hiring employees with a disability

The ten hidden benefits of hiring employees with a disability

 

“Employers have recognised for some time that it’s smart business to have a diverse workforce – one in which many views are represented, and everyone’s talents are valued. Well, disability is part of diversity.”

— Thomas Perez

 

 

Gone are the days’ when People with disabilities have long been excluded from the workspace based on low expectations, and preconceived believes about their abilities. But now a huge difference happened in the last decade as a lot of new doors opened for disabled ones. There has been a huge increase in conversation and activism concerning fair representation and opportunity for people with disabilities in the workforce. As a result, the working world has changed for the better.

hiring employees with a disability is not only the fair thing to do but also benefits the business. In this blog, we got covered ten hidden advantages of hiring disabled employees. Read further to know them.

 

“People with disabilities deserve the chance to build a life for themselves in the communities which they choose to live.”

— Barack Obama

 

Benefits of hiring employees with a disability

• Increased productivity

Businesses that actively seek to employ people with disabilities outperform companies that do not. Disabled employees are loyal, trustworthy, and hardworking. They are focused and highly motivated under the right working conditions. It is also proven that they have a lower rate of absenteeism. Other benefits of hiring a disabled person are they often try to make up for their negatives by offering greater efforts. All these qualities let them work to their full potential, increasing productivity levels in any business.

• Reduced Turnover

Disable workers are loyal and are less likely to change their job, position, or post regularly. They prefer doing their works efficiently with minimal complaints from their employers. Companies hiring workers with disabilities experience superior retention rates, thereby reducing the high cost of turnover.

• Diversity at the Workplace

Diversity is the key to a profitable business firm. A diverse workforce makes sure businesses have a talented pool of candidates who can handle different types of workloads. Hiring disabled workers also provide a different kind of diversity. Though they lack some physical abilities, they make it up with extremely high mental abilities that others can only imagine. Also, workers who aren’t disabled can learn their ways of accomplishing different tasks and solving problems.

• Larger Talent Pool

First of all, people with disabilities are as efficient as anyone else. Sometimes, finding the perfect candidate may seem impossible. Including people with disabilities during the hiring process widen your talent pool so you can find the ideal candidate. Qualified disabled people represent the untapped applicant pool for employers. It’s not hard to guess how hard they had to work to reach such a capable level. Hiring a good, hard-working employee will undoubtedly pay off.

• Fewer Work-related Accidents

Disabled individuals are more conscious of safety. In other words, disabled employees are more careful at the workspace, exhibiting a remarkably higher performance than their colleagues without disability in the area of safety. Hiring individuals with disabilities reduce work-related injuries/deaths, which in turn avoids litigation.

 

“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking your potential.”

— Winston Churchill

 

• Innovation through Creative Thinking

Disabled individuals face many challenges daily. So they are used to finding solutions that need an open mind, creativity, and flexibility. This problem-solving skills and creative way of thinking can benefit the business through innovation.

• Improved Image

Customers are more attracted to firms who show that their workforce reflects the community as a whole. The benefits of recruiting people with disabilities are that it creates a positive mindset in society and demonstrates a company’s commitment to equality. It makes a business more attractive to prospective customers, employees, and even business associates. Also, evidence of inclusion is often taken into account when awarding tenders and contracts.

• Added Benefits in Legal Issues

Having employees with disabilities in your workforce can help prevent some legal issues for your company, especially in cases related to discrimination. It reduces the risk of a lawsuit, which could otherwise tarnish your company’s reputation or lead to huge financial losses.

• Increased Market Share

Disabled customers, as well as their friends, family members, and associates, represent a broad market segment. They just like to buy goods and services from companies that meet their needs the best. Disabled employees have additional insight into what this market segment needs. Disabled employees will help you tailor your products or services better. It allows you to best satisfy the needs of customers with disabilities, giving you an edge over your competitors.

• Tax Benefits

Other benefits of hiring disabled workers are financial incentives. Employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate employees with disabilities. The cost of making such adjustments like purchasing adaptive equipment, having a barrier-free environment, preparing ramps, and qualify for tax relief as a business expense. Also, government organisations often offer funds for hiring disabled people. Employers should take benefits of such opportunities to lower the financial load of their firm as well as enhance ways of gathering funds, especially for small businesses.

People with disabilities can bring success, diversity and enrich motivation in the workplace. But still, they are fighting against decades of discrimination and stigma. More companies are seeing the advantages of fully inclusive hiring, but there is still a great deal of work to be done.

“We know that equality of individual ability has never existed and never will, but we do insist that equality of opportunity still must be sought.”

— Franklin D. Roosevelt