How to tap the potential of employees with disabilities
People with disabilities are often overlooked as a source of talent and value as employers work toward hiring and retaining strong employee teams and maintaining a healthy bottom line. Almost 57 million Americans — 19% of our population — have a disability, a diverse group that includes people of all ages, talents, education levels and areas of expertise. It makes sense that within this large group are many potential employees who can add significant experience and value to businesses in Maine and across the country.
So what is stopping employers from tapping into this potential workforce? One roadblock is fear that hiring people with disabilities will require expensive accommodations or adaptations and become a financial burden — a concern that can be especially salient for small businesses that make up so much of Maine's economy.
The fact is that minor and low-cost adaptations are often all it takes to enable someone with a physical disability to add value and expertise to the workplace.
Rick Langley, advocacy director of Disability Rights Maine, which provides advocacy services to Maine citizens with disabilities, points out that the Americans with Disabilities Act encourages a common sense approach to problem-solving. “The reasonable accommodation provisions of the ADA simply require that an employer engage in problem solving with a qualified applicant or employee, so that in situations where an accommodation will allow a person to perform a job, that accommodation can be negotiated,” he says. “From experience, we know that most workplace accommodations are inexpensive. With flexibility, employers can craft a position in such a way that meets their needs and at the same time ensures that a qualified person with a disability can do that job effectively.”
Accommodations are often surprisingly simple and inexpensive. Examples include providing flexible work hours, exchanging minor tasks with other employees, changing the height of a desk or work surface to accommodate a wheelchair, or installing a computer screen magnifier.
Langley sees positive trends in the Maine labor market, with employers increasing their understanding of the benefits of employees with disabilities. “This is coming partly from employers just recognizing it's the right thing to do, and partly from an honest reckoning with the fact that Maine is facing a labor shortage in the future and employers need to be able to tap into the full talent pool that's available,” he says.
These issues resonate not only on a corporate level but on a personal level as well. He tells the story of a friend and how physical challenges only reinforced his desire to be a productive member of Maine's work force. “He is the survivor of a stroke following heart surgery — and the return to work has been core to his recovery,” Langley says. “His commitment to his job and to giving 100% comes in part from the realization that being productive, engaged and part of a work team with a mission is fundamental for most of us. It helps him as he works toward his full potential, and his employer wisely tapped into the skills and commitment he has to offer.”
There are some excellent online resources to help Maine employers and human resources professions learn more. Among them: Maine Business Leadership Network (www.mainebln.org), state of Maine (www.employmentforme.org) and the Job Accommodation Network (www.askjan.org).
“It's exciting to talk about diversity in the workplace, because it feels like there is a movement happening in Maine,” says Langley. “There seems to be an increasing investment — by chambers of commerce, local business groups and businesses themselves — to develop workplaces that reflect the best of Maine.”
By looking beyond preconceptions about ability or disability, employers open doors to a pool of potential staff members with diverse talents who are ready to contribute. The result is a richer, more inclusive and more diverse work environment that benefits the company and all of its employees — whether they have disabilities or not.
Susan Greenwood is the executive director of The Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness. She can be reached at sgreenwood@cromwellcenter.org.
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