Did you know that people with disabilities have an employment rate of 10% in comparison to 5.3% for the normal folk? This means that they are twice as likely to be unemployed. This figure is even higher for those with intellectual or mental disabilities. Fortunately, businesses have started realizing the value of a diverse workforce and this has led to more and more individuals with disabilities securing jobs.
But why should businesses and organizations consider hiring individuals with disabilities? Let us delve further.
They Can Be Counted On
Failure to turn up at work is one of the primary reasons businesses hesitate to hire people with disabilities. A closer inspection of the attendance figures, however, shows otherwise.
According to one study, individuals with disabilities are almost 40% less likely to take time off and sick leaves compared to other employees.
Not just that, workers with disabilities have a higher job retention rate. As a matter of fact, one study on a call centre revealed that their workers with disabilities stayed in their positions for an average of 4 years, while the rest stuck for about 3 years.
And for those that think people with disabilities are more susceptible to injuries, the reality is that they make fewer workplace accident claims.
For business owners and managers, this not only implies a more stable workforce but also translates to more financial savings as well.
They See Things in a Different Perspective
Regardless of the common belief, workers with disabilities work just as well as other people, provided they are in the right job. Many organizations have realized that employees with disabilities are up there in the most productive, and providing something extra to the table, be it a different approach or perspective to problem-solving.
This should not come as a surprise, given people with disabilities are usually skilled at adapting to new or hard situations.
Also, when organizations or businesses are diverse and hire individuals from all walks of life, they become more creative, innovative and productive.
They Make Your Organization More Appealing
People prefer working with entities that are inclusive, and this applies to employees and customers as well. According to a recent study, over 85% of the candidates said they would prefer giving their business to organizations that hire individuals with a disability.
Likewise, many job seekers actively look for organizations with diverse workforces, as they feel confident that they do not discriminate. Simply put, if a company wants to be appealing to employers and customers, they shouldn’t be close-minded when employing. For any readers that are reading this that are considering hiring a disabled person, I would recommend you see disability awareness training UK.
Their Good Work Ethic Usually Rubs Off
As we earlier mentioned, individuals with a disability tend to present a distinct set of skills in the workplace. They can share their skills, insights and experiences with their colleagues, making the organization more productive.
Not just that, but studies show employing people with disabilities improves teamwork, staff morale, the speed and quality of work that other workers produce.
They Can Provide Insight into Customers
According to data, one in five people living in Australia has a disability, and this includes customers from all walks of life. With this being the case, organizations might be missing out by not including these individuals in their workforce.
This is understandable as you cannot hope to comprehend and respond to the need of diverse citizens if you do not have any of them working for you. It is similar to having employees with no women or ethnic diversity. It is just plain wrong.
As you can see, there are several appealing benefits to having a workforce that includes people with disabilities and it’s high time every business and organization did so.