SPRINGDALE, ARK. — As part of its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, Tyson Foods Inc. partnered with Joshin, a Minneapolis-based company that works with employers to provide support for disabled and neurodivergent workers. The partnership is a pilot program designed to enhance inclusivity throughout Tyson’s workforce, joining other Joshin clients that include companies like Best Buy and Spring Health. The program is designed to address the needs of disabled employees, including those with non-visible disabilities, from the recruitment and hiring process and throughout their employment. Joshin said it will offer Tyson services that include the availability of specialized care and navigation, one-on-one coaching and training and resources that are focused on the special needs of workers who are neurodivergent and disabled.  

“We work hard each day to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace with actions that will positively impact all team members and create a legacy of belonging for the future,” said Paul E. Davis, Vice President and Chief Equity, Inclusion & Diversity Officer at Tyson Foods. “This partnership with Joshin gives us the tools and resources to have a more open dialogue with team members and build connectivity across the company.”   

The program is based on data from the Center for Talent Innovation that concluded that 62% of disabled employees have a disability that is not visible and that most of them (97%) reported that they don’t feel comfortable disclosing their disability to their employers.  

Joshin will support Tyson’s efforts to improve the accommodations processes while ensuring inclusive hiring and interviewing. The program will support the development of employee policies and extend that support to Tyson employees and their families. Joshin said the support will also include neurodivergent- and disability-focused self-service training and resources to help unlock the power of employee belonging.

“The offering supports a critical need for the Tyson Foods executive team as they sought to prioritize employee needs they heard through their own Business Resource Groups (BRG),” according to Joshin.

“I was diagnosed with Autism in my mid-twenties, validating so many of the ways I felt, behaved, and worked differently than my peers throughout my life,” said April Foster, sensory scientist and chair of Tyson’s enABLE Business Resource Group. “This new benefit offered through Tyson has opened up several tools, including personalized coaching for a variety of topics, that have empowered me to be myself while being successful at work and in life. With additional support measures like this benefit, a diagnosis that once felt othering is slowly but surely becoming a simple part of everyday life instead of an obstacle to overcome.”