Five Benefits of Using a Disability-Friendly Jobs Board
This blog has been written by Embracing Future Potential – a network of specialist job boards and careers resources that enable employment and inclusion through information, support and connection.
The UK is home to an estimated 16 million disabled people (1). Despite this, people with a disability are almost twice as likely to be unemployed as those without a disability (2). This sobering statistic highlights the need for UK employers to do more to attract, recruit and retain employees with disabilities.
The business case for hiring more people with disabilities is compelling. A recent survey by Hilton Hotels revealed that 89% of employers who recruited an employee with a learning disability said the person exceeded or met their expectations (3). Whilst it’s frustrating that employers are still surprised by the capabilities of people with learning disabilities, there’s definitely some positive in knowing that businesses are becoming more aware of the benefits of having a diverse workforce. Whether it's creativity, innovation or new approaches to problem-solving, it’s clear that diversifying a workforce will add new strengths to any organisation.
Becoming an inclusive employer doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a significant investment of both time and resources to raise awareness around disability inclusion, provide suitable training, and create an atmosphere of inclusion and belonging that permeates throughout the organisation. Adopting policies and procedures that protect staff members and promote equal opportunities is essential too, with recruitment being a key component of this. In fact, a recent Accenture study in the US revealed that companies who invest in recruiting disabled employees had 30% higher profit margins and 200% higher net income than their competitors (4), showing that inclusive recruitment processes have solid financial benefits too. Despite clear evidence of the valuable skills, perspectives and experiences that disabled people bring, they remain a largely untapped talent pool.
For organisations starting from scratch on their inclusion journey, this can all feel very new and unfamiliar. Adopting new recruitment processes is a great place to begin, especially with tools like disability-friendly job boards on hand to help.
What Is a Disability-Friendly Job Board?
Disability-friendly job boards are specifically designed to connect employers with qualified job candidates who have disabilities. They create a space for employers committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging to advertise their vacancies, knowing that disabled job seekers will feel welcome to apply, and where job seekers can feel reassured that the vacancy holders will have the appropriate support structures in place in their organisations to provide any workplace accommodations they may need.
Top Benefits of Disability Friendly Job Boards for Your Business
There are many benefits to using a disability-friendly job board to advertise job vacancies. Here are our top five.
1. Connect with a Diverse Talent Pool
Many employers report that they feel unsure about how to hire disabled candidates, whilst many candidates feel uncomfortable disclosing their disability to potential employers for fear of negative bias against them. On both sides, the challenges make it difficult to forge meaningful connections between employers and employees. Using a disability-friendly job board can often be a great solution, creating an open and honest dialogue when highly-skilled potential employees who might otherwise be overlooked.
2. Fulfil Legal Requirements
The UK’s Equality Act 2010 outlines the responsibilities all employers have to provide reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities and to ensure that disability discrimination doesn’t take place. Despite this legislation, 8% of disabled workers experienced unfair or discriminatory treatment as a result of their disability during the Covid-10 pandemic and 12% reported feeling concerned that their disability reduced their chances of a future promotion (5). Actively investing in recruiting disabled employees can help to create a culture of inclusion and acceptance. Having a range of disabled voices around the table helps advocate for those who don’t feel able to speak out. Working with individuals with lived experience will also raise awareness of disability inclusion and help ensure everyone in the organisation is compliant with equality and disability discrimination legislation.
3. Showcase your Commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance)
A recent YouGov survey reported that 66% of UK workers say that acceptance and inclusion are important to them when job hunting (6). Working for an organisation that prioritises its ethical values and responsibilities is a key issue for the majority of job seekers, whether they identify as having a protected characteristic themselves or not. Using a disability-friendly job board displays a commitment to social justice and inclusion that candidates, employees and customers will all welcome.
4. Get a Competitive Edge
Neurodivergent employees and those with disabilities have unique knowledge and skillsets that can give any business a competitive edge. For instance, they understand disabled customers’ needs and challenges better than anyone else. A recent Harvard Business Review article highlighted three ways that employing disabled candidates can lead to competitive advantage (7):
● Disabilities give people unique talents that can make them better at certain jobs.
● The inclusion of employees with disabilities in the workforce can enhance collaboration and productivity across the whole organization.
● Having a good reputation for inclusivity can improve the company’s value to its customers, providing greater opportunities to develop positive long-term relationships.
Recognising that the recruitment of disabled candidates is not just a social cause but is first and foremost about recruiting employees with the best skills for the job will help employees feel valued and recognised for what they have to offer
5. Reduce Employee Turnover
Every time an employee leaves a business, a significant financial investment is required for the recruitment and training of their replacement, not to mention the costs associated with loss of productivity in the meantime. A study by the HR Director found that people with learning disabilities are 3.5 times more likely to stay in their jobs for longer (8) They also take fewer sick days. As a result, this reduces recruitment and training costs and prevents knowledge from leaving the business.
How to Get Started
If you’re looking for a disability-friendly job board to advertise your next vacancy, Careers with Disabilities is a great resource. It offers a live job board and free resource hubs for employers and job seekers, with information on a wide range of issues related to disability and employment. Their blog offers great insights into trending topics in the world of disability inclusion and their services also include job advert inclusivity screenings.
Careers with Disabilities provides a range of employer services to empower organisations to become more inclusive for people with disabilities. For more information about their work, take a look at their website.
References
(1) Scope UK: Disability Facts and Figures
(2) The Health Foundation Evidence Hub: Unemployment rates for disabled and non-disabled people
(3) Hilton Stories (June 2023) Nearly 9 in 10 Adults with Learning Disabilities Struggle to Find Employment
(4) Serenity in Leadership: Seven Statistics that Prove the Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
(5) TUC News Listings (June 2021) Nearly one in three disabled workers surveyed treated unfairly at work during pandemic - new TUC polling
(6) People Management (July 2023) Two thirds of British workers say workplace EDI is important when job hunting, survey finds
(7) HBR (July 2023) Disability as a Source of Competitive Advantage
(8) The HR Director (September 2023) People with Learning Disabilities Can Provide the Talent Your Workforce Needs
