Benefits of Employing People with Disability

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It is good business sense to employ people with disability. Low unemployment levels and the current skills shortage mean that Australian businesses must work harder than ever to build a skilled workforce.

• There are about 200,000 vacant positions in Australia at any given time
• For every unfilled role, there are less than three people actively looking for work
• Almost 200,000 workers retire each year – this number is steadily increasing

Employers can capitalise on the many benefits that people with disability bring to our society. People with disabilities work in all industries, in many different roles and at every level.

Cost effectiveness of employing people with disability

There are several key ways in which the cost-effectiveness of your business can be increased by employing people with disability.

• Research shows that people with disability stay in one job for longer, have fewer workplace accidents, and are absent from work less often than their colleagues
• When companies make recruitment and selection processes barrier-free, they widen the talent pool and ensure they choose the best person for the job

You don’t need to make expensive changes to accommodate an employee with disability; you may simply need to be flexible about how things are done. Creating a flexible workplace will make your company more attractive to a wider range of possible employees.

A diverse workplace can increase customer loyalty and satisfaction. One in five Australians has a disability: this includes your clients and customers. Having employees with disability can help you understand the needs of customers with disability, and give you a competitive edge.

Statistics at a glance:

• 90% of employers of people with disability said they would be happy to continue to do so
• The average recruitment cost of a person with disability is just 13% of that of a person without a disability
• 90% of employees with disability have average or superior productivity rates
• 98% have average or superior safety records
• 86% have average or superior attendance records

Graffam, Shinkfield, Smith & Polzin. “Employer Benefits and Costs of Employing a Person with a Disability.” Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation #17