Celebrating persons with disabilities and their unique contributions

The more variety an organization has in the abilities, talents, and backgrounds of its employees, the stronger the company can be. In fact, McKinsey found that cultural diversity can improve business decision-making, increase innovation, cultivate teamwork, and boost collaboration and creativity.

At ServiceNow, we celebrate our diverse employees and their unique contributions to the company every day. Each year, we honor International Day of Persons with Disabilities alongside our TruAbility employee belonging group. Our internal theme this year is "Awareness and action create opportunities."

Watch the video to see three employees share artifacts that remind them how their disabilities can be challenging at times, yet feel like a blessing at others:

Awareness

Lisa C., a senior support account manager, is a mother of two, a runner, a volunteer, and a cancer survivor. She treasures an art project from her daughter that features a butterfly, a symbol of thyroid cancer. Lisa wants people to know it’s OK to talk about cancer and the challenges and joys of being a survivor.

“Sometimes colleagues don’t know what to say, or they say, ‘I’m sorry,’” she says. “Quite honestly, though, I’m completely grateful that I’m a thyroid cancer survivor. It has given me so many opportunities to meet new people, to learn new things, and to give myself to volunteering. There is a life after cancer, and it can be great. I am living proof.”

The neurodiversity rainbow infinity symbol holds special meaning for Nick D., a partner technology strategist. To him, it represents “the diversity of the neurodiverse community and the infinite potential of neurodivergent people,” he says. It also serves as a signal to others not to stereotype or generalize about people based on their disability.

“The first thing everyone should remember about people with autism,” Nick stresses, “is if you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. We’re each unique and bring different things to the table, and we have so much to offer. So be open to that uniqueness.”

Acceptance

Brooke S., a senior manager of brand intelligence who lives with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, proudly displays a piece of artwork by Stasia Burrington titled “I Made Me.” “It captures what it felt like and what it sometimes feels like to be me, especially as a neurodivergent person,” Brooke explains.

Her husband and two children also live with neurodivergence—and with what she calls their “menagerie” of pets, which includes a miniature opossum. “It’s an exciting household,” she says.

Brooke is grateful for the company’s culture of acceptance. “ServiceNow is the first place where I not only felt like I was comfortable talking about my neurodivergence, but also that I had a home,” she says. “It wasn’t just something that was tolerated, but something that was also celebrated.”

Nick and Lisa agree. “I've met directors and vice presidents who are supportive of my journey and who want me to be able to do my best work,” Nick says.

“With my disability, I have challenges with fatigue and energy, and my colleagues are always there to support and provide additional assistance if I need it,” Lisa adds.

Action

Lisa, Nick, and Brooke are all active members of the TruAbility at ServiceNow employee belonging group. “It’s been a great opportunity for me to develop my leadership skills and support fellow employees,” Nick notes. “I really enjoy getting the calls and Teams messages from people who are working through autism themselves, whether it’s a family member or their own diagnosis.”

These employees inspire us to learn more and to be better allies so that we can continue cultivating a culture of belonging.

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