Why You Should Hire People with Disabilities to Help Your Business
Individuals with disabilities can make valuable contributions to the workplace, performing a wide range of jobs across different levels and businesses of all sizes. Despite their capabilities, they often encounter lower employment rates than the general population. Individuals with disabilities frequently possess qualities that employers actively seek, including adaptability and resourcefulness.
Benefits of hiring people with disabilities
Hiring individuals with disabilities can help businesses cultivate a diverse and inclusive environment. Their unique perspectives contribute to creating diverse company cultures and enhancing team innovation. Moreover, their experiences in overcoming obstacles make them well-suited to devise solutions for complex and unexpected business problems.
By actively hiring people with disabilities, companies can tap into a talent pool consisting of millions of individuals with diverse strengths, leadership styles and ways of thinking. The government also recognizes the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities and the costs associated with workplace accommodations.
Therefore, the government provides financial incentives in the form of federal and state tax benefits. Some incentives that can impact people with disabilities in the workforce are the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, the Architectural Barrier Removal Tax Deduction and the Disabled Access Credit.
The importance of workplace inclusivity
In the workplace, inclusivity fosters an environment that values and embraces diversity. It means creating a culture where every employee feels respected, supported and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. An inclusive workplace recognizes that diversity brings a range of experiences and ideas, which leads to more significant innovation, collaboration and success.
To foster an inclusive work environment and actively hire individuals with disabilities, consider the following steps:
- Make a concrete commitment and set goals for inclusive hiring, ensuring they are specific and measurable.
- Improve the hiring process by crafting inclusive job descriptions and providing interview accommodations.
- Communicate your inclusive hiring goal to every department and hiring manager.
- Educate hiring managers on the contributions workers with disabilities can make and how specific disability types may align with certain positions.
- Provide support for employees with disabilities through empowerment.
- Prepare existing employees to welcome and collaborate with co-workers who have disabilities.
How Portage Industries, Inc. can help
Portage Industries, Inc. is renowned for delivering exceptional employment services for individuals with disabilities. With our 50,000-square-foot production and warehouse facility, our comprehensive business services have evolved over the years. From hand assembly to robust product automation, we have become a valuable resource for businesses.
We follow a business model that subcontracts with other businesses to create meaningful work opportunities. As an employer that values and supports individuals with disabilities, we take pride in our dedicated workforce of skilled workers with disabilities. Through their work experience, they gain personal fulfillment and a sense of pride in their accomplishments.
By empowering our employees to be active contributors to the community, many build successful careers in other businesses. Witnessing their growth and fulfillment confirms our success in providing valuable support. Hiring individuals with disabilities benefits employers and brings employees a genuine sense of satisfaction.