Access ignites: Increasing employment and economic participation of people with disability is paramount during Disability Action Week, November 25 to December 2. How can we take action to ignite access in 2024 and tap into a talent pool of more than 500,000 working-age people with disability actively looking for work.
What is Disability Action Week?
Disability Action Week recognizes the contribution people with disability make to communities, families, workplaces, and the economy.
Disability Action Week encourages employers to consider how improving access will not only boost their bottom line by recruiting and retaining staff with disability, they will be also be taking positive steps to being accessible to customers living with disability. This week is also about raising awareness about disability issues, promoting inclusivity, and advocating for people with disabilities. These events often aim to foster a more inclusive society by encouraging dialogue, understanding, and collaboration among individuals with and without disabilities.
- Having a diverse workforce unlocks a whole new world of innovation, insights, and more creative ideas.
- All people are looking to work with companies that align with their values and offer them a positive workplace culture.
- By being inclusive and open-minded you are creating a more positive and productive business.
What can business do to attract disabled talent?
Reasonable adjustments- also known as workplace adjustments or reasonable accommodations- are changes to work processes, practices, or environments, train and educate managers on how to communicate with employees to create trusted relationships so an employee with disability can effectively perform their job, free from barriers.
Businesses can take action in a variety of ways ensure their recruitment process doesn’t unfairly discriminate:
- Job adverts – List only essential abilities as mandatory requirements. Listing non-essential requirements could directly or indirectly discriminate against people with disabilities. Use inclusive language to broaden your appeal.
For example, requiring candidates to hold a driving licence when the job can really be done without one is unfair to people who can’t drive and can prevent a segment of job seekers from applying for the job.
Include an accessibility statement in your advertisements encouraging applicants requiring specific adjustments to apply or call for assistance.
- Application forms- think about the candidate experience. Only include relevant questions which relate to the candidate’s capability to perform the role and/or motivation to apply.
Use accessible platforms and to avoid indirectly discriminating against people who can’t read or listen to a standard application form.
- Job interviews- offer candidates the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to accommodate them.
Attracting and recruiting people with disabilities to your organization.
Acknowledging Disability Access Action Week is a positive step toward promoting inclusivity and raising awareness about the importance of accessibility in your workplace, consider:
- Social media campaigns
- Use your social media platforms to share information about Disability Access Action Week.
- Share stories and experiences of your employees with disabilities.
- Use relevant hashtags to increase visibility and engagement.
- Educational Initiatives
- Host morning teas, workshop or webinars on disability awareness and accessibility.
- Provide resources and information about making spaces, events, and services more accessible.
- Promoting Inclusive Events
- Organize events that are inclusive and accessible to people of all abilities.
- Ensure venues are wheelchair accessible, consider including sign language interpreters.
- Employee Training
- Provide training for employees on disability awareness and inclusivity in the workplace.
- Encourage discussions about creating a more inclusive work environment.
- Advocacy and Policy Support
- Advocate for policies and practices that promote accessibility and inclusion.
- Support initiatives that aim to improve accessibility in public spaces, transportation, and technology.
- Encourage Feedback
- Create avenues for feedback from individuals with disabilities regarding the accessibility of your services and/or facilities.
- Use this feedback to make improvements and show a commitment to continuous enhancement.
How we can support you
Workforce Evolve is Business Chamber Queensland’s free eLearning program to help employers think differently about who you employ and how to retain them now and into the future. Designed by business for business, Workforce Evolve provides content via 6 online modules and includes free workforce coaching to support you to think about workplace practices differently, begin to implement change or to focus on a specific area.
Workforce Coaches are available for a one-hour session with each module.
Why register for Workforce Evolve?
With some changes in approach and the use of inclusive employment practices, Workforce Evolve will help you develop a recruitment strategy to unlock a new segment of jobseekers from groups that are under-represented in the workforce – women with family or carer commitments or escaping domestic violence, First Nations Peoples, the LGBTI community, those with disabilities, mature aged workers, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
The program is free, and open to any employer in Queensland REGISTER HERE to learn how to unlock a new segment of jobseekers.
This project is proudly funded by the Queensland Government Workforce Connect Fund.
Handy reference sites
Job Search website for People with Disabilities | Toozly
A Website for Job Seekers with Disabilities and Inclusive Employers | AbilityLinks
Find Jobs for Individuals with Disabilities | Hiring Resources (localjobnetwork.com)
Disability Job Boards | Job Placement Services | Disabled Persons | Disabled Person
Disability Action Week & International Day of People with Disability Celebration | Humanitix
Discover the benefits | People with disability | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au)
Spread the word | People with disability | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au)
Disability Action Week | Mylestones
Disability Action Week – Access Recreation
Attracting and recruiting people with disability to your organisation | IncludeAbility
Recruiting Employees with Disabilities | BrightHR
