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✅ Inside this issue:

• Thania shares what autism reveals about how we assess talent

• 9 ways to upskill your employees this year

• Lessons from Bank of America on building a long-term hiring strategy

INTERESTING READS

🧩 You’ve got the skills, but still can’t get hired, so what’s getting lost in translation?

🤝 OpenAI’s consulting push is becoming an HR story, and here’s why it matters.

🤖 AI is already reshaping work, with the next wave of integration taking hold.

👩‍💼 More women are rewriting the rules of work, and the old playbook is getting left behind.

HIRING

What autism reveals about how we evaluate talent

I’ve got ADHD, so I’ve always paid attention to how differently people think and process the world. Autism sits in that same broader conversation, but it’s not interchangeable; it’s a spectrum with its own complexity.

In celebration of Autism Awareness Month, I’ve been thinking a lot about autism. I did a quick Google search “autism + LERs + digital badges” and, to be honest, didn’t find much.

It got me thinking about how impactful it could be if we actually captured and recognized learning in ways we’ve historically ignored.

A lot of the hiring process requires being able to “pitch” or communicate your skill set to a future employer. But what if your communication style or strengths don’t fall into those traditional methods?

How we evaluate talent today leaves people out

I’ve felt this limitation in my own career.

For example, you know those roles that require you to take IQ-style assessments before anyone even looks at your resume?

I’ve taken plenty of them, and I’m TERRIBLE at them.

I get bored, disengaged, and I think my brain protests participating because I know the way those tests are structured, just don’t capture how I think.

Meanwhile, I’ve seen people do really well on those same tests who would S-T-R-U-G-G-L-E in an actual marketing role. Because marketing isn’t just pattern matching on a screen. It’s understanding people. It’s psychology, anthropology, behavior, and culture. It’s predicting what will resonate before the data even shows up.

Those tests filtered me out before I ever had the chance to show what I could actually do.

That experience isn't unique. For many autistic job seekers, the entire hiring process, from assessments to interviews to how you're expected to "sell yourself," is structured in a way that obscures their actual strengths rather than revealing them.

Autistic adults are an untapped talent

Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a developmental condition that affects communication, behavior, and sensory processing.

Some autistic people are nonverbal. Others are highly verbal but struggle with social cues. Some are hypersensitive to sensory input, such as sounds, lights, or textures. Others seek it out.

But here's the thing: autistic people process the world differently, and that difference comes with a set of strengths most workplaces never even get to see.

Research points to cognitive advantages such as superior creativity, focus, and memory, as well as increased efficiency and qualities like honesty and dedication. Autistic individuals frequently excel at pattern recognition and analytical thinking, identifying trends, anomalies, or connections within data that others miss.

And because autistic employees are less susceptible to social influence, they are more likely to flag operational inefficiencies or ethical problems, contributing to improvements in organizational processes that lead to stronger performance. All of that adds up to a genuine competitive advantage that most companies are leaving on the table.

And yet, around 85% of autistic adults are currently unemployed.

Most of that gap comes down to workplaces that were never designed with them in mind. Traditional HR responses, like building more autism-friendly environments, incorporating stimming tools and accommodations, and being more thoughtful about sensory needs, all matter and are helpful….

But they don't address how we evaluate talent in the first place.

What changes when we capture real skills

This is where Learning and Employment Records (LERs), digital credentials, and badges start to matter.

They allow us to capture what someone can actually do, not just how well they can explain it.

What this looks like in practice is actually pretty simple.

Instead of relying on interviews as the main filter, employers can start with verified work. A candidate can show completed projects, validated skills, and real outputs before ever stepping into a conversation. The conversation becomes more about how they work, not whether they can perform on the spot.

The good news is that there are pioneers already rethinking how talent gets evaluated beyond resumes and interviews. Programs like Microsoft's neurodiversity hiring initiative and organizations like Specialisterne, which works to harness the talents of autistic and other neurodivergent people to build inclusive hiring practices and connect employers to a highly qualified, overlooked talent pool, are shifting toward skills-based assessments that reflect how people actually work, not just how they interview.

