Nasser Siabi, CEO of Microlink, talks about attracting talent
Nasser Siabi, CEO of Microlink, talks about the importance of inclusion
Nasser Siabi, CEO of Microlink, talks about the company
Nasser Siabi, CEO of Microlink, talks about workplace adjustments
A quick guide of disability etiquette – what to do and what to avoid!
Ways to attract disable candidates
Employers are increasingly aware of the business benefits of employing disabled people. On average disabled employees are just as productive as non-disabled people, have significantly less time off, fewer workplace accidents, and stay in their jobs longer. They have inside intelligence on the “purple pound” (the estimated £212 billion that disabled spend annually in the UK), and can bring specific skills with them (some people with Autism can be exceptionally good at computer programming, for example).
However, disabled people are notoriously difficult to attract when advertising vacancies, because a lifetime of experience of being rejected as soon as the matter of disability is raised can make them wary of applying. Employers need to work a bit harder to attract this pool of talented candidates. Here are a few ideas:
Review your recruitment processes – are there any barriers in your recruitment process which might exclude disabled candidates or put them off applying? If so, can you find ways of working around them (for example, people with learning difficulties may find completing an application form off-putting, and people on the Autism Spectrum can find attending interviews very difficult)
Work in partnership with specialist agencies – there are a number of local and national organisations who exist to help disabled people back into employment. They may offer candidates support in employability and sometimes offer job coaches, who will help the candidate in their first few days or weeks at work until they are confident in the role. This can be particularly effective for candidates for entry-level roles.
Gain relevant accreditation – organisations can meet certain standards to demonstrate their commitment to inclusive and accessible practice, giving disabled candidates the confidence to apply. These include Disability Confident, the Mindful Employer symbol, the Proud to be Clear Assured symbol and the Disability Standard.
Take positive action – these are opportunities to attract applicants who might not otherwise apply. This can range from a positive statement on the job advert (e.g. “we particularly welcome applications from disabled people”) to where the advert is placed – for example in a disability magazine or journal, or by sharing vacancies with particular disability organisations.
Use specialist job boards and agencies – good specialist job boards (such as Evenbreak!) and agencies for disabled candidates will be using a wide range of methods to engage with them, doing the hard work for you.
Use social media – social media has opened up opportunities for disabled candidates (but beware of the potential for unconscious bias). LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are increasingly being used to find candidates, and if used with care can be effective.
Offer support – for example, in filling in application forms, and making it easy to ask for reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process without fear of discrimination.
The important factor when deciding which strategies to use to increase the diversity of applicants attracted is to monitor the results for diversity. These strategies are unlikely to vastly increase the volume of candidates attracted, but will change the profile in terms of adding candidates who may not otherwise have applied. By monitoring the response from each activity it is easier to decide which are most effective in providing the results required.
Commercial Benefits of Employing Disabled People
It’s a cliché, but still true that for most businesses their people are not only their most important asset, but also their most expensive. Recruiting and retaining the best people who are equipped with the right skills needed to do the job can take up much time in an employer’s life. As 20% of the working population are disabled, and eight out of 10 disabled people acquired their disability during the course of their working life, the chances are that disability is an issue that you will come across in your company.
In business, as in society, there are many misconceptions about disabled people. As employers we are all concerned about saving money, and employing disabled people can feel like an expensive luxury. However, the reality is somewhat different, and interestingly, company surveys consistently conclude that organisations who have successfully employed disabled people are keen to employ more.
Let’s look at the commercial side. There are more than 13 million disabled people in the UK with spending power of over £250 billion a year. Employing disabled people, understanding disability and generally having a proactive attitude towards disabled customers could be hugely rewarding to your organisation’s bottom line.
Also, it is much, cheaper to retain a staff member who has become disabled than try to recruit someone new. The Post Office estimates that medically retiring an employee can cost around £80,000.
