurodiversity at paintings, crew helps and help, place of job navigators, certain comments and direct transparent activity directions too can lend a hand reinforce good fortune. Out there era can likewise play a key function for good fortune for neurodivergent other folks.

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:09:43.29] Thanks for those examples for us, Scott. I believe that is extremely useful. You discussed the Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship or PIA, so I sought after to discuss lodging and ask you about perhaps how lodging are other for other folks in apprenticeships as opposed to everlasting staff.

Scott Robertson: [00:10:01.83] This is every other nice query. So, apprenticeship differs from everlasting paintings in 3 key tactics. First, registered apprenticeship methods will have to come with each on-the-job studying, which is once more sometimes called on-the-job coaching, and similar instruction in a study room environment, which generally is a digital study room, an in-person study room or some hybrid of the 2. And this context implies that apprentices with disabilities would possibly want lodging and helps for each the place of job and the school room. In order that approach helps will have to center of attention on paintings and studying and serving to be certain complete get entry to and inclusion. 2nd, apprenticeship methods incessantly ultimate about one to 2 years or every now and then a couple of years at maximum, even if apprentices with disabilities can request changes for the time frame as wanted. This ceaselessly displays an lodging that can be useful for some apprentices. Apprentices would possibly want helps for apprenticeship methods. They’ll ceaselessly be shorter than their time in everlasting jobs, particularly in the event that they finally end up having jobs of their profession pathways that last more than one to 2 years or a couple of years. And 3, apprentices are trainee staff, so they are going to most probably have the danger to discover having access to helps of their apprenticeship methods that may lend a hand spice up their long-term good fortune in everlasting paintings. So, via exploring, I imply, every now and then checking out helps that may and lodging that can cope with particular demanding situations theyâre encountering whilst theyâre on their apprenticeship, that they may be able to get familiarity with the ones helps and lodging. And so, once they request them, for example in everlasting paintings, itâs one thing theyâre used to having already once theyâre doing the ones paintings tasks.

Ruin: [00:11:45.96] Letâs take a reset. That is Jessica Miller-Merrell and you might be paying attention to the Workology Podcast subsidized via Upskill HR and Ace The HR Examination, two classes that we provide for HR certification and recertification via Workology. Lately we’re speaking with Dr. Scott Robertson. Heâs the Senior Coverage Marketing consultant on the Place of work of Incapacity Employment on the U.S. Division of Hard work. This podcast is a part of a podcast sequence powered via the Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship or PIA. Sooner than we get again to the podcast, I need to listen from you. Please textual content the phrase podcast to 512-548-3005. Question me questions, go away feedback, and make tips for long run visitors. That is my neighborhood textual content quantity and I need to listen from you.

Ruin: [00:12:32.10] This episode of the Workology Podcast is a part of a brand new podcast sequence powered via the Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship or PIA. PIA is funded via the U.S. Division of Hard workâs Place of work of Incapacity Employment Coverage, ODEP. ODEP introduced PIA to make sure all apprenticeship methods are inclusive and available to other folks with disabilities. PIA collaborates with employers and apprenticeship methods to lend a hand meet employer ability wishes and allow other folks with disabilities to take pleasure in apprenticeships that build up their alternatives for lifelong get entry to to high-growth, high-demand jobs.

The Task Lodging Community (JAN)

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:13:09.06] All extremely useful. Truly, this can be a nice dialog. Probably the most issues I need to make certain that we center of attention on is one thing known as the Task Lodging Community or JAN. Iâm going to hyperlink to this useful resource within the display notes, however are you able to let us know, what’s the Task Lodging Community?

Scott Robertson: [00:13:27.69] Yeah, certainly. So the Task Lodging Community, we name it JAN for brief, JAN capital letters, is a program funded via us right here at ODEP, The Place of work of Incapacity Employment Coverage once more, and its web site is AskJAN.org, once more AskJANn.org. And JAN provides unfastened skilled and confidential steerage and help for employees and profession seekers with disabilities, employers and all others. That is your taxpayer bucks already at paintings right here with, with JAN and different methods and sources that we’ve got right here on the U.S. Division of Hard work and experts at JAN can lend a hand establish, brainstorm and believe paintings helps and lodging to lend a hand pressure good fortune. JAN has experts who center of attention on several types of disabilities. Via differing types I imply cognitive and neurological disabilities, comparable to, in my case, my autism, and in addition to sensory, bodily and mobility disabilities. And different varieties, for example, come with psychological well being prerequisites. So, each and every other form of incapacity it’s worthwhile to believe, JAN has experts who may give, once more, help for exploring what lodging and helps can lend a hand that consumer to handle demanding situations. And its web site additionally has an A to Z of many commonplace disabilities, together with, for example, well being prerequisites and different forms of disabilities that I discussed and examples of commonplace lodging that may lend a hand reinforce get entry to for employees, profession seekers and activity seekers with disabilities. And I extremely suggest that staff and profession seekers in the private and non-private sectors hook up with JAN. I’ve private enjoy with JAN myself as they helped me establish the most important helps for my good fortune in federal employment after I began right here on the U.S. Division of Hard work in 2015.

