Small business have to make the most of the labor market in order to succeed. A common mistake among recruiters is overlooking people with disabilities and this may be costing them more than they think they are gaining. 70% of able-bodied people have jobs while only 20% of disabled people are able to find employment. This means that there is a pool of talented people in the job market that has not been tapped into. The companies that take the chance on hiring disabled people are finding that it helps their companies in the long run. Here are a couple of ways how.

 

  1. Tax Benefits

Governments are generally happy to give tax breaks to companies that hire disabled people. Hiring a disabled person is the best way to get these breaks but some governments are also cutting business costs for companies that make their offices and facilities easy for disabled people to access with ramps and similar installations. These companies may even qualify for work opportunity credits if they hire workers who have special employment needs.

 

  1. Low Maintenance

Disabled people are a lot easier to accommodate than most people believe. Only 20% of people with disabilities require any special installations in the workplace and more than half of those who do were able to get custom installations for less than $1000. The employees that the accommodations are being made for are usually happy to work with creative solutions that do not cost a lot.

Installing these special accommodations also earns money for the company in the long run. Companies are finding that for every dollar invested in special needs accommodations, they are making back close to $30 thanks to a reduction in compensation claims, better employee engagement and improved levels of productivity.

 

  1. High-Quality Workers

People with disabilities are often found to be better employees than those without. A study ran by the Institute for Corporate Productivity showed that 75% of employers ranked their disabled workers as good or very good when it came to work quality, dependency, motivation and integrity. Employers regularly state that hiring disabled people is good for company morale.

Disabled people tend to be more grateful for the opportunity therefore they can be retained for longer periods. Disabled people will choose to work for these companies and stay with them because they are less likely to find such an accommodating work environment anywhere else. This means that the company can save costs on recruiting and training new employees.

Recruiting disabled workers also allows you to find quality workers that were overlooked. Many developed countries are experiencing a shortage in skilled labor and they they are filling the gaps by taking on disabled people. 17% of them have college degrees which means that they are just as skilled as able-bodied workers.

 

  1. Increased Levels of Productivity

Employees with disabilities are able to give your company a unique perspective. They have knowledge on assistive technology and the plight that disabled people go through which attracts more customers who also have disabilities. Disabled people are also known to be easy to work with since they are regularly in contact with care givers. This makes them excel in positions that require a lot of collaboration.

 

  1. Build Your Company’s Reputation

Diversity is always good for a company’s image. Both customers and employees alike are proven to be more loyal to organizations that prioritize diversity and inclusion because it shows that the organization cares about the community.

 

A quality workforce includes all kinds of people. Including people with disabilities in your employee-roster will do your business a world of good if you have the wisdom to look past the stigmas involved. All that you’ll need to do is make a few changes to make your workplace more inclusive for people with disabilities. The benefits can be enjoyed by business of all sizes and in any industry.

 

REFERENCES

http://disabilitycampaign.org/media/filer_public/38/a4/38a4890a-fde0-41ec-8db7-d7a22f3c0ffd/7-benefits-of-hiring-a-person-with-a-disability.pdf

7 Benefits A Person With A Disability Will Bring To Your Organisation

6 Reasons Hiring People with Disabilities is Good for Business