benefits of hiring people with disabilities


Frank Gloek poses for the camera at Wild Oats
Frank Gloek
Wild Oats Bakery, Brunswick, ME

Improve Your Image with Consumers
American consumers prefer socially responsible businesses. A 2006 University of Massachusetts Boston study reported "overwhelmingly positive attitudes among consumers toward socially responsible companies, and in particular toward those that hire individuals with disabilities." Among surveyed consumers:
  • 92 percent felt more favorable toward companies that hire people with disabilities;
  • 87 percent said they would give their business to companies that hire people with disabilities;
  • the employment of people with disabilities ranked third as an indicator of a company's commitment to social justice; and
  • 98 percent of respondents who had been served by a worker with a disability were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the service they received.
Increase Your Market Share
There are over 49 million people with disabilities in the United States. This population has a total annual income of $1 trillion. People with disabilities prefer businesses that are sensitive to their needs and that represent their population. Additionally, businesses have found it makes good marketing sense to have a workforce representative of the community.
  • Nearly one-in-five people in the United States has a disability.
  • According to the national business directory, people with disabilities have a discretionary income of $200 billion.
  • 48 percent of people with disabilities are the principal shoppers in their families, meaning that they have influence on not only their own spending, but that of the family as well. (Source: Simmons Market Research Bureau, 2000)
People With Disabilities Perform as Well as Their Non-disabled Peers
A 35-year-long study by DuPont has shown that employees with disabilities consistently perform as well, if not better, than their non-disabled colleagues.
  • 86 percent of workers with disabilities are rated "average" or "above average" for attendance.
  • 90 percent of workers with disabilities are rated "average" or "above average" for performance.
  • 97 percent of workers with disabilities are rated "average" or "above average" for safety.
Reduce Employee Turnover
It is well known that employee turnover is expensive—it can cost one-and-a-half times an employee's salary to replace him or her. Employers have found that they can drastically reduce turnover costs by hiring people with disabilities. This is because employees with disabilities generally have a lower attrition rate than employees without disabilities. Additionally, research has shown it is far more cost effective to make an accommodation for an employee with a disability than it is to find a replacement for that same employee.

Employers who tracked overall worker turnover after hiring employees with disabilities found the reduction in turnover was dramatic. For example, at Carolina Fine Snacks in Greensboro, NC "turnover dropped from 80 percent every six months to less than five percent" as the result of hiring people with disabilities.

A survey conducted by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) shows the positive influence hiring workers with disabilities has on employee turnover:
  • 96 percent of employers reported they saved money by hiring or retraining people with disabilities and by making necessary job accommodations. As a result of their efforts, these employers reduced turnover.
  • 15 percent of employers reported savings of up to $5000, while 20 percent said they had saved between $20,001 and $50,000 in employee replacement costs after hiring or retraining people with disabilities. [source]
  • For every dollar spent on making an accommodation for an employee with a disability companies received $34.58 in benefits.
Workplace Diversity
Organizations that excel at making the most of their employee's diversity achieve better financial performance in the long run compared to organizations that do not treat diversity as an opportunity. (1994 Federal Glass Ceiling Commission study)
  • We are part of a global community and economy where diversity of thought, culture and people is the consumer expectation: consumers expect that companies will embrace diversity.
  • Companies can benefit directly from the innovative and diverse ideas people with disabilities bring to the workplace. For example, a woman with multiple sclerosis concerned about the difficulty of dating founded an online dating service for people with disabilities. (source).
  • Diversity in the workplace can reduce the risk of lawsuits, boost creativity, and increase marketing opportunities and business image. (source).
Find Skilled Workers With No Recruiting Costs
Recruiting costs can be significant using traditional recruiting services. Qualified employees can be found through the Employer Assistance & Recruiting Network (EARN) free of cost. EARN offers employers the following free services:
  • Access to a network of employment service providers that work with people with disabilities who want to join or return to the workforce. These providers select candidates for job postings, then EARN screens the candidates before sending the strongest applicants to the employer.
  • Unlimited job postings distributed to local employment service providers.
  • Screening and referral of candidates that meet employers' job requirements.
  • Access to the EARN Extranet, which allows employers to post jobs at their convenience.

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