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:15:25.39] Iâm simply going to reiterate that if you’re a brand new supervisor or new to HR or no longer acquainted with the lodging procedure and what that appears like, JAN is a precious useful resource. If truth be told, it will have to be the primary position you pass to, to in point of fact get the reinforce and knowledge that you want so as to supply an lodging. Or, should youâre an worker who desires additional info on how lodging paintings or what they may seem like for you. What do you want employers to grasp concerning the significance of hiring neurodivergent other folks?

Scott Robertson: [00:16:02.38] So, I really like to emphasise a strengths-based standpoint. So I believe that employers will have to know that neurodivergent other folks like myself convey key strengths, abilities, talents, wisdom, and skills that may lend a hand reinforce paintings and the place of job. Plus, employers can pressure efforts to recruit, rent, retain and advance neurodivergent other folks like me to faucet those property and undertake enhanced paintings helps and lodging. Running with business intermediaries and suppliers of services and products can lend a hand reinforce this objective. Continuously, enhanced paintings helps that lend a hand neurodivergent other folks like me to thrive too can get advantages all staff at companies and companies. As an example, all staff can achieve from receiving get entry to to certain comments, direct transparent instruction, and versatile schedules. This context implies that helps that lend a hand empower neurodivergent other folks like me at paintings can lend a hand pressure inclusive design, common design, and common design for studying.

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:17:04.67] Something Iâd similar to to reiterate is neurodivergence is in point of fact an invisible incapacity or, I really like to think about it as a superpower in some way, and that I’m additionally incorporated amongst that workforce. You simply have other talents and studies or tactics of taking a look, and hiring any individual who’s neurodivergent could be a genuine asset to all your group. How do apprenticeships reinforce profession construction for neurodivergent people?

Scott Robertson: [00:17:35.80] This is every other nice, nice query, Jessica. I really like all the time to emphasise careers, no longer simply jobs, however careers and profession pathways for other folks. It’s one thing that comes up so much from other folks with disabilities who emphasize that all of us need inclusive get entry to to careers along with jobs so far as our pathways for lifestyles good fortune and financial well-being. Apprenticeships can play a key function to lend a hand be certain profession seekers, together with other folks with disabilities, can sharpen their talents and hone their abilities to lend a hand get ready for paintings good fortune. On this admire, apprenticeship methods supplement different the most important methods for training, comparable to instruction at two-year and four-year schools and universities. Many neurodivergent other folks would possibly ceaselessly in finding the concrete nature of on-the-job studying, once more itâs often known as on-the-job coaching, and similar instruction for apprenticeships to be moderately precious. The character of those methods would possibly align moderately properly with what number of neurodivergent other folks would possibly atypically assume, be informed and understand the arena. Apprenticeships can be offering down-to-earth, real-world talents enhancement for jobs that matches their profession pursuits and objectives and likewise every now and then incessantly pertains to the pastimes or spare time activities of many neurodivergent other folks.

Scott Robertson: [00:18:53.05] I consider apprenticeship methods too can fit up properly with any classes taken in profession and technical training or identical spaces in highschool or past. Some neurodivergent other folks in finding that those profession and technical training or CTE classes in highschool lend a hand propel their good fortune. CTE methods can attach properly to apprenticeships. Additionally, apprenticeships be offering a the most important merit for neurodivergent other folks for his or her lifestyles direction. Specifically, they may be able to reach credentials comparable to certifications and certificate that may lend a hand reinforce their long run good fortune and activity retention. Continuously, many neurodivergent other folks in finding it every now and then more uncomplicated to score jobs however no longer retain them. And I believe, via having the ones credentials, that is helping so much. Having that spice up so far as for your resume is helping with that retention for the roles and having that portfolio of talents honed for apprenticeship reinforce good fortune, particularly for other folks the place we predict and be informed and procedure knowledge atypically and understand the arena otherwise, that may make a super distinction in serving to to highlight once more the strengths and skills for neurodivergent other folks, together with other folks who opt for apprenticeship methods.

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:20:09.64] I believe HR individuals are with a bit of luck lovely acquainted with such things as certifications and they’d be stunned to grasp, with a bit of luck they arenât, however the SHRM Basis additionally has an HR apprenticeship program which permits people via like a one or two 12 months program such as youâre describing, be capable of get HR enjoy and be capable of check for his or her SHRM CP certification. So, apprenticeships aren’t only for cybersecurity or building, however theyâre for a large number of other industries and come with apprenticeships for human sources pros too. Scott, are you able to proportion some details about initiatives or methods that you simplyâre running on at this time?

