Recruiting disabled people

If you are looking to recruit the best person to fill your job vacancy, you may be missing out on talented potential employees because you are not engaging with disabled jobseekers.

Employers of disabled people have consistently found that:

• disabled people are as productive and as reliable as any other employees.
• in living their day-to-day lives many disabled people develop transferable problem solving skills that are invaluable in the workplace.
• disabled people in work tend to have better attendance records, stay with employers longer and have fewer accidents at work. Most do not require adjustments at work.
• government support is often available should workplace adjustments be needed to enable business to realise the potential of disabled people.
• disabled employees are well placed to identify, develop and deliver products and services targeted at this significant and growing market: people with disabilities, and their families, friends and colleagues. The spending power of disabled people in the UK is estimated at £80 billion.
• staff morale and team development are enhanced when businesses are seen to be good employers of people with disabilities.
• organisations accessible to disabled customers will be more accessible and appealing to all consumers and stakeholders.

In addition, organisations with expertise in managing disability in the workplace report they are better able to minimise:

• the costs associated with unnecessary early medical retirement and work related injuries.
• stress and sickness related absenteeism.
• litigation and/or negative publicity.

Perhaps most telling is that company surveys consistently conclude that organisations, having successfully employed disabled people, are keen to employ more.