This article is written by Jonathan Mok, School Development Officer at the Education Bureau in Hong Kong.

Most governments claim to hire people based on merit and skills.

Everyone must go through the application process, which often includes a series of examinations and face-to-face interviews.  However, as one of the largest employers, governments are also expected to be good examples in promoting diversity, for example by hiring people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

I am a person with multiple disabilities.  However, I had only been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with mild Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) eighteenth months after I joined the government.  Unlike physical disabilities, ASD is not immediately visible to other people.

When I first disclosed that I had been diagnosed with ASD and mild ADHD, my colleagues and my supervisor were shocked. It was understandable. Most people are diagnosed with ASD and/or ADHD when they are children. In fact, the first clinic for adults with ASD and ADHD in Hong Kong opened its doors in  2017. In addition, my supervisor is expected to follow the advice given by the medical board, whose members review my case on a regular basis, to reallocate my job responsibilities.

Bringing disabilities into the open

In general, employment for people with disabilities has been a challenging issue for governments everywhere.

For Hong Kong’s government, which HIRED 11 698 new public servants between April 2018 and March 2019, of whom only 90 (0.7%) were known to have disabilities, none of whom were known to have ASD.  This figure is dismal. But one can assume that the number of new recruits with disabilities might be higher. Some of the new recruits may be worried that their chance of joining the government might be at risk if they disclose their disabilities.

Globally, some government agencies have taken initiative to empower people with ASD to obtain gainful employment. For example, the National Archives of the United Kingdom works with the National Autistic Society to provide Autism students with work experience in document services. Students with Autism can obtain a range of useful skills for future work like filing documents accurately, dealing with visitors and working effectively as a team member.

The most fundamental part of offering meaningful employment opportunities begins in recruitment

As these examples show, government agencies can collaborate with community or advocacy groups to tap into the talent pool of people with disabilities through structured programmes combining work experience, mentoring and hard and soft skills training. Government agencies can also help employees with disabilities to create a mutually supportive community. It can provide mentoring and coaching support among members to develop each other’s capability to succeed at work and in life. Community and advocacy groups can advise government agencies on ways to empower employees with different disabilities to work with dignity.

Government agencies also need to rethink their training programmes to employees. A little extra effort can go a long way. It should be mandatory for employees with or without disabilities to undergo training covering disability issues. In Hong Kong, various departments of the Hong Kong Government hold seminars related to Disability Ordinance for staff, however, there are hardly any seminars focusing on other aspects of disability issues such as communication.

The primary goal of this training is to increase empathy and help public servants better understand the plights of people with disabilities and reduce stigma. Employees should also learn more about the tools and accommodations available to persons with disabilities to empower them at work.

A fairer recruitment

However, the most fundamental part of offering meaningful employment opportunities begins in recruitment. Traditionally, most government agencies employ standardised recruitment criteria that aim at hiring people with excellent communication skills, great team players, high levels of emotional intelligence and the ability to conform to established practices without special assistance. These criteria are likely to screen non-typical candidates such as those with ASD out.

To address the issues that arise in the recruitment process, government agencies can learn from social enterprises such as Specialisterne, a Danish company known for hiring ASD employees. Specialisterne first invites a group of candidates to spend half a day in comfortable settings with managers, where they have casual interactions. Afterwards, the shortlisted candidates undergo an assessment between two and six weeks, where they work on assigned projects, undertake case studies involving real-life situations and take part in training relevant to their future roles.

The cost of inclusive hiring can be controlled through well-designed recruitment processes and effective allocation of resources

This process is a stark contrast to how hiring works in the public sector. For example, when the Education Bureau of Hong Kong hires subject inspectors, the traditional recruitment processes are likely to include a two-hour long examination and a panel interview. To provide candidates with ASD an opportunity to be hired, the Education Bureau could instead invite candidates to share their views on various education issues in a sharing session. The shortlisted candidates can then accompany current inspectors for a month to visit different schools.

The candidates then write reports as if they were appointed inspectors. Such recruitment processes give ASD candidates an opportunity to share their knowledge of education issues and understand the skills needed for being subject inspectors. The skills include attention to details, great observation skills and communication.

Rebutting the cost-argument

Critics may say that the cost of such recruitment processes are too high.

However, the cost of such recruitment can be reduced. First, the Education Bureau can work with ASD advocacy groups and ASD specialists to devise interview processes that would be cost-effective, yet fair at the same time. Second, the Education Bureau can invite shortlisted candidates to undertake work trial to find out how well they can cope with working as inspectors.

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When the shortlisted candidates spend a month taking part in work trial at the Education Bureau, it only needs to pay to the schools to hire cover teachers. In other words, the cost can be controlled through well-designed recruitment processes and effective allocation of resources.

Government agencies need to rethink their recruitment processes, training programmes to current employees and those with supervisory responsibilities and support to employees with ASD or other disabilities in order to access their talents_. — Jonathan Mok_

(Picture credit: Death to the stock photo)