Hiring A Person With a Disability May Be The Best Thing For Your Business

People living with a disability have an equal right to meaningful employment.

But from an employer’s perspective, hiring a person with a disability may seem as if there’s a lot to learn. What supports and services will you need to provide for them? Will it be costly? Will you get a return on your investment?

The answer to the last question is: YES!

What are the benefits?

Particularly when you consider that one in five Australians lives with a disability, not hiring someone with a disability can severely restrict your pool of potential employees.

The Australian Government’s Job Access website sets out a strong business case for hiring people with disability. Working alongside someone with a disability fosters inclusivity and strong, cohesive workplace connections. And a cohesive workplace is a productive one.

There are also financial advantages and real cost savings – notably through reduced staff turnover and lower recruitment and training costs.

Research has found:

• Workers with a disability generally take fewer days off and stay in their jobs longer
• Employment costs can be 13 per cent lower than other employees*
• Workers’ compensation costs are as low as 4 per cent of other employees*
• In the right job, people with a disability perform as well as other employees
• People with a disability boost staff morale and a sense of teamwork
• People with a disability build strong connections with customers and boost an employer’s image in the community.

* 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.

What do I need to know about hiring someone with a disability?

The Australian Government’s JobAccess website provides a comprehensive Employer’s Toolkit full of information to empower employers to understand the steps required in hiring a person with a disability.

The toolkit includes videos and resources with all the information set out in a series of topics in five sections:

• Disability employment basics – ensuring your workplace practices are fair and accessible
• Fundamentals for organisations – your obligations, what supports are available, and important plans and policies
• Recruiting – how to attract the best people and make your recruitment process accessible
• Getting your workplace ready – some people with disability need adjustments so they can work to their best ability, you need to know what to do and what supports you can access to help you make any necessary changes
• Managing your team – how to support people with a disability in the workplace and ensure it is inclusive for everyone

All the resources are readily accessible and downloadable, so you can access the information as and when you need it.

We also know that while many small to medium business owners do not have the time to learn how to hire someone with a disability. JobAccess says intermediaries, such as AimBig Employment, can help.

How we can help.

At AimBig Employment, our expert teams have more than 20 years of experience helping people with a disability achieve successful employment outcomes, and an established network of employer connections.

We have assisted employers – large and small – with over 100 offices to hire and continue to support people living and working with disability. We work with employers and people with disability to help people find the right job that works for everyone and support both employer and employee to continue to work well together.