In order to compete in the innovation economy, companies need employees who think differently. That’s why, in May 2013, SAP launched its Autism at Work program, which is aimed at recruiting and hiring adults on the autism spectrum. The program has been such a success, SAP is currently working to expand it, with the goal of having 1 percent of its total workforce — approximately 650 people — fall on the spectrum by 2020, says José Velasco, head of the Autism at Work program at SAP.
“We’ve seen tremendous growth since May of 2013, with pilot programs in India, Ireland, Canada, the U.S. and Germany, and we’ve begun pilots in the Czech Republic and Brazil. In March 2015 we counted approximately 40 employees on the spectrum as part of the program; we’ll hit 100 by the end of 2015,” Velasco says.
