Kindness, Quirks & Capability: Rethinking Neurodiversity in Hiring 

Let’s start with a stat that should make every HR manager sit up straighter: around 15–20% of the global population is neurodivergent. That’s not a niche — that’s a whole lot of untapped brilliance. Yet traditional hiring practices still favour the smooth-talking, CV-polished, handshake-perfect candidate. And in doing so, we risk missing out on some of the most focused, creative, loyal, and detail-oriented minds out there. 

Researchers Dana L. Ott and Miriam Moeller are leading the charge in this space. They co-authored the Autism Employment Playbook, a resource that challenges outdated recruitment norms and offers practical, inclusive strategies for employers. Their work digs deeper into how businesses and organisations can do better — by recognising neurodiversity as an invisible inequality and making inclusion more than a buzzword. Even small accommodations — like offering alternative interview formats or quiet workspaces — can make a massive difference. And when neurodivergent employees thrive, productivity follows. (SAP saved $40 million thanks to a neurodivergent team member’s technical fix. Just saying.) 

EASI NZ was fortunate to attend a recent HRNZ workshop where the Playbook was presented. It was a powerful reminder that 80% of autistic people in Aotearoa want to work, but only 22% are employed. That’s not a talent gap — that’s a systems gap. 

As we continue to advance into 2025, one trend stands out prominently: the conversation around generational differences in the workplace is shifting. Instead of focusing on age or background, the emphasis must be on hiring the right candidate based on their skills, values, qualifications, and experience.

While skills can be taught, trained, or learned, instilling values and achieving cultural fit is considerably more challenging.

Hiring the right person isn’t just about what’s on paper. A CV provides a snapshot but doesn’t tell the whole story. Relying solely on it could mean missing out on exceptional talent. Let’s address common biases—particularly age bias—and discuss strategies for a fair recruitment process.

We currently face a tough market to attract employees and retaining staff is crucial.  It is important that you cast the net as widely as possible but to do so successfully it is important to take stock of what your current staffing looks like and whether any changes might be needed to ensure your workplace is welcoming to all.

Most business owners and managers will be driven to create a workplace that is welcoming.  To achieve this it is important to reflect on how you would ensure this is the case for someone who is in one way or the other different to the majority of your employees.  This could include gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity, family situation, neurodivergence, disability to mention a few.  Whilst, hopefully, no one would set out to make some-one feel uncomfortable or unwelcome – workplace norms that have developed over time may unintentionally have this effect.

As we continue through 2022, there appears to be no quick fix to the staffing shortage that has plagued Central Otago and beyond in recent years, with post-pandemic staffing levels leaving many businesses teetering on the brink of survival.

In today’s age we’ve become accustomed to seeing “staff wanted” adverts for workplaces that claim to be dynamic, enthusiastic, and energetic environments. Many of them are fabulous businesses however, these very words make us think of younger people, they’re not typically associated with anyone over the age of 50.