The Benefits of Employing Someone with a Disability

Creating an inclusive workplace starts with challenging the assumptions we make about disability.

For too long, people living with disability have faced barriers to employment, often shaped by a lack of awareness, outdated perceptions and unconscious bias. One common misconception is that employing a person with disability will require additional attention, resources or adjustments that make them more difficult to support as an employee.

But the reality is very different.

People with disability bring a diverse range of skills, experiences and perspectives to the workplace, and when employers create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, both employees and businesses can benefit.

So, what does the evidence tell us about people with disability in the workforce?

Let’s look at the facts.

• Employing people with disability enhances an organisation’s image in the community. [1]
• People with disability build strong and enduring connections with customers. [1]
• People with disability are personable and support workplace moral and teamwork.
• People with disability generally take less sick leave and have high retention rates. [1]
• Employment costs for people with disability can actually be lower than other employees.[2]
• On average, people with disability have lower workers compensation costs. [3]
• In the right role people with disability are as productive and perform tasks as well as other employees.

The Inclusive Employment Australia program helps people living with disability, injury or a health condition to prepare for, find and maintain employment.

Inclusive Employment Australia program offers broader access, stronger support, and greater flexibility than ever before. As an experienced inclusive employment agency, Ability Options delivers this program in partnership with CoAct Connect to support jobseekers across Sydney and surrounding regions.

Some of the workplace supports we can offer:

• Professional recruitment advice – helping you find the candidate for your organisation.
• Connection to Wage Subsidies & Workplace Funding – helping you to assess your eligibility for wage subsidies and workplace modification funding.
• Job design – assisting you to craft roles that provide for the unique requirements of your staff
• On the job support – helping your staff settle into their new role
• Disability awareness training – providing information to your organisation to foster a socially inclusive workplace
• Ongoing Support – assisting employers or employees who require support to maintain employment

People living with disability, injury or health conditions such as mental illness are in our workforce right now performing roles in a variety of industries. Many are successful, highly intelligent and independent people, dedicated to their chosen vocations.

—–[1] Benefits of employing people with disability | JobAccess
[2] Graffam, J, Shinkfield, A, Smith, K, and Polzin, U 2002, ‘Employer benefits and costs of employing a person with a disability’, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 17, pp. 251-263.
[3] Graffam, J, Shinkfield, A, Smith, K, and Polzin, U 2002, ‘Employer benefits and costs of employing a person with a disability’, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 17, pp. 251-263.