And groups like Digitability are helping neurodivergent individuals translate their strengths into real job pathways - making skills more visible long before a hiring decision is made.

Skills also become more specific. Instead of evaluating someone based on a degree or a job title, you can see the individual components: pattern recognition, debugging workflows, and process optimization.

This matters for people who are exceptionally strong in certain areas but don’t fit a clean, “well-rounded” mold.

What this looks like inside the workplace

A lot of valuable work also becomes easier to recognize.

Some of the most impactful contributions don’t come from people talking about what they’ve done. They come from people quietly improving systems, catching errors, documenting processes, or making things run better. That kind of work often goes unnoticed unless someone is actively advocating for themselves.

LERs create a way to capture and validate that work as it happens.

They also create more clarity inside the job itself.

Instead of vague feedback like “be more proactive,” roles can be broken down into specific, trackable skills. How clearly someone documents their work, how consistently they complete tasks, and how effectively they improve workflows, and that level of clarity makes it easier for people to understand what’s expected and how to grow.

Growth itself becomes more visible.

Right now, promotions are often tied to perception: how visible you are, how you communicate, how others interpret your potential. Especially for women, where performance reviews are far more likely to focus on their personality traits rather than actual output. Studies have shown that women receive feedback like “abrasive” or “not collaborative enough,” while men are evaluated more directly on results.

And ladies asking for a raise? Researchers found that people judge women more harshly when they ask for a raise, so women don’t ask because they realistically assess the social cost of doing so.

When growth is tied to verified skills instead, the path becomes clearer and more equitable. You can see what you’ve built, what you’re working toward, and what’s required next.

Why this matters beyond autism

Inside the workplace, this kind of system allows companies to recognize real contributions in real time. Managers can validate specific work (process improvements, quality gains, operational wins) without relying on someone to package it perfectly in a performance review. Employees can build a record of what they’ve actually done, not just what they remember to say.

I’ve always struggled to explain certain parts of my own skill set.

In marketing, I can often tell when something will work before there’s data to support it. I call it having great intuition, but I can’t really put that on a resume, now can I? 🤣

Because that doesn’t come from a dashboard. It comes from understanding people: how they behave, what they respond to, how culture shifts over time. It’s pattern recognition, but not the kind you can easily point to in a report.

It’s something I’ve had to translate over and over again.

Not everything should have to be translated.

When we build systems that are better at capturing real capability, whether that's for autistic individuals, skilled tradespeople, or anyone whose strengths don't fit neatly into a resume, we expand who gets seen, who gets hired, and who gets to grow.

And in a world where companies are still struggling to find the right talent, that’s a miss we can’t afford to keep making.

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WORKPLACE

9 ways to upskill your employees in 2026

AI isn't going anywhere. In fact, 77% of companies are already using or exploring it in their business. And while that's great news for efficiency, it also raises a real question for leaders: what happens to your people in the process?

Because as AI takes on more of the routine work, the pressure to develop your team's human skills, whether that's leadership, communication, tech fluency, or critical thinking, only grows. The good news? Upskilling doesn't have to be complicated.

Here are 9 ways to do it well:

1) Start with a skills inventory

Before you can build anything, you need to know what you're working with. Help employees identify and document their current skills, then work with them to set goals for professional growth. At the organizational level, map out existing talent gaps and anticipate future needs. Which roles can AI support, and which will always require a human touch? When individual development plans align with company strategy, upskilling becomes a growth engine, not just a line item.

2) Implement the right HR technology

For larger organizations, HR technology is one of the most efficient ways to track, manage, and scale employee development. Human Capital Management (HCM) and Learning Management Systems (LMS) allow you to build skills matrices, match employees to internal opportunities, and adjust your strategy based on real data. There are plenty of options at various price points, so do your research and find what fits your team's needs and budget.

