Create an Inclusive Applicant Pool: Hiring Individuals with Disabilities

by Andrew D. HoughtonApr 20, 2018

Home » The Disability Inclusion Blog » Create an Inclusive Applicant Pool: Hiring Individuals with Disabilities

According to the Department of Labor’s latest data research, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 10.5 percent. While that number is much higher than the 4.6 percent for those without a disability, it’s noticeably lower than the 15.0 percent from 2011.(1)

Today, many employers are realizing that a disability-inclusive workplace isn’t just good PR, it’s good for business. Hiring employees with disabilities adds value to the organization, its customers, and the bottom line. Time and again, employers have expressed their satisfaction with the decision to create an inclusive culture. They state their businesses have benefited from:

increased motivation, productivity, and profitability
greater ability to find and retain talent
lower recruitment costs

What’s more, employees with disabilities often offer an entirely new perspective on things those without disabilities may take for granted. Take, for example, the case of the OXO kitchen products. A successful brand started because of one woman’s difficulty with a potato peeler. Samuel Farber, the company founder, set out to design cushioned, easy-to-hold kitchen products for his wife, who had arthritis. Little did he know, his attractive kitchen tools would find mass-market appeal.

While many organizations understand the value of disability inclusion and equality, they may not know how to effectively recruit people with disabilities. iDisability™ can help. As explained in the iDisability™ module “Outreach and Recruitment Partnerships: Building a Pipeline of Talent,” investing in outreach and recruitment programs will add a competitive advantage to your organization.

It’s encouraging to see the pendulum swinging in the right direction. And yet, more employers still need to provide applicants with disabilities the same opportunities they provide others. iDisability™ was specifically designed to educate organizations and their employees on how to effectively communicate, interview, hire, accommodate and engage people with disabilities within the workforce. To schedule a demonstration, complete this contact form.