Menu

An organisation’s capability to successfully accommodate the needs of disabled employees is not only a legal requirement of the Equality Act, but can also be a source of competitive advantage for the organisation.  The recruitment of disabled employees can make sound business sense by offering additional benefits to the organisation in the following areas:

• Staff retention: the ability to implement effective reasonable adjustments can enhance an organisation’s staff retention.  Only 20% of disabled persons are born with a disability; 70% of illnesses or impairments develop while a person is of working age.  A proportion of people who develop impairment while at work are forced to resign, this inflicts a cost on the employer who must recruit and train a new member of staff.  Organisations with the motivation and knowledge to implement a sound reasonable adjustment will be able to retain an experienced employee and avoid replacement costs.  
  

• Organisations with the ability to accommodate the needs of disabled staff are able to access a wider pool of applicants from which to recruit. This is particularly important for highly skilled/knowledge driven roles where there may be a shortage of labour supply.
  

• Better employees: research has revealed that disabled employees:
  
• have a greater tendency to stay with an organisation longer;
• are highly committed and motivated;
• are punctual;
  
• have lower levels of absenteeism.
  

• Corporate image: developing an ethical corporate image can be fundamental to business success in a consumer market driven by brand image.  A business with a reputation for being socially responsible can gain a significant competitive advantage in the market place and also enhance its staff morale.  Embracing diversity is a major facet of corporate responsibility, so the ability to accommodate the needs of disabled staff and consumers is an essential process in building a positive image.  Instances of bad disability practices or discrimination can cause substantial damage to an organisation’s reputation.

• Encouraging disabled customers: disabled employees can promote the organisation’s knowledge surrounding disabled customers' needs and help deliver a better service.

• Promote inclusive culture: disabled employees can become positive role models to challenge misconceptions surrounding disabilities which may be harboured by some members of the organisation.   Consequently, disabled employees can raise disability awareness and help develop a more inclusive culture in the organisation (Stanley, K 2003 p.25-33 Waterman, I 2003 p. 4).
  

Research findings

As part of our own research into ‘Employability and Disability’ we distributed a number of online surveys to a wide sample of employers. Over  80% of employers surveyed believe that recruiting disabled graduates would have the following additional benefits to their organisation:

• developing an inclusive culture helps dispel negative myths surrounding disabilities;
• disabled employees possess unique skills and/or desirable traits such as high motivation;
• the organisation is able to deliver a better service to disabled consumers through enhanced understanding of their needs;
•  organisations can access a wider pool of talent by including disabled people;
  
• better staff retention;
• disabled employees act positive role models for potential employees;
  
• organisations have an inclusive corporate image through employing disabled people.

Quotes from employers’ survey:



Resources/references

Business Link: the business case for making reasonable adjustments

Stanley, K.et al (2003) The Missing Million: Supporting disabled people into work, Institute for public policy research, Emphasis, London

Waterman, I. et al (2003): Disabled Access to Facilities, A practical and comprehensive to the service provider’s duties under Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Butterworths Trolley Lexis Nexis, London