Why employ disabled people

Contact us. Business benefits In , a survey by Deloitte Australia discovered that many employer concerns about recruiting disabled staff were myths. Deloitte found that: the vast majority of disabled workers are as productive or more productive than non-disabled workers most disabled workers have better attendance and fewer health and safety issues than non-disabled workers hiring disabled workers usually costs less than hiring non-disabled workers.

Ready and able to work Most disabled workers require the same workplace support as non-disabled workers. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. OK Proceed. Your session has expired. Please log in as a SHRM member. Cancel Sign In. Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. OK Join. An error has occurred. From Email. To Email. Send Cancel Close. Post a Job See All Jobs. Are you a department of one? Recruiters Will Continue to Adapt in Their unique perspectives help to create diverse company cultures and improve innovation.

Aside from the financial and economic gains, hiring people with disabilities has a positive effect on factors such as absenteeism and motivation. The Accenture study highlights six main areas of "inclusion incentives" — increased innovation, improved shareholder value, improved productivity, access to the supplier ecosystem, improved market share and enhanced reputation.

Companies that focus on diverse hiring also see lower turnover, as their employees feel greater loyalty to the company and a positive connection to its business practices.

There is a striking disparity between the current American labor market and the employment status of people with disabilities. If American companies were to actively participate in hiring people with disabilities, they would have access to a talent pool of more than The government realizes the benefits of business owners hiring employees with disabilities as well as the costs of making workplace accommodations , so they financially incentivize this process through tax benefits.

Employers can also take advantage of state tax credits, although these vary by state. Many companies avoid targeting active disability inclusion because they incorrectly assume that it will cost them money or require complex expertise — but multiple studies show that this is not the case. Additionally, reports overwhelmingly show that the benefits of a diversely abled workforce vastly outweigh the costs. 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.

Specific expertise or training is not required for accommodating a worker with a disability. Because everyone is an individual and has unique needs, the best way to serve any of your employees is simply to ask what they need from you, rather than assuming they'll need a complex job accommodation, and then delivering on those needs to the best of your ability.

Our community has been hit hard by the pandemic and needs to be at the forefront of any recovery efforts. Learn more about how hiring workers with disabilities could help you achieve greater success by reviewing the resources below. Skip to Footer. Skip Navigation. Search Box Search. Employers Embracing Employees with Disabilities.