At the IT company Left is Right, most employees have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or are otherwise far removed from the job market. They have built their company by leveraging the unique skills that people with autism often possess. The secret lies in a workplace where everyone helps one another, the atmosphere is positive, and the environment is tolerant.
– We only hire the people we need and who meet our qualifications. We focus on tasks that require precision and analytical skills, which is why we are happy to hire people with conditions such as Asperger’s. The people we employ are incredibly skilled in their field, but may not have been able to thrive in a “traditional” workplace, says Lotta Rizzo, a supervisor at Left is Right.
Lotta Rizzo explains that they currently have over 500 unsolicited applications in their database, from people who are eager to work for them. These are people who are currently unhappy in their current jobs or who are unemployed. So when Left is Right needs to hire new staff, they never have to post job ads; instead, they can simply select and interview candidates from their “waiting list.”
Everyone pitches in
One thing that characterizes the work at Left is Right is that colleagues help each other out, are tolerant, and look out for one another. For example, if someone isn’t comfortable calling customers on the phone, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask a colleague for help.
“In most jobs, it’s hard to do what you’re really good at while avoiding the things you’re not so good at. But that’s totally fine here. If one of my colleagues finds it stressful to call a customer, I’ll do it. Then, when the conversation turns to more technical details, I hand the phone over,” says Lotta Rizzo, adding:
– We understand and are forgiving of both ourselves and each other. We help each other out. According to Lotta Rizzo, competing with other “normal” IT companies can sometimes feel like a challenge, since Left is Right doesn’t always work at such a fast pace.
– On the other hand, our competitors, who may have more projects than we do, can also take a long time to deliver, though for different reasons. When we prepare quotes, we first calculate how long a project “should” take and base our pricing on that. We also calculate how long it actually takes us to complete the project and adjust our schedule accordingly. Many of our employees receive wage subsidies, and you could say that what we earn from this goes toward the extra time it takes us to complete certain assignments, says Lotta Rizzo.
Prejudice: A Challenge
Among the challenges the company has faced along the way, Lotta Rizzo cites other people’s prejudices about who the employees at Left is Right are, as well as what they are capable of and what they do. To counter this, they strive to be very clear in their proposals and specify exactly what tasks they perform. They also make it clear that they do not perform unskilled tasks.
“We also thought that the fact that some people see us as a social enterprise would make it easier for us to land contracts. That larger companies might view this as part of their CSR efforts. But most people just want a job done and don’t care what kind of business we are.” Some also think we should be cheaper than others, because it sometimes takes longer. But the reality is that we often deliver better results than many others, says Lotta Rizzo.
The Art of Communication
Initially, Left is Right thought they would try to “hire out” some of their employees as consultants to clients. However, this has proven to be more difficult than they expected, because their staff simply feel so at home there and often have a harder time functioning in “traditional” workplaces. Left is Right employees are also frequently reminded of how difficult communication can be, even though they are well aware that this is often a particular challenge for people with autism.
“Communication can be difficult, even among ourselves, and it’s easy to forget that. That’s why we have to constantly make a point of being extra clear. We need to meet often, talk a lot, and stay on top of what’s happening and keep an eye on each other,” says Lotta Rizzo.
Left is Right wants to grow and expand. To reduce their vulnerability, they need to have more people in each area of expertise. One area they hope to develop is software testing, a field in which many people with autism have proven to be particularly skilled. This involves working as an independent software tester. They have found a sister company in Norway with which they hope to collaborate.
FACTS
Left is Right is a limited liability company with 13 employees who, for various reasons, are far removed from the labor market; among other things, because they have diagnoses such as Asperger’s or ADHD. The company has an annual turnover of 5 million Swedish kronor and currently operates in two locations: Bromma (Stockholm) and Strängnäs. They are part of the Wilj AB group, which consists of five companies, all of which are organizations that promote opportunities for vulnerable people to participate in the regular workforce. Left is Right has low employee turnover and has no explicit ambition to transition employees into “regular jobs,” but when it happens, management views it positively.
Left is Right's success factors:
• Employees help one another in their daily work and are tolerant of one another.
• The work environment is supportive and provides the conditions for optimal performance for all employees.
• Each position is tailored to the individual.
• All employees are allowed to “be themselves.”
• Asking questions is encouraged
This article is part of a report on work-integrated social enterprises Forum for Social Innovation Sweden by Forum for Social Innovation Sweden on behalf of the government’s analysis group on the Future of Work. The reports are part of Minister for the Future Kristina Persson’s work on key future issues for Sweden.