Here’s a talent pool most employers ignore

Australia’s labour market is under pressure. Across industries; healthcare, logistics, hospitality, construction and retail, employers are struggling to find and retain reliable workers. Job ads remain high, vacancies go unfilled for months, and the cost of turnover quietly compounds.

But while most businesses are fishing in the same pond, there’s a substantial, work-ready talent pool that most employers haven’t seriously considered.

The numbers tell a clear story

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, over 4.4 million Australians live with disability. Of those who are of working age and want to work, many remain unemployed or underemployed — not because of lack of capability, but because of persistent barriers in recruitment, awareness and workplace design.

The Inclusive Employment Australia framework exists precisely to change this. It supports employers in building the confidence, structures and connections needed to hire inclusively and successfully.

This isn’t a charity exercise. It’s a workforce strategy.

Why this talent pool is underutilised

There are a few reasons employers overlook jobseekers with disability or from other disadvantaged cohorts:

• Uncertainty about what ‘support’ actually involves
• Assumptions about productivity, reliability or safety
• Lack of experience with supported employment pathways
• Recruitment processes that inadvertently screen people out

Most of these concerns dissolve quickly with the right information and the right partner. The reality is that many jobseekers accessing employment services are highly motivated, have relevant skills and experience, and are actively looking for a chance to contribute.

What the research actually shows

Employers who hire inclusively consistently report strong outcomes. Research by the Australian Network on Disability and others has found that:

• Employees hired through supported pathways often show higher retention rates than those hired through traditional channels
• Workplace adjustments are frequently low-cost or no-cost
• Team morale and culture often improve when inclusive hiring becomes normalised
• Diverse teams are more likely to reflect the customer base they’re serving

The fear of getting it wrong tends to be larger than the reality of doing it well.

Workforce Australia and the role of employment services

Workforce Australia is the Australian Government’s employment services framework, designed to connect jobseekers with employers and provide both with the support they need to make employment sustainable. For employers, it offers access to:

• Work-ready candidates
• Wage subsidies that can offset the cost of onboarding and training
• Ongoing post-placement support for both employee and employer
• Specialist consultants who understand your industry and your needs

The businesses that engage actively with this system (rather than treating it as a last resort) tend to get the best results.

The practical shift

Tapping into this talent pool doesn’t require a complete overhaul of how you hire. It usually starts with one conversation.

It might mean reviewing how your job ads are written. It might mean understanding what wage subsidies you’re eligible for. It might mean working with a specialist employment services provider who can match candidates to roles and support the transition.

The employers who’ve made this shift often say the same thing: they wish they’d started sooner.

At CoAct Connect, we work with a national network of service partners across Workforce Australia and Inclusive Employment Australia to connect employers with motivated, supported candidates. Whether you have one vacancy or fifty, we can help you find the right fit, and make it stick. Talk to our team to find out what’s possible.