A recent poll by Hays shows that many professionals believe their workplaces lack effective measures for inclusive hiring of people with disabilities.
Hays, the global leader in workforce solutions and specialist recruitment, asked professionals whether their organisation has effective measures in place to encourage inclusive hiring of persons with disabilities.
The poll revealed that almost two thirds (64%) of workers were unaware of any supportive measures when hiring candidates with disabilities. Some respondents noted that due to inclusivity not being established within their organisation, there are difficulties attracting diverse candidates.
There are many benefits to hiring diverse talent, including widening the talent pool of potential candidates, improving employee retention, and harnessing specialist skills and knowledge.
There are several ways organisations can make the interview process more equitable for persons with disabilities, including accessible job adverts, sending questions ahead of interviews, flexible interviews models, and a transparent recruitment process.
Respondents highlighted that understanding of disability, and the diversity within the community, is lacking from many organisations, with some urging businesses to upskill their current understanding of disability. Including a better understanding of the benefits persons with disabilities bring to the workforce and measures that can be taken by the organisation to create a great candidate experience for everyone.
Bianca Stringuini, Global Head of DE&I at Hays, comments:
“It’s important that organisations understand the benefits of hiring more diverse talent and help to create a more equitable and inclusive world of work. Persons with disabilities bring a different perspective, variety of talent, and enrich company culture.
“According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 16% of the world population is disabled, which is an incredibly large potential talent pool. So, it’s vital that organisations ensure they have effective measures in place to encourage inclusive hiring and remove barriers. Education of the workforce on biases is essential; businesses can start with workshops within the workplace to diversify and welcome various perspectives. With a good start to have more inclusive hiring practices, organisations will become more attractive to this talent pool that is yet to be able to demonstrate its strength.”
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