How your business benefits when you hire someone with a disability

Did you know? There are 2.2 million Australians living with disability who are of working age, but Australians with disability are under-represented in the workforce. In fact, the employment rate for people with disability is almost half compared to those without disability.

December 3rd is the United Nations International Day of People with Disability.

As part of the lead-up to the celebrations for that day, CoAct and our Service Partners are participating in a week-long initiative called AccessAbility Day.

An Australian Government initiative, AccessAbility Day gives employers a unique opportunity to connect with job seekers with a disability and get a first-hand look at what they can bring to the workplace.

The initiative allows employers to explore the possibilities of hiring a job seeker with a disability, connects you to a pool of capable and motivated job seekers, and gives you the opportunity to learn about Government support initiatives that might be available to you when you hire a person with a disability.

Why hire someone with disability? Here are just 4 of the many benefits to employers and workplaces.

Increase your talent pool

One in five Australians live with disability, so opening up your recruitment processes to include those with disability significantly increases the numbers in your talent pool, connecting you to a higher number of quality candidates and improving your chances of finding the perfect fit for your role.

Higher staff retention

Workplace diversity is a win-win for everyone. Employees who work in an inclusive workplace have been found to be more engaged, more motivated and more productive. Inclusive workplaces have lower rates of employee turnover, with employees reporting higher morale levels and staying in the business longer.

Benefits to the bottom line

Higher overall staff morale and the boost in staff retention means you spend less on recruitment and retraining, but that’s not all. People with disability have been found to take less sick leave than other employees, have fewer days off, and generally stay in employment longer.

Enhanced brand reputation

Hiring those with disability can boost your brand reputation significantly. Studies have shown that customers and employees are much more loyal to organisations that show a commitment to inclusion and diversity.

CoAct CEO, Matt Little, says diversity is crucial to a thriving workplace.

Businesses are starting to realise the benefits of hiring a diverse workforce. What business wouldn’t want improved employee engagement and retention, higher morale and productivity and a better reputation?

The AccessAbility initiative runs from Monday 25 to Friday 29 November 2019.

Employers can host a job seeker with disability at their place of work for a day, allowing them to see how the job seeker will fit into their workplace.

AccessAbility day is an obligation free opportunity for employers to connect with job seekers with disability.

If you’d like to host a participant at your place of business or talk further with someone about how hiring a person with a disability could benefit your business contact the CoAct team today.