Freddie Mac’s Neurodiversity Hiring Commitment

Freddie Mac’s Neurodiversity
Hiring Commitment

NEXT for AUTISM’s employment consulting client Freddie Mac has been at the forefront of neurodiversity hiring.  Within five years of operating their Autism Internship Program, the company hired 9 out of 18 interns. Now Freddie Mac has rebranded and transitioned their program to a full-time model to establish a permanent employment pipeline of neuro-diverse talent.

Sarah Crump, a Manager in The Office of Inclusive Engagement, manages the company’s diverse workforce and supplier pipelines. She joined us recently to discuss Freddie Mac’s approach to neurodiversity hiring in an over-booked webinar attended by businesses and employment specialists from across the country.   Here are takeaways that Ms. Crump offered to businesses.

Neurodiversity hiring is a business proposition.

• The neuro-diverse workforce is a highly under-tapped pipeline.
• In a competitive work market, neuro-diverse employees offer a viable solution.

The neuro-diverse talent pool is diverse.

• In addition to individuals with ASD, the program looks to include other neuro-diverse talent such as ADD, ADHD, and dyslexia.
• Define diversity inclusion beyond gender, ethnicity and race.

These are individuals who can do the job.

• Freddie Mac transitioned their program to offer full time positions because each hire provided great value to the company.
• Neuro-diverse employees may require high touchpoints during the hiring and onboarding processes to manage any accommodations.

Internal Buy-In

• Enlist champions in the C-suite and introduce them to partners such as NEXT for AUTISM.
• Establish partnerships with human resources, the diversity and inclusion office, and employee resource groups (or ERGs) to obtain buy-in.
• Educate and support hiring managers about the potential of this workforce and how to engage with it.

For more from Ms. Crump, please listen to the full webinar recording.

Thank you, Ms. Crump and Freddie Mac for your forward-thinking approach to neurodiversity hiring.  As with all of our clients, we are committed to sharing our expertise to create greater employment opportunities for neuro-diverse individuals.