From “Consideration” to “Fulfilment”: How IT Companies and Manufacturers Are Tackling Human Capital Management That Harnesses Unique Abilities

The “noiro” neurodiversity project was launched in 2021 by a group of volunteers within the Dentsu Group. In this two-part series, we take an in-depth look at the realities of companies that are putting neurodiversity into practice as part of their growth strategies.

In the previous installment, we focused on “creating systems that leverage individual strengths,” including SHIFT’s unique evaluation system, which has built an environment where diverse talent can thrive by starting with “task decomposition” and “standardization.”

For this installment, we invited Isao Miyaji (*) from Omron—who has been steadily advancing neurodiversity initiatives “on the front lines”—along with Ai Kitagawa and Masashi Oizumi from SHIFT, to participate in a roundtable discussion moderated by noiro members Hidemitsu Kitamoto (Dentsu Inc.) and Yukari Arai (DENTSU SOKEN INC.).

*Mr. Miyaji’s department and job responsibilities are as of the time of the interview in March 2026.

We will explore how each company is expanding its neurodiversity initiatives company-wide, including the approaches to designing systems and building organizations to support this, as well as the challenges involved in implementation. Furthermore, using case studies, we will discuss how to ensure that diversity is not limited to “individual support” but is instead embedded as a company-wide system.

Implementing Neurodiversity Through a “Job-Based” Approach: How Omron Practices Diversity in Hiring and Provides Opportunities

Kitamoto: In the previous article, we saw the value of creating systems that bring out individual strengths through SHIFT’s case study. Now, I’d like to hear about Omron’s initiatives.

What stood out in SHIFT’s presentation was their approach of conducting proprietary assessments based on tasks that had been meticulously “broken down,” enabling people with the right “aptitudes” to perform at their best. On the other hand, I understand that Omron has established a dedicated “neurodiversity recruitment” pathway as part of its efforts. What specific philosophy do you follow when it comes to hiring and placement?

Miyaji: At Omron, these efforts have largely been built up on a “workplace-by-workplace” basis.

Ever since we established our welfare workshop in 1972, we have valued the philosophy of having people with disabilities play a central role in our core business. Rather than assigning them only auxiliary tasks, we strive to create value for our business by adapting work processes and the work environment so that each individual can leverage their unique strengths.

On the other hand, we faced a challenge with our traditional comprehensive recruitment selection process—which centered on online tests and interviews—where individuals with developmental disabilities often struggled to demonstrate their true capabilities, leading to cases where they were not hired. Therefore, starting in 2018, with the goal of expanding recruitment of individuals with developmental disabilities, we established a new pathway called “Neurodiversity Recruitment” and created a system that allows applicants to choose the recruitment process that best suits them.

Under this program, we post job-specific openings tailored to the needs of each department and assess skills and aptitude through a two- to three-week internship. We proceed with hiring only after confirming a good match between the candidate’s skills and the workplace through actual work experience.

Currently, we are focusing our efforts on the engineering departments, but we have also begun expanding the program to some planning departments.

Kitamoto: I see. So the “Neurodiversity Hiring” pathway is positioned not as a program specifically for hiring people with disabilities, but rather as a role-based hiring track within our general management track. In that case, do you ask whether applicants have a disability certificate?

Miyaji: Currently, we’re primarily targeting individuals with developmental disabilities, but we do not require a disability certificate. What we prioritize is the ability to understand one’s own characteristics and articulate the necessary environmental adjustments and reasonable accommodations. Based on that premise, we aim to hire in a way that allows each individual to maximize their potential.

Previously, hiring for people with disabilities was merely a category used to provide reasonable accommodations during the hiring process; the actual duties and roles after joining the company were fundamentally no different from those of general management positions (generalists hired under the “membership-based” model). In contrast, “job-based” neurodiversity hiring is based on the concept of clearly defining the skills required according to each department’s needs and hiring talent suited to those specific roles.

Moving Away from the “Average Score” Approach: Mutual Understanding to Transform the Workplace into an Organization Where Everyone Feels a Sense of Conviction

Kitamoto: When hiring is based on mutual understanding achieved through internships and other opportunities, is it indeed less likely that mismatches will occur?

Miyaji: In the past, the specific characteristics of individuals with developmental disabilities were not sufficiently communicated at the time of hire, which sometimes led to misunderstandings on the front lines and raised concerns from the teams.