3) Build a mentorship program

One of the best ways to foster a culture of learning is through a formal mentorship program. Pair newer employees with experienced colleagues who are genuinely invested in helping others grow. Beyond skill-building, mentorship strengthens collaboration and gives employees a sense of belonging. Use your HCM system to make thoughtful matches based on skills, goals, and working styles.

4) Create real incentives for participation

Setting up programs is only half the battle. If employees aren't showing up, the investment won't pay off. Dedicate protected time for professional development during work hours and consider creating meaningful rewards for participation. Companies like AwardCo offer software to easily create high-visibility incentive programs and leaderboards to drive behavior and participation. Remember, when people feel recognized for growing, they keep going.

5) Get managers actively involved

Managers have more influence over employee growth than almost anyone else in the organization. Through one-on-ones, performance reviews, and daily check-ins, they're in the best position to encourage development and spot opportunities. Train your managers to have meaningful career conversations and to make professional development a regular part of their rhythm, not a once-a-year event.

6) Treat upskilling as a culture, not a course

This is the part that often gets missed. Upskilling isn't a one-and-done training rollout. According to McKinsey, lasting adoption occurs when employees understand why growth matters, feel supported by leadership, and see real career pathways ahead. When organizations embed learning into the flow of work and tie it to visible advancement opportunities, people don't just develop skills. They develop loyalty.

The numbers back it up. Companies with strong professional development strategies see 11% higher profitability and double the retention rate. And with 63% of employees citing a lack of upskilling as the reason they left their last job, the cost of not investing is clear.

What if you're a small business without a big HR team?

Not every organization has a dedicated HR department or the budget for enterprise-level tools, and that's okay. Upskilling doesn't have to be expensive or complicated to be effective. Here are a few ways small businesses can make it work.

7) Allocate a personal development budget 

Even a modest annual stipend, think a few hundred dollars per employee, can go a long way. Let your team use it toward courses, certifications, workshops, or conferences of their choosing. It gives employees ownership over their own growth while signaling that you're invested in them.

8) Use performance reviews as a roadmap

If you're already doing regular check-ins or annual reviews, you have a built-in tool for identifying skill gaps. When a pattern shows up, whether it's communication, a technical skill, or time management, use it as an opportunity to suggest or even fund a specific course that helps close that gap.

9) Align learning with where your business is going

Think about the skills your business will need in the next one to two years and start building toward them now. If you're planning to overhaul your point-of-sale system, roll out a new tool, or expand into a new market, find a course or training that prepares your team for that shift. It saves you the cost of outside hires and builds confidence internally.

• Protip: It’s never a bad time to start thinking about how AI-augmented skills and capabilities might improve business in a variety of different ways.

Your people are your greatest competitive advantage. Invest in them accordingly.

BY THE NUMBERS

Remote work skews toward the highly educated

💡 38% of remote workers hold advanced degrees, reinforcing how access to flexible work is concentrated among more highly educated populations.

 Source: Forbes - Remote Workforce Statistics

KNOWLEDGE

What to read, watch, and listen

📚 Read: 2025/2026 Skills Snapshot Survey Report by Mercer

Enterprise leaders are actively rebuilding how work gets structured around skills. This report shows how companies are using skills to drive hiring, mobility, and workforce planning as AI continues to reshape roles and expectations.

📺 Watch: AI Isn’t Replacing Jobs — It’s Rewriting Them by SHRM All Things Work

AI is changing how jobs are designed, staffed, and evaluated. This conversation walks through what’s shifting inside roles and how organizations are adapting their workforce strategies in real time.

🎧 Listen: Bank of America’s Josh Bronstein on Hiring for the Long Term from HBS Managing the Future of Work

Large employers are prioritizing internal mobility, manager development, and long-term talent strategies. This episode shares how one global organization is building a workforce model that can evolve alongside changing skill demands.

FOR FUN’SIES

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