Hiring people with disabilities – A boon for organization

People with disabilities have long been excluded or underrepresented in the labor force due to unrealistic expectations and preconceived notions about their abilities. However, there has been a significant increase in discussion and activism about fair representation and equal opportunity for people with disabilities in the workplace. As a result, the working world is changing for the better – and not just in terms of inclusion.

Benefits of hiring people with disabilities:

There are a number of reasons why you should think about hiring people with disabilities at your company. These job seekers can help your company in a variety of ways.

It can increase your profit margin:

According to a 2018 study conducted by Accenture in collaboration with the American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability: IN, businesses that actively seek to hire people with disabilities outperform businesses that do not. Their revenues were 28% higher, their net income was twice as high, and their profit margins were 30% higher. Furthermore, the Department of Labor discovered that employers who embraced disability saw a 90% increase in employee retention.

It broadens your company’s culture:

The value that disabled workers can bring to the workplace extends far beyond monetary considerations. Their distinct perspectives contribute to the development of diverse company cultures and the enhancement of innovation.

It boosts employee motivation and lowers turnover rates:

Aside from the financial and economic benefits, hiring people with disabilities improves factors like absenteeism and motivation. Increased innovation, increased shareholder value, improved productivity, access to the supplier ecosystem, improved market share, and enhanced reputation are the six main areas of “inclusion incentives.”

People with disabilities can bring innovative thinking, a unique perspective, and other talents that can help businesses be more productive and competitive.

Companies that prioritize diverse hiring experience lower turnover because their employees feel more loyal to the company and have a positive connection to its business practices.

Other advantages of hiring people with disabilities include:

• Employee morale and productivity often rise in the workplace.

• The company’s image is more positively perceived. According to research conducted in the United States, consumers view companies that hire people with disabilities positively, and the majority may even switch brands to support such businesses.

• Achievement of corporate social responsibility objectives. Many businesses view hiring people with disabilities as both a response to community needs and corporate responsibility.

• Compliance with the buyer’s or the country’s policies and legislation. If you work in a global company’s supply chain, your buyers may have specific non-discrimination and hiring goals for people with disabilities, as well as the requirement that you follow national labor laws.

Why are businesses hesitant?

Many businesses avoid pursuing active disability inclusion because they mistakenly believe it will cost them money or necessitate complex expertise – but numerous studies show that this is not the case.

Nearly 60% of accommodations are free, with the remainder costing around $500 per person with a disability. Furthermore, reports show that the benefits of a diversely abled workforce far outweigh the costs. Consider adding accessibility features right away and making flexible working hours and diversity training part of your workplace culture. Being mindful of reasonable accommodation and disability inclusion from the start can also help companies avoid extra costs: Consider adding accessibility features right away and making flexible working hours and diversity training part of your workplace culture.

It is not necessary to have specialized knowledge or training to accommodate a disabled employee. Because everyone is an individual with unique needs, the best way to serve any of your employees is to simply ask what they require from you rather than assuming they will require a complex job accommodation and then deliver on those needs to the best of your ability.

Push down and reconsider outdated processes and thinking in your organization. Hiring managers sometimes have an unconscious bias that hiring someone who works a little differently will make their job easier.

How to Make Your Workplace More Inclusive

According to a research study, the companies that actively hire people with disabilities are identified as “champions”. Champions are people who take four key steps in hiring, retaining, and advancing diverse talent.

• Employ people with disabilities.

• Allow their employees to do their jobs to the best of their abilities.

• Participate in employee awareness-raising, disability education programs, and grassroots efforts.

• Empower by providing mentor and mentee opportunities, skill-building programs, and allowing diverse talent to hold roles at all levels.

Conclusion:

Companies must view hiring a diverse workforce as embracing the benefits of having a group of people with varying abilities, skills, and levels of intelligence, rather than compliance or perceived obligation if they are to be truly successful.

Start from the inside out to make your company more inclusive. Make sure your company’s policies and culture are inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities. That means that everything – employee handbooks, procedures, and practices – should consider the fact that what one person considers to be a standard may not be the same as what another person considers to be a standard.

People with disabilities have the potential to bring success, diversity, and increased motivation to the workplace, but they have been stigmatized and discriminated against for decades. Although more businesses are seeing the benefits of fully inclusive hiring, there is still much work to be done.

It is a serious problem not to use talented people because they may require accommodations. Concentrate on what the individual can do for the company.