SM CHAMPIONS WORKPLACE INCLUSION

SM Markets opened its doors anew to persons with autism (PWAS) and welcomed another batch of PWA participants for Autism at Work, a workplace inclusion and immersion program for PWAS in partnership with Autism Society Philippines (ASP).

Among this year’s PWA participants are Conan, Pinky, and Brainard who just started immersing themselves in grocery related tasks at Savemore Market Mezza. They are tasked to return stray items, organize baskets and carts, greet entering shoppers, and bag their purchases at the checkout under Autism at Work.

They are a balanced trio with Brainard, on his third year with Autism at Work, and Pinky, a returning participant, grouped together to help ease in newcomer Conan. Compared to Pinky and Brainard, who already completed cycles with the program, Conan is a bit timid and shy. He likes to silently go about his duties not talking about how he likes assembling bikes and riding them with his friends to far places like Tagaytay, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija.

Pinky goes about her duties silently too but she likes talking about her paintings, photos, and her new We Bare Bears collection when engaged. And like a social butterfly, Brainard is proactive in greeting shoppers with a smile and conversing. He likes talking about his work, his learnings, and how much he likes playing basketball with friends. He has become more comfortable with people being previously assigned at Savemore Market Light Residences and Savemore Market Mezza.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects a child’s behavior and ability to interact with others. There are no physical manifestations but those diagnosed with ASD are described as emotionally detached. Some might want friends but they still have difficulty understanding feelings and personal space. There are also those that have difficulty understanding language including non-verbal communication like gestures, facial expressions, and body language. And though PWAS do have difficulty in certain aspects, they still have different talents like exceptional memory and keen sense of spatial reasoning.

SM Markets and ASP recognized the compatibility of the PWAS’ behavior of repetition and organization to certain posts in supermarkets like organizing shelves, returning stray items, and collecting used baskets and carts. The pilot was launched in July 2016, at Savemore Market Light Mall in Mandaluyong, starting with three PWAS. A year later, the program was implemented in five more stores.

ASP National president Mona Magno-veluz commended SM Markets for leading the way in HR and training best practices in handling neurodiverse workers.