Scott Robertson: [00:20:58.73] Yeah, certain. And I additionally need to notice, via the way in which, that we’ve got partnered up to now, for example, and collaborated with organizations just like the Society for Human Useful resource Control and its Basis. So Iâm happy that you simply famous that once we had been emphasizing the point of interest on how you can lend a hand reinforce knowledge sources for HR pros. So, I first need to notice that listeners will have to hook up with our apprenticeship sources for PIA, once more the Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship, at inclusiveapprenticeship.org. This venture web site regularly releases new sources for intermediaries, employers, apprenticeships and different shareholders who’re on this center of attention on inclusive apprenticeships to pressure profession pathways for other folks. And I subsequent need to shift to discussing the core initiatives that we’ve got on the Place of work of Incapacity Employment Coverage, ODEP, that relate immediately to neurodiversity at paintings. So, ODEP runs a technical help middle for employers known as EARN or, capital letters, EARN, askearn.org and the Earn web site provides a neurodiversity within the place of job information for personal and public sector employers and their provider suppliers. This information emphasizes the benefits of supporting neurodiversity at paintings. It describes how you can foster neurodiversity at paintings and reinforce inclusive ability pipelines when employers recruit, rent, retain and advance their workforces. It additionally describes key examples of neurodiversity at paintings methods in business and right here within the federal govt. And that clearly is increasing over the years.

Scott Robertson: [00:22:33.71] And we intention so as to add to that knowledge posted in that neurodiversity place of job information over the years as we be informed extra about this house in serving to foster neurodiversity within the place of job. I might additionally like to focus on our venture once more on analysis reinforce services and products for employment of younger adults at the autism spectrum. Once more, it’s REYAAS for brief, REYAAS, that I discussed previous in passing. This venture has produced key findings and topics already for key approaches, helps, methods, in addition to demanding situations and limitations that autistic other folks enjoy. And it has performed so via inspecting the analysis literature and working listening classes. It has carried out those listening classes with shareholders with an passion on this center of attention, together with autistic adolescence and younger adults, employers, provider suppliers, policymakers and advocates. Their enter and the wider venture, so the wider REYAAS venture, lend a hand tell, form and reinforce ODEPâs efforts to advance nationwide insurance policies and practices no longer just for autism, but in addition neurodiversity at paintings as a complete. So it does have key implications for the way we will pressure good fortune on neurodiversity at paintings, together with for connecting with employers and what insurance policies and practices can reinforce and, and knowledge sources can reinforce and pressure that house and implications for key spaces that hook up with this, comparable to what weâre speaking about as of late for inclusive apprenticeships.

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:24:06.72] Neatly, Scott, such a lot of nice sources. We can make sure you come with those within the display notes so you’ll head on over to the display notes over at Workology.com and get entry to all of the items, the chocolates that weâve been speaking about, to not point out a hyperlink to Neurodiversity Birthday celebration Week. So you’ll be informed extra about what this week is all about, extra concerning the, extra about ODEP in addition to PIA and AskJAN, such a lot of excellent sources. Scott, thanks such a lot for taking the time to talk with us as of late at the Workology Podcast.

Scott Robertson: [00:24:39.93] Thanks for having me as of late. And I additionally invite others, one different web site, simply to say sooner than we log out is the web site for the Place of work of Incapacity Employment Coverage is dol.gov/companies/odep and once more that will probably be to be had within the podcast display notes. Thanks.

Jessica Miller-Merrell: [00:24:58.14] Superb. Thank you once more, Scott.

Last: [00:25:00.30] The topic of neurodiversity, being neurodiverse, lodging is such crucial space of center of attention for HR pros, particularly given the choice of other folks within the body of workers who’re in reality neurodivergent. After we speak about DEIA, we have a tendency to concentrate on race or gender. However it will be significant that inclusion and accessibility conversations come with other folks with disabilities as properly. I admire Scott for sharing his experience and all of the sources, such a lot of nice sources with us as of late.

Last: [00:25:37.02] I additionally need to listen from you. Textual content the phrase podcast to 512-548-3005. Question me questions, go away feedback, make tips for long run visitors and long run subjects. That is my neighborhood textual content quantity. I don’t assume that we speak about those subjects ceaselessly sufficient, which is why I proceed to do that podcast. Itâs vital to speak to participants of our body of workers, outdoor of our companies and admittedly, itâs one thing we will have to be doing extra of connecting and studying and getting happy with other folks outdoor of our organizations to lend a hand introduce us to new concepts, new other folks and new methods, like apprenticeships, are so vital. Those are any such nice technique to paintings with new ability swimming pools and pressure certified and engaged new staff to our places of work. I admire PIA powering this podcast and our podcast sponsor Workologyâs classes, Upskill HR and Ace The HR Examination. Have an incredible day.

Hook up with Scott Robertson.