Diversity of Thought

Chances are you’ve heard the phrase “diversity in the workplace.” In recent years, this phrase, and what it entails, has become increasingly important. And millennials — generally considered anyone born between 1981 and 1996 — are a big reason for it. The 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey suggests that this generation, which is expected to make up 75 percent of the workforce by 2025, takes a far more nuanced view of diversity. To them, it’s less about gaining equal opportunity and more about holding to the conviction that working and collaborating with people from varied backgrounds will make a company smarter, richer, more creative and more successful. In fact, according to this survey: 74 percent of millennials believe that their organization is more innovative when it has a culture of inclusion.

This statistic sends a clear message: businesses taking active steps to build and maintain a genuinely diverse culture will reap the benefits. Results from the same Deloitte survey also reveal that 83 percent of millennials feel empowered and engaged in the workplace when they believe their company fosters an authentically inclusive culture.

Inspired by his sister, who was diagnosed with autism at a young age, Harrison Rogers founded Lexington Life Academy in Mesa, Arizona — a school for youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). As part of its curriculum, the Academy puts students through a job-coaching program called “the transition to employment,” which introduces them to basic job skills such as communication etiquette, computer literacy and problem-solving techniques.

“We ask the students, ‘What are your talents?’ ‘What are your desires after school?’ ‘What would you want to do in college?’” Rogers says. Based on the their responses, the Academy then partners with local businesses to provide students with relevant job experience. This is extremely valuable, as it not only allows these students to gain work experience early on, but it also shows employers the benefits of hiring individuals with ASD.