Hiring People With Disabilities: ICS Service Solutions Case Study

When Glen found himself confronted with his own bias about recruiting people with disabilities he took action to make the changes he wanted to see in the world and, in turn, created a stronger business.  

In 2023, when Glen was hired as the QLD State Manager at ICS Service Solutions, a cleaning company which services Australia and New Zealand, they had never considered hiring people with disabilities before, now over 50% of their staff across Queensland have been hired through Disability Employment Services (DES). 

Where it all Began 

Glen Givens – the QLD State Manager for ICS Service Solutions – is all too aware of the issues that exist within the cleaning industry.  

The cleaning industry tends to be very, very tough. There are a lot of businesses out there who underpay people. Instead of paying the award they will get their people to register as external contractors so they can underpay them. People end up working a lot of hours and don’t get compensated fairly for their time.  

ICS had always done things a little differently, they had always hired their own staff, trained them in-house and prioritised workplace culture so that they had a reliable team that their clients could trust, but it wasn’t until Glen came on board with ICS in 2023 that things really started to change.  

 COVID was a good time for cleaning businesses because suddenly everyone had to meet these new rules and have things cleaned to a new standard, so cleaning businesses were getting a lot more work. When COVID calmed down a lot of those places went out of business. ICS had been in operation since the 60’s so they already had a really strong foundation, but they did do some restructuring right after COVID, and that’s when I joined as the QLD State Manager.  

A Shift in Attitude 

These days Glen is a strong advocate for hiring through Disability Employment Services but he admits that his attitude about hiring people with disabilities wasn’t always fair.  

I used to think very differently. I wouldn’t even have looked at a person with a disability as a candidate. I thought ‘if I can get someone who’s doesn’t have a disability to do the job, why would I ever look at someone who wasn’t?’ I thought a person with disabilities would come with extra baggage and need too much help. To be honest, I saw it as creating more problems for me and so I just left it alone.

Glen’s attitude shifted when he spent 12 months working as a job coach for people with disabilities.  

Suddenly I was in a position where I was trying to help these people to find work and realising that I would never have even looked at them when I was hiring. I realised how ignorant I had been. That job gave me such a huge understanding of people’s barriers and what they were going through. It was such an eye opener. Working there helped me see that people with disabilities have plenty of skills to offer as well.

So, when Glen was hired as the QLD State Manager at ICS Service Solutions, having come directly from working in recruitment with people with disabilities, he didn’t even think to run it past his senior managers before he began recruiting people through DES. 

He started with 2 candidates from his caseload at his previous job; people who he wasn’t able to find placements for, and now over 50% of his employees state-wide have been recruited through DES  

 But he wasn’t able to do it alone.  

Teaming Up With the Experts 

When recruiting without the help of CoAct, Glen found that he would waste hours and hours sifting through candidates; many of whom didn’t have the skills required for the role, or who weren’t genuinely looking for work at all.  

 I had to hire staff for a Kindergarten on the North side of Brisbane, candidates needed to have a blue card and they needed to have a police check, I had 2 days to find someone, and I had about 80 applicants, but the majority of them didn’t speak English, they didn’t have blue cards, they didn’t have police checks. I had to spend hours sifting through all this stuff just to find the few who were legitimate candidates. It was such a waste of time.  

So, in search of employment support, Glen turned to CoAct’s network of Disability Employment Services providers, who were able to supply him with pre-vetted candidates that met the job’s requirements. Working with Disability Employment Services providers meant that the candidates not only had the necessary qualifications but were also matched to the role based on a strong understanding of the job requirements. 

 I’ll give them a call and say ‘look, this is what I need, if you think you’ve got someone who’s suitable and physically able to do the job contact me’ and then they’ll send through the people they know can do it. Working side by side and having them understand what I need has made the whole thing so much easier.  

Glen’s ongoing collaboration with Disability Employment Services providers has allowed him to focus more on finding the right talent and less on administrative hurdles.  

A Win for the Candidates and a Win for the Business 

Glen’s first hire – one of his clients from his previous employment services job – has now been employed at ICS for over 12 months and is loving it. He has gained financial independence for the first time in his life, has made new friends, is less socially isolated, and feels pride in holding down a job and in being someone that ICS can rely on. Being allowed to contribute has improved his confidence and mental well-being, making him happier than ever.  

And it’s not just the employees who are benefiting from the change, Glen says that his decision to hire through Disability Employment Services has done wonders for the ICS brand.  

 If you find a business that supports Disability Employment Services, it really says something about your company. People look at us and go ‘that’s great’.  

He also believes that hiring through Disability Employment Services has deeply impacted ICS’ company culture for the better.  

People with disability are just looking for a chance, they just want someone to back them, and they’re always grateful for the opportunity to do a good job, so they come in wanting to work hard and wanting to be part of the team and that attitude flows through to everyone else. It creates a supportive and enthusiastic culture.  

 But it hasn’t always been easy.  

Not All Smooth Sailing  

While Glen has seen great success hiring through a Disability Employment Services provider, he admits that not every placement has succeeded.  

 There was one person I employed, and he kept leaving the place unlocked and losing parts of the lock and in the end I had to terminate him. It was disappointing but I did what I had to do. At the end of the day, I do still feel like he gained something from the experience; he got some new skills and now has some work experience to put on his resume, he got some extra money, and he got back into a routine of getting out and going to work, so it’s not all a loss.  

Glen takes it in his stride—he acknowledges that recruitment mismatches can occur with any staff, whether hired through Disability Employment Services or not, and he remains 100% on board with hiring through the DES. 

These people don’t often get opportunities. No one wants to give them a chance, so when they do get a chance, it makes so much of a difference. You’re making a huge impact on their lives.  

But it’s not all about making lives better, it’s good for the bottom line too. 

Financially you get wage subsidies, so you’re not out of pocket at all by investing in people with disabilities. There’s no hassle at all with that, and you get a more stable and loyal workforce, as well as all the support from the Disability Employment Services providers who give you so much assistance. There’s no downside really.  

Glen passionately encourages other businesses to get on board. When asked if he’d recommend hiring through Disability Employment Services to other businesses looking to support a more diverse workforce, his response was simple:  

 Yeah, 100%. 

How to Create a More Diverse Workforce for Your Business 

If you’d like to create a more diverse workforce for your business, contact the team at CoAct today. Our experts can help with everything from recruitment to training, onsite support and even help you source financial assistance and subsidies. Our employment services are completely free, and our experienced team will work closely with you to discover the best way to help your business succeed.