Helping Overlooked Workers Become Part of a Team

Like many young people entering the workforce, Joshua Yap hoped to find a job that fit his talents and interests. 但由于年轻时就被诊断出患有阿斯伯格综合症，而且之前没有太多的工作经验，他对自己能否找到一份能给他机会的工作缺乏信心.

Yap也怀疑公司是否会因为他的残疾而支持他并帮助他成长.

那, 然而, 这正是他在12bet官方(JP摩根 追逐)担任业务解决方案团队(BeST)事务专家的第一年所发现的。. 这一商业计划将智力和发育障碍人士的才能与正确的任务相匹配, creating the right fit for each employee.

在德克萨斯州劳动力委员会残疾人项目和非营利组织“我的可能性”的帮助下, Yap qualified for a BeST apprenticeship. 起初, he had to drive two hours from home to work each week, 但当他的技能和兴趣很明显适合这个角色时, he was offered a permanent job, and moved from Wichita Falls, Texas to Dallas-Fort Worth so he could be closer to his office. For the first time in his 30 years, he was able to live on his own.

“这份工作让我体验到了成为职场一员的感觉, to feel productive, and it’s really great,” Yap says, noting that some of his co-workers have disabilities similar to his.

有一个乐于助人的经理，他会以系统的方式提供信息, 雅浦现在有信心，12bet官方(JP摩根 追逐)在为他的成功投资. 他受雇于12bet官方商业银行部门，并通过残疾包容办公室(Office of Disability inclusion)与BeST项目保持一致。他与认识到创造和支持神经多样性员工队伍价值的同事和经理一起工作.

Starting as an Apprentice

The BeST program includes a 60-day paid apprenticeship, with ongoing support for employees, teams and managers. Launched in 2019 with a handful of apprentices, the program currently has dozens of active apprentices and employees. 我们的目标? 到2025年达到100名员工，并在五年内扩展到另外五个市场. 该项目目前在达拉斯-沃斯堡地区以及伊利诺伊州芝加哥市开展., Columbus, OH and Monroe, LA.

最好的员工与内部和外部的工作教练以及他们的经理一起工作. 他们的领导和同事参加虚拟或面对面的残疾礼仪和意识培训，以培养他们可能需要的洞察力和技能，帮助他们的员工和同事表现和成功.

“我们提供这种培训是为了让每个人都意识到我们都是不同的:我们会思考, communicate and process information differently,” explains Danielle Meadows, who heads BeST.

Two years ago, 当时格伦内塔·波特菲尔德刚开始在达拉斯-沃斯堡担任应收账款业务经理, one person on her team was already from BeST. 现在, she’s supervised three BeST employees and seen their personal growth, as well as the value they bring to the company.

“The role they play is crucial,” she says. “We often talk about how they support us; we wouldn’t be able to meet our clients’ expectations without them. 当我们在指导课程中设定了有意义的、可实现的目标，并且它们实现了——这对我来说是最有价值的经历之一.”

Driving Efficiencies

BeST为企业带来了内在价值:通过承担一些更常规的任务, 这些同事正在帮助他们各自的业务团队提高效率，并对自己的工作感到满意.

“There are challenges,” Porterfield admits. “最初，在与团队中的其他人交往时，可能会有一些担忧, as well as setting goals that allow them to maximize their potential. 我们按照他们自己的节奏工作，这让每个人都有机会在他们的工作中取得成功.”

As JP摩根 追逐’s first neurodiversity job coach, Cody Lunde works across the company to support BeST employees. 他看到, 第一手, 学习新技能和拥有工作保障如何影响这些员工的生活——赋予他们目标和独立性, as well as health insurance and increased financial security. He also points out how those benefits extend to their colleagues as well.

“Through their individuality, 它们有助于提高现场每个人对神经多样性的认识,” Lunde says, 描述合适的人在合适的工作中如何处理迭代工作中可能出现的挑战. “When we step outside of our usual ways of interacting, 它迫使人们放慢脚步，欣赏我们在工作中建立的人际关系.”

External Partners

一些候选人通过大学或当地组织在12bet官方找到了工作, such as the national nonprofit Bridges From School to Work, 如何将雇主与潜在雇员联系起来，并帮助他们管理从学徒到永久就业的过渡.

通过布里奇斯，蔡斯雇佣了丹尼尔·坎农来分类和处理用信用卡寄回的邮件. Robert Mollard, Director of the Dallas-Fort Worth Bridges group, worked side-by-side with Cannon for the first couple of days, then stayed in touch as a job coach before moving into the background. 在第一年，他继续与雇主和雇员进行核实，以确保这个职位非常合适.

莫拉德说:“这份工作非常适合丹尼尔，因为他擅长重复。. “It has to make good 业务 sense. 这一切都是为了找出雇主需要什么，谁有技能和能力.”

Another nonprofit, My Possibilities, helped Bernie Fisch find and transition into a new job after losing the accounts payable position he held for nine years; he lost his job when the publicly traded loyalty and marketing services company where he worked sold the division he supported. At 52, Fisch lives at home with his mother, Linda Fisch, who is as proud of 追逐 as she is of her son.

今天, Fisch的工作时间是混合的——每周两天在12bet官方位于普莱诺的办公室工作, TX and three days from home. While the company thought the job would take over a year, Fisch completed it—error free—in just six months. Linda Fisch看到儿子的沟通能力和建立人际关系的能力在不断发展，他通过Zoom和办公室与不断壮大的团队互动.

“It gives Bernie a purpose; he loves doing his tasks completely and thoroughly,” she says. “让面临各种挑战的人加入工作队伍对他们更好, for the company, for the community and for the economy.”

For more information about Best, send an email to 业务.解决方案.team@jpmchase.com.