Winning the Talent War through Neurodivergence: A Guide for the Neurotypical

by William J. Rothwell, Jonathan D. Zion

Overview

Recruiting talent from among the disabled population poses unique challenges, which often are not adequately addressed by potential employers. Although job seekers presently enjoy an advantage due to global talent shortages, that situation may not continue. Right now, employers are hard pressed to find anyone to fill positions. At this writing, there are two job openings available for every one job applicant to fill it. In that environment, it makes sense for employers to explore alternative ways to get work done and alternative labor groups to do that work. In Winning the Talent War through Neurodivergence: A Guide for the Neurotypical, William J. Rothwell and Jonathan D. Zion show how employers can overcome talent shortages by tapping into the often-overlooked pool of talent comprising people with disabilities (PWDs).

Few books examine the human resources processes relating to people with disabilities, and this one provides a range of new insights.

This is a book for anyone involved in developing HR strategies or with responsibility for how human resources are utilized in general, who are interested in improving the methods used to recruit and retain people with disabilities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780815382874
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/11/2025
Pages:	148
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

William J. Rothwell is Distinguished Professor, Workplace Learning and Per-formance, at the College of Education, Department of Learning and Performance Systems, The Pennsylvania State University, U.S.A., where he administers a Master’s and a Doctoral program in Training and Development/Human Resources.

Jonathan D. Zion has extensive experience engaging with many stakeholders on a variety of disability issues in the workplace and in post-secondary institutions. These stakeholders include social service agencies as well as different levels of management. He holds a Master of Adult Education (M.Ed.) from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. He lives in Toronto.

Table of Contents

1. Talent Management and Human Resources for Neurodiversity 2. Job Requirements and Job Analysis for Neurodiversity 3. Job Descriptions and Job Design for Neurodiversity 4. Recruiting for Neurodiversity 5. Career Management for Neurodiversity 6. Employee Selection for Neurodiversity 7. Onboarding for Neurodiversity 8.Training and Development for Neurodiversity 9. Performance Management for Neurodiversity 10. HR Trends of the Future from a Neurodiversity Perspective

Editorial Reviews

"Many people in the US (up to 15%-20% of the US population, according to a Forbes newsletter) and around the world are identified as neurodivergent. As discussions around neurodivergence and neurodiversity have become more common over the past few years, companies are looking for ways of neurodivergent workers to better contribute their talents, skills, and perspectives to directly benefit organization’s mission and help improve productivity and performance. This book should be a must-read for readers and organizations interested in recruiting, hiring, retaining, and advancing neurodivergent workers to achieve a competitive edge and bring financial and cultural benefits." — Sohel M. Imroz, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, Associate Professor of Human Resource Management, David B. O'Maley College of Business, Florida, USA

“Rothwell and Zion highlight an overlooked area in diversity, equity, and inclusion work. This book masterfully explains the importance and steps to improve an organization’s talent management processes to set the organization up for success in the changing talent demographics. It is a great reminder to focus on the skills required for a particular position and challenge our bias on unimportant traits. A firm handshake and eye contact never successfully completed a calculus problem.” — Phillip L. Ealy, Ph.D., Penn State University, Pennsylvania, USA

 “My commendations to Dr. Bill Rothwell and Jonathan Zion for writing about a topic that is long overdue in workforce development! For a long time, small nonprofit organizations have taken on this work to fully integrate neurodiverse people into everyday life. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the amplification of the talent shortages and attitudes about work have permeated the literature. In contrast, there is a dearth in the literature on ameliorating this crisis. This book shines a light on a viable talent pool and in typical Rothwell fashion, it brilliantly provides practical guides and tips for the HR professional and organizations in adopting broader inclusive practices. I highly recommend adopting this book when preparing young professionals in HR Management, Workforce Development, and Talent Development degree programs as well as professionals in the field.” — Dr. Cecilia Maldonado, Associate Professor, Workforce Development, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

“In today’s world, people and talent remain one of the few sources of sustainable competitive advantage.  As the war for talent rages, Rothwell and Zion provide a compelling and unique strategy to winning in the marketplace through the untapped potential of neurodiverse talent.  A must-read yet differentiated perspective for anyone looking to boost their organization’s talent quotient.” — Rani Salman, Managing Partner, Caliber Consulting

 

From the Publisher