The neurodiverse population remains a largely untapped talent pool; even high-functioning neurodiverse people are often underemployed. For example, MyDisabilityJobs estimates that 85% of people on the autism spectrum in the US are unemployed, compared to 4.2% of the overall population. Unemployment for neurodivergent adults runs at least as high as 30% to 40%, three times the rate for people with disabilities and eight times the rate for people without disabilities.
Meanwhile, contingent workforce program managers are focusing more on diversity. In its Workforce Solutions Buyer Survey, SIA asked what workforce strategies are currently in place or are likely to be seriously explored within two years. In terms of diversity, creating a program for diversity suppliers (69% in place today; 25% exploring in the next two years) was the most popular strategy, while encouraging candidate diversity (59% today; 36% in two years) and aligning the contingent workforce program to the company’s overall diversity goals (35% today; 52% in two years) are gaining traction. Translation: Staffing firms will need to build ways to deliver diverse talent.
Enter Rangam’s TalentArbor. Released in July 2022, this platform provides talent acquisition and contingent hiring teams with powerful tools to measure the effectiveness of recruitment strategies around hiring talent who are autistic, neurodivergent or have a disability.
“Our mission is to create a world where every individual, regardless of their differences, can realize their full potential,” says Nish Parikh, co-founder and CEO of Rangam. “We developed TalentArbor to provide a streamlined and accessible platform for talent acquisition — to make the hiring process more effective and efficient while providing all job seekers the tools they need to showcase their skills and find the right opportunities to advance their careers.”
TalentArbor delivers this capability via three artificial intelligence indicators that utilize algorithms to generate a score for matching talent:
• Environment accommodation. Uses a comprehensive survey to assess workplace accessibility and potential accommodations for autistic and neurodivergent talent and talent with disabilities, including candidates who may start as temporary workers and later be converted to full-time employees. These indicators enable hiring managers to make informed decisions about the potential success of hiring candidates through SourceAbled, Rangam’s disability inclusion solution for contingent and permanent positions.
• Job alignment. Analyzes job titles and descriptions to estimate the size of the talent pool that could be suitable matches for a position, including those who are neurodivergent or have disabilities.
• Location availability. Matches talent by location to identify opportunities for recruiting talent, including temporary workers, in specific geographic regions.
The Buzz
Developing innovative technologies with features such as AI machine learning, algorithms, text mining and natural language processes applies particularly well to DE&I technology. Rangam’s TalentArbor focuses on ensuring the right fit for neurodiverse talent.