Since the receiving team was interacting with the new employee without fully understanding their strengths and weaknesses, they would try to correct areas where the employee struggled or assign tasks that weren’t suitable, which ultimately created a situation that was a significant burden for both parties.

However, when we understand their characteristics in advance, make the necessary environmental adjustments, and then design their work accordingly, the work flows smoothly, and their performance evaluations improve significantly. Based on this experience, I feel it’s crucial to conduct hiring and placement based on mutual understanding.

Kitamoto: I see. If roles, required skills, and individual traits are clearly defined, both the employee and the receiving team can proceed with their work based on mutual understanding. Does that mean, as a result, evaluation criteria will be aligned, and the organization as a whole will operate in a way that feels more satisfactory to everyone?

Miyaji: That’s right. As we’ve implemented these initiatives on the ground, we’ve come to realize that while we used to seek “well-rounded, average talent,” combining individual strengths while acknowledging their respective strengths and weaknesses actually leads to better results than before.

At the same time, we’re facing challenges regarding how to tailor compensation and benefits to each individual. If we shift away from the company-wide, one-size-fits-all approach we’ve used in the past toward an evaluation system based on individual strengths and contributions, the issue becomes how to ensure fairness—especially since the roles required for each job differ. Going forward, it will be crucial to determine how to roll out this way of thinking company-wide.

Furthermore, I believe this is not a topic that can be resolved by the HR department alone; it is closely tied to the very nature of our business. As our business changes, so do the types of talent and roles we need, and our evaluation and compensation systems must evolve accordingly. I think we need to approach this with that premise in mind.

• Omron’s Neurodiversity Hiring

HR Is “the Business Itself”: The Essence of Human Capital Management—Maximizing Individual Potential

Arai: Moving forward, I’d like to ask about the perspective of human capital management. At Omron, you’ve established an indicator called “human creativity,” which visualizes the value of your people by calculating the value added—sales minus variable costs—divided by labor costs, and you disclose this as non-financial information, correct? I find it very impressive how clearly you demonstrate the relationship between investment in people and results.

How does this approach to human capital relate to the neurodiversity initiatives we’ve been discussing?

Miyaji: Looking solely at the formula for “Human Creativity,” it might seem as though the figure would rise simply by cutting labor costs, but that’s not the essence of the metric. Rather, it’s an indicator designed to view labor costs as an investment and measure how much value that investment generates. We place a strong emphasis on increasing investment in our people while generating even greater results in return.

• Omron’s “Human Creativity”

Arai: The concept of viewing labor costs as an investment rather than an expense resonates with what SHIFT discussed last time; I sense a common thread here. You’re working hard to devise ways—including reforming work processes and environments, as well as revising evaluation approaches—to make it easier for individuals to perform to their full potential based on their unique characteristics. At the same time, I also felt a similarity in your commitment to taking responsibility as a company for ensuring that each individual’s strengths are fully utilized.

Kitamoto: It is precisely because of this premise that I understand your approach to neurodiversity leads to a design philosophy of “adapting the work to the person” rather than “adapting the person to the work.”

I get the impression that you’re taking the question of how to help individuals realize their full potential very seriously. How does SHIFT view this approach taken by Omron?

Kitagawa: You’re absolutely right. Hiring talent is an investment in business growth, and that premise doesn’t change based on factors like disability or gender. I believe that genuinely focusing on how to enable each individual to thrive ultimately leads to the growth of the entire organization.

Kitamoto: I certainly feel that it’s not just the policies and systems themselves, but the underlying philosophy behind them that is also very important.

Miyaji: That’s right. Furthermore, Japan’s manufacturing sector is currently facing the need for major transformation. As we shift from an era of generating profits through mass production—as we’ve done in the past—toward creating new value and innovation, organizations built on the premise of diversity are becoming essential.

We’re moving away from the old mindset of “making sure everyone can do the same thing” toward an approach that builds on each individual’s unique skills and characteristics, combining them appropriately to get the work done.

That is precisely why the role of the HR department must also evolve. “Investing in people”—identifying the necessary talent, placing them appropriately, and nurturing them—is, at its core, a business function itself and should be handled closer to the front lines. I feel that creating a state where this way of thinking operates spontaneously within the company is the ideal for the future.

