A person in a wheelchair has to be innovative just to get through the day. Imagine how that mindset helps a pod or team at a workplace – Alison Griffiths, “Six Reasons”
Workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities are not as expensive as many employers believe. A 2016 CIBC online survey found that 30% of Canadians with disabilities do not require any workplace accommodation. The average cost of accommodation for those who do is $500 or less.
Even given the well-documented barriers to an accessible education many still face, Canadians with disabilities are well-educated. 56% have completed post-secondary education.
Why should businesses make their employment practices more inclusive for people with disabilities? Quite simply, they cannot afford not to. Two major demographic pressures are affecting the Canadian labour force today: the aging workforce and the shortage of younger talent available to replace them – the Conference Board of Canada – 2014
About 1 in 5 people in Ontario have some form of disability; 70% of disabilities are non-visible
- People with disabilities are a demographic you cannot afford to ignore. Over 1.7 million people in Ontario or 1 in 5 Ontarians, aged 15 to 64 years, identify as having a disability. These Ontarians could be your next employee, colleague or a potential customer.
- 40% of Ontario’s small and medium sized businesses report difficulty filling job vacancies. These shortages are expected to continue for at least a decade. People with disabilities are part of a virtually untapped talent pool that can help fill these labour shortages right now.
- Research demonstrates that higher rates of education are associated with higher rates of employment. Canadians with disabilities are well-educated: 56% have completed post-secondary education.
- Workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities are not as expensive as many employers believe. A 2016 CIBC online survey found that 30% of Canadians with disabilities do not require any workplace accommodation. The average cost of accommodation for those who do is less than $500.
- Employers who foster a culture of accommodation reap many benefits. Research shows these can include improved interactions amongst co-workers; greater company morale; lower training costs; increased workplace safety; and a larger customer base.
- Accessible workplaces lead to higher employee retention and productivity. According to a 2018 UBC study, employees with disabilities performed as well or better than average on productivity and had a 93% retention rate.
- Getting to Equal: The Disability Inclusion Advantage (2018) found that: “Persons with disabilities have to be creative to adapt to the world around them. As such, they develop strengths such as problem-solving skills, agility, persistence, forethought and a willingness to experiment—all of which are essential for innovation.”
- The same study concluded that inclusive workplaces are more energizing places to work and companies that embraced inclusion became more profitable in the long-run with 28% higher revenues and a 30% higher profit margin.
Original sources are available through EARN. (version August 2019)
