Best results for companies that employ neurodivergent people

The Order of Psychologists defended on Thursday that companies employing neurodivergent people, that is, among others that have autism, overdated, hyperactive, dyslexic, can be 30% more productive.

“Investing in diversity has a return”, defends the Order of Portuguese Psychologists (OPP) in a statement sent from International Labor Day, which is marked today.

According to OPP, neurodivergent people can increase the company’s productivity. Tiago Pimentel, a member of the OPP management, gave as an example an employee with hyperactivity care deficit disorder, which can “have a higher mathematical reasoning or a more agile memory” and be able to bring “a much higher level of competence and productivity in task compliance” that require these capabilities.

According to the Order, organizations with greater socio -cultural diversity are 39% more likely to reach more economic gains than less inclusive institutions.

OPP said the most inclusive organizations can reduce talent loss to almost 50%compared to less diverse companies.

The statement also pointed out inequalities in access to employment among neurodivergent people.

« European statistics indicate that less than 29% of people with autism are employed, compared to 48.1% of people with disabilities and 73.9% of the general population, » says the OPP note.

In 2021, in Portugal, the disparity in the employability rate between people with and without disabilities was 16.2%and the “unemployment rate of the migrant population (11.9%) was almost double the Portuguese population” (6.6%), according to OPP.

According to the European Commission, 52% of persons with disabilities are discriminated against, said the OPP, quoted by the agency Lusa.