“Employee-Led” Career Planning Bridges the “Gap” on the Front Lines and Accelerates Investment in People

Kitamoto: Having listened to your discussions so far, I’ve noticed many shared perspectives, but as people who actually know the front lines, I imagine there are also some points of concern. I’d really like to hear your thoughts on this—what do you think?

Miyaji: Our top leadership has emphasized that diversity and inclusion are driving forces behind corporate growth. However, unlike capital investment, the effects of human capital investment are difficult to measure in the short term, and the return on investment can be hard to quantify.

Given that, how does SHIFT foster buy-in among employees and management while moving forward with these initiatives?

Kitagawa: I feel that fostering a sense of buy-in is a crucial point. When it comes to getting employees to perform at their best as quickly as possible, the company provides systems such as policies and certification programs to offer support with a certain degree of consistency.

On the other hand, since new hires come from diverse backgrounds, their individual growth rates and processes vary. Therefore, we take a medium- to long-term perspective when evaluating each person’s growth.

Kitamoto: So your approach is to establish an environment where employees can demonstrate performance early on through company systems, while also viewing each person’s growth from a long-term perspective.

I imagine these initiatives are already being implemented company-wide with a certain level of tangible results, but I also sensed that we’re in a phase of expanding them across the entire organization by building on a series of small success stories.

Mr. Miyaji, as you’ve been driving these initiatives forward, have you noticed any tangible changes within the company?

Miyaji: By actually seeing the people we’ve hired settle in and thrive by leveraging their individual strengths, I feel that attitudes on the front lines have become much more positive. Departments are now actively raising their hands to welcome diverse talent, and understanding on the front lines is gradually improving. However, in departments with no prior experience with this approach, there are still voices asking, “Will this really work?” so the reality is that there’s still a gap in enthusiasm.

That said, what will become even more important going forward is for the individuals themselves to proactively map out their own career paths—defining “what strengths they possess and in what roles they will add value.” Once their career direction is clear, it becomes easier for them to deepen their learning, and it also becomes easier for the company to provide training and opportunities tailored to those career paths.

I believe that once such a virtuous cycle is established, the effectiveness of investment in human capital will increase, leading to better results for the organization as a whole. Moreover, this is by no means limited to neurodiversity; it is a theme common to all employees. I believe that expanding this cycle throughout the entire organization is the next step.

“Continuous Change” Is the Key to Sustainability: Long-Term Careers for Diverse Talent Through AI and Regional Collaboration

Kitamoto: So far, we’ve discussed how to expand opportunities for talent to thrive, but I think it’s also crucial to consider how to ensure the “sustainability” of these initiatives. As the very nature of work is undergoing significant changes—driven by advancements in AI, among other factors—what are your thoughts on ensuring the continuity of these efforts?

Kitagawa: I believe it’s crucial to accept “the constant evolution of roles” as a given. An individual’s characteristics and strengths are not fixed; the roles required of them will change in response to shifts in business and the environment. In this context, I believe that our ability to continuously redesign roles to suit individual characteristics will ultimately lead to sustained employment and the reproducibility of success.

I believe AI is what will drive that change. While technological innovation has historically served to supplement labor-intensive tasks, it is equally important to utilize AI in a way that allows it to coexist with people.

For example, I believe AI will enable us to allocate tasks, conduct evaluations, and place the right people in the right roles with greater precision than ever before.

Miyaji: Assuming that the use of AI will continue to expand, I see three main perspectives.

The first is operational efficiency; the second is the creation of new roles through AI; and the third is its use to provide reasonable accommodations and adjust the work environment. Regarding the second point, while it is still in the developmental stage, data creation tasks such as annotation (*) are areas where individuals with developmental characteristics can easily demonstrate their strengths, and I sense the potential for this to expand in the future.

However, our fundamental philosophy is that AI is ultimately just a tool, and that human communication and relationships of trust form the foundation. With that in mind, I believe it is crucial to consider how we will utilize it.

*Annotation: The process of adding information—such as “correct answers” or “tags”—to data (e.g., images, audio, or text) to enable AI to learn. In the field of AI, this process facilitates machine learning.

Oizumi: In my workplace, we’re also making effective use of AI as a communication aid.

