Why Hire
Employers have much to gain by hiring qualified and skilled people who have a disability. It’s good business and research supports this.
Surveys of employers reveal overwhelming benefits from hiring people who have a disability:
- Hardworking 93%
- Positive attitude 93%
- Reliable 90%
- Dedicated 90%
- Good employee 86%
- Long term employee 79%
- Lower turnover – 5 times more likely to stay on the job
- Part of the team 79%
- Good work ethic 76%
- Will work part-time 76%
- Increased workforce diversity 69%
Other Benefits
- Build a more diverse, inclusive and accommodating workplace
- Access an untapped labour pool
- 97% of employees who have a disability rate average or above average in terms of safety on the job
- Increase productivity and morale within your workplace
- Agencies provide on-the-job training and job coaching for new employees
- Opportunity to fill labour shortages due to retirements and lack of skilled labour force
- Hiring workers who have a disability will help employers meet their compliance requirements for the Employment Equity Act.
Growing Market Opportunity
Globally, there are 1.3 billion people living with a disability. Equal to the population of China.
- In Western, industrialized nations people with disabilities comprise between 15% and 17% of the population and is growing due to age-related disabilities. In countries that experience severe poverty, war and conflict and diseases such as polio and malaria the disability rate is much higher.
- When you include the family members of those with disabilities the number of people who are affected by, or care about disability is enormous.
- By including people with disabilities in your workforce you can learn to become disability-confident, providing the goods and services this demographic wants and needs and attracting people with disabilities and their families to your business.
There are resources to help employers hiring people who have a disability such as supported employment services that help with job coaching, on-the-job training and workplace modifications.