Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Employables’, An A&E Docuseries About Neuro-Diverse People Finding Meaningful Work

Over the past few years, companies — especially ones in the tech sector — are promoting “neurodiversity in the workplace” initiatives, because they’re learning how to tap into a pool of candidates that have a unique and valuable way of thinking and organizing tasks. People with autism are the biggest group being hired in these initiatives, but other neuro-diverse people are being considered, too. But employers have needed to adjust calcified interviewing and on-boarding procedures. A&E’s new docuseries The Employables documents how candidates and employers both need to change their mindsets during the job search process.

THE EMPLOYABLES: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: A man with Tourette Syndrome spins out a string of tics in front of his wife. “Nibble nibble nibble. Lick it lick it. Nibble!”

The Gist: The Employables is a docuseries that, in each episode, follows two neuro-diverse people who have had problems finding work. People with autism or other neuro-diverse conditions like Tourette Syndrome have problems finding work because, despite having a worldview and skills that neurotypical people may not have, just can’t get past the interview process and — in many cases — try to hide the fact that they don’t communicate the same as others.

In the first episode, we follow a Tennessee man named James, who’s 36 and hasn’t had a full-time job in 7 years. His Tourette’s can be severe at times, with head twitches and loud verbal ticks that include going “meow” and “mwahahaha!” He’s a smart guy; before he got diagnosed in college, he was a double-major who wanted to go to med school. He also wants to work, feeling guilty that his wife supports the two of them. But when he goes to apply for jobs, he uses methods to suppress his tics, which just leads the tics to flow out like a clogged faucet when he’s done. Stressful situations also make the tics more frequent.

We also follow a California man named Jeff, 30, who lives with his parents. He has autism spectrum disorder, and his big problem is that he has a rough time getting his thoughts together in order to speak. He speaks slowly and deliberately, with a bit of a stutter. He’s never held a meaningful job, but loves horror and sci fi movies, and is a very talented artist.

Both men meet experts; James is told that his ability to communicate verbally is off the charts, and that if he talks about his Tourette’s to potential employers up front, they should be able to make accommodations for it. Jeff demonstrates in his session that he can put thoughts together in writing and even read those thoughts quickly; he’s told to be confident in that ability and not think he’ll be pitied because he has autism. “I see it less as a sympathy card and more of a tool to help people understand the unique and fantastic way your mind works,” he tells Jeff.

Both men go for interviews arranged by the producers: Jeff interviews at a film studio, James interviews to be a tour guide at a museum. In their trials, accommodations are made for them, like when Jeff is given overnight to create a test storyboard. Both do very well and are hired.

Our Take: In the past few years there has been a small but significant movement to get employers to consider neuro-diverse candidates for open job positions. The thinking is that, with employers always looking for people who think outside the box or are highly detail-oriented, they’re doing themselves a disservice in bypassing neuro-diverse candidates. But, accommodations do need to be made, both during the interview phase and even after the candidates are brought on board.

But what The Employables does a good job of showing is that accommodations need to be made on both sides. It shows employers willing to talk to neuro-diverse candidates and adjust their interview process in order to get to the unique ways of thinking that many of these candidates have. But the experts the two men we follow go to also let them know that they need to let potential employers know about their talents and not hide anything from them. If they’re up front, many employers will make the adjustments necessary, at least ones that are worth working for.

And, another factor that this docuseries shows; just like with neurotypical people, not all jobs are great fits. When James has a trial day at an emergency veterinarian clinic, he’s able to hold a dog getting a shot, but the stress of a stray coming in with traumatic injuries stresses him out and makes his tics more frequent. So the candidates knowing their limitations is always a good thing, and the fact that the producers send the candidates to try out for jobs that take some skill and knowledge help them realize that.

What’s refreshing about this show is that, unlike programs like Afflicted, which appear to exploit suffering people for entertainment purposes, The Employables emphasizes their subjects’ talents and abilities and really roots for them to find work. That by itself is fascinating to us: A cable reality series that treats the people it films with respect! Imagine that!

Sex and Skin: One of James’ less socially-acceptable tics is yelling out the word “Boobies!” But sometimes he does what his wife calls “Spooky Boobies,” Where he goes “Booooooobies” like a ghost. It’s great to see that James and his wife have a good sense of humor about his condition.

Parting Shot: Both men are shown telling their loved ones that they got hired, and both are smiling, knowing that they’re now making their contribution to their families and society in general.

Sleeper Star: Dr. James McPartland, the Yale autism expert that advises Jeff, has a pretty boss ponytail that we don’t see at first.

Most Pilot-y Line: Reality producers just can’t help themselves with their edits going into commercial breaks. They try to build suspense with Jeff’s interview when he comes back with the storyboard illustrations he made over night. We see cuts to furrowed brows among the interviewers, even though we all know that, when the commercial is over, they’re going to say they love the work.

Our Call: STREAM IT. The Employables isn’t just a feel-good docuseries; it helps viewers learn that neurodiversity in the workplace is good for both employer and employee.

Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, VanityFair.com, Playboy.com, Fast Company’s Co.Create and elsewhere.

Stream The Employables on A&E