For example, there was an assistant manager with certain developmental characteristics who was struggling with communication in a managerial role. By working with AI to refine their communication approach in advance, interactions within the entire team became smoother, leading to positive changes in relationships and performance.

On the other hand, we cannot deny the concern that advancements in AI may lead to changes in the very tasks we have traditionally performed, or even cause certain roles to disappear. That is precisely why I feel that, as users of AI, we need to create new tasks and transform the nature of our work. Along with this, we must also reevaluate our performance evaluation systems; I believe we are currently at a major turning point.

Miyaji: In the manufacturing sector as well, we feel anxiety about how the skills required—and the jobs themselves—will change as technology evolves. In fact, in departments dealing with cutting-edge technologies, there is a possibility that certain development projects themselves could disappear, and there is a shared awareness of the challenges this poses in terms of job security.

Arai: Are you undertaking any initiatives to address these challenges?

Miyaji: As countermeasures, we’re taking two approaches: broadening the range of skills even during the internship phase, and fostering regional collaboration in the area of neurodiversity.

The latter initiative, the “Neurodiversity Kyoto Regional Collaboration Project (ND Kyoto),” began when, following a study group for HR managers at Kyoto-based companies, we reached out to ask, “Could companies facing the same challenges work together on this?”

By having multiple companies that practice neurodiversity hiring collaborate, we create the possibility that even if a candidate isn’t a good fit for one company, they can still thrive at another. Furthermore, as options increase, new paths open up for people who previously lacked opportunities. I believe it will become increasingly important to create an environment where talent can thrive beyond the boundaries of individual companies.

Kitagawa: I imagine the companies collaborating are each at different stages and have different backgrounds, but do they share common challenges?

Miyaji: That’s right. When it comes to employing people with developmental disabilities, every company faces the challenge of fostering understanding within the organization, and I feel we’re still in the early stages of expanding these efforts.

On the other hand, when companies come together, there’s the benefit of being able to share real-world examples. This initiative serves as a forum where HR professionals can continuously exchange information and share insights.

Arai: By collaborating at the regional level, I sense great potential for this initiative to lead to broader outcomes—such as promoting neurodiversity, fostering respect for diversity in the broadest sense, revitalizing human resources, and even creating new business opportunities.

It may start as a supportive initiative among companies, but it would be wonderful if it evolved into a broader effort that gives rise to new value and innovation.

Creating a future where everyone can thrive. Neurodiversity is “nothing special.”

Kitamoto: What struck me most from everyone’s remarks today was the commonality in the ultimate goals shared by SHIFT—an IT company that has experienced rapid growth—with its approach of “systematizing processes to identify and develop people suited to the job,” and Omron—a long-established manufacturing company—with its approach of “designing work processes based on the premise that employees will demonstrate their abilities.” Although at first glance their industries, histories, and trajectories appear different, their ultimate objectives are aligned.

How should we engage with talent that traditional recruitment methods have failed to capture? That question may be essential for the future of human capital management. Finally, could you each share a message for our readers?

Miyaji: Neurodiversity is by no means a special initiative. It’s simply a matter of carefully putting into practice what we should naturally be doing when people work together. I hope you’ll cherish that sense of purpose.

Oizumi: Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and those strengths can vary greatly depending on the environment. That’s precisely why it’s important to create “systems” that bring out each person’s potential. I believe that by approaching this from that perspective, the outlook will change as well.

Kitagawa: From the perspective of making the most of each individual, neurodiversity isn’t a special initiative. Rather, it should become an even more natural way of thinking in the years to come. I hope that we ourselves can help shape a future where this concept spreads more positively, including through the evolution of AI.

Arai: Listening to today’s discussion, I was keenly struck by just how deep and multifaceted the concepts and initiatives surrounding neurodiversity truly are. That said, I don’t think it’s something that can’t be done simply because circumstances and mindsets differ from company to company. Even with each company’s unique situation, I felt there are commonalities in the fundamental philosophy and in what “people” are capable of. I believe that’s precisely why SHIFT and Omron are able to successfully advance their current initiatives.

Kitamoto: Both companies are focused on “changing the design of work and the environment” rather than “changing people.” While their starting points may differ, they seem to be aiming for the same summit. The experiences shared by our speakers—who have overcome concerns and preconceptions through various approaches to advance neurodiversity—will surely inspire our readers and others looking to implement similar initiatives in the future.