From purely a recruitment point of view, if you positively seek to attract applications from disabled people you will have a much wider choice of potential employees with a good range of skills and a positive attitude towards work. Many studies (sources available on request) show that on average disabled employees are just as productive as their non-disabled colleagues (sometimes more so), have less time off sick, fewer workplace accidents and stay with their employers longer, increasing retention and saving money on recruiting and training new staff. Showing a positive approach towards disability also greatly enhances your reputation as an inclusive employer of choice.
So all in all, employing disabled staff is a good commercial decision. However, disabled people are still twice as likely to be unemployed than non-disabled people. Shockingly, some employers think that disabled people have nothing to offer – perhaps they should try telling that to Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein, Alexander Graham Bell, Winston Churchill and Richard Branson.
Information about the government’s Access to Work scheme
Information about the government’s Disability Confident scheme
An e-book about Disability Etiquette with cartoons
The Disability Standard was developed by Business Disability Forum to help organisations to measure and improve their progress towards becoming disability-smart. It’s the best way of checking how disability-smart your organisation is, right across your business.
Key points
- Under the Equality Act 2010 a person is disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantially adverse and long-term effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. In the workplace such activities are taken to include things like using a telephone or computer, interacting with colleagues, following instructions, driving and carrying everyday objects.
- The Equality Act 2010 provides disabled people with protection from discrimination in a range of areas, including employment.
Avoiding Disability Discrimination in Job Adverts (by Emma Bagshaw)
Job adverts are used to advertise vacant jobs within a company. At their most basic they include details about the role, the required qualifications, and how to apply. Given that many of the best candidates are also disabled, employers must take care that their job adverts do not discriminate, or turn off disabled workers from applying.
What does the law say?
The Equality Act 2010 states the employers must not discriminate against disabled candidates when deciding who to recruit. A discriminatory advert will be strong evidence that a company has a policy of not recruiting disabled workers. Employers are also required to make reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates so that they can compete with non-disabled candidates.
Can you positively discriminate in favour of disabled candidates?
Yes! The law allows an employer to favour disabled candidates. This may be by offering a guaranteed interview. The law recognises that many disabled people face barriers to employment.
What are the best ways to avoid disability discrimination in a job advert?
- Be objective about what you need from the role, and ensure that the job advert reflects the actual requirements of the role, e.g. don’t require someone to be able to drive when the job is office based.
- Make the job advert available in alternatives formats. For example, large print, Braille, audio or paper based (where internet only).
- Advertise using recruitment methods which reach disabled workers. Evenbreak is a good example!
- Ensure that any images do not suggest that applications from disabled workers would not be welcome. Take care if you advertise using video content
- Ensure video content has the correct subtitles or captions.
- Don’t include any obvious discriminatory language e.g. ‘unsuitable for those with a mental health condition’ or ‘unsuitable for someone with a disability’.
- Include a statement confirming the company’s commitment to equal opportunities.
(Emma Bagshaw is a Consultant Senior Solicitor at Seabury Beaumont Legal Ltd. Contact Emma at eb@seaburybeaumont.co.uk.)
The Different Thinking Styles of People with Autism (a personal view by Will van Zwanenberg)
An old one, but a good animation!
Video from Scope about the social model of disability
DWP video about the disability confident scheme
Advice from Scope on what not to do with a new employee
A look at workplace adjustments at Wellcome
Kate Nash of PurpleSpace talks about the link between Disability Networks and the social model of disability
Kate Nash of PurpleSpace talks about how Disability Networks can increase openness within an organisation
Kate Nash of PurpleSpace talks about how Disability Networks can influence policy
Kate Nash of PurpleSpace talks about how Disability Networks can ‘normalise’ difference
Kate Nash of PurpleSpace talks about the importance of senior champions
Kate Nash of PurpleSpace talks about workplace adjustments
A view from Lloyds Banking Group on accessible recruitment
Louis Jameson from Lloyds Banking Group talks about the benefits of employing disabled people
Louis Jameson from Lloyds Banking Group talks about building in accessibility from the start
Louis Jameson from Lloyds Banking Group talks about disability and an inclusive culture
How Lloyds engage with their disabled customers