PEOPLE & PLANET | DIVERSITY
When it comes to thinking differently , acceptance in corporate circles has long been lagging . Only in recent years has the business world begun to embrace and accommodate the unique talents and needs of neurodiverse individuals – and in Asia , this is just getting started .
For example , while the US signed into law its Disabilities Act ( inclusive of divergent thinkers ) in 1990 , igniting the neurodiversity movement in the same decade , India only recognised Autism Spectrum Disorder ( ASD ) in its Disabilities ( PwD ) Act in 2016 .
Broadly defined as a diversity of thinking styles and abilities , neurodiversity or neurodivergence refers to differences in the human brain and covers a range of cognitive variations such as autism , ADHD , dyslexia , dyspraxia , and Tourette Syndrome .
While there are no reliable statistics on how many people have a neurodiverse condition , largely due to its invisible nature and limited understanding , estimates suggest 15-20 % of the global population are neurodivergent . And according to data from Deloitte US , 85 % of those on the autism spectrum are unemployed , compared to 4.2 % of the overall population .
The numbers make for depressing reading , but even more so when you look at specific countries in Asia . In the Philippines , less than one in five of working-age people with disabilities are part of the workforce , while in Malaysia , that figure is drops to just 1.4 %.
Neurodiverse professionals deliver benefits on many levels – fuelling innovation , facilitating problem-solving and enhancing productivity
Monika Mahto Research Leader , Deloitte Center for Integrated Research , India
124 December 2023