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How to Attract Differently-Abled New Hires
It’s 2022, and that means taking your traditional business practices and implanting ways to be more inclusive. One way to achieve this is to hire differently-abled people. But how can you go about doing this? Below, Navigating Disability Road shares effective ways to transform your hiring strategy to include differently-abled new hires in your company. Creating an Inclusive Work Culture What does your current workplace look like? It is one that allows for the inclusion of differently-abled people? One of the first steps to attracting new hires with disabilities is to make sure your work culture is inclusive and respectable. This means hiring people from diverse backgrounds, creating a welcoming and accessible work environment, and encouraging employees to be their authentic selves. Making Sure Your Website Can Work With Assistive Devices It’s important that your website can easily be navigated by those who are differently-abled. Make sure you’re including the appropriate coding for keyboard-responsive design and other types of accessibility, as well. Career Planning Opportunities for New Hires One way to attract potential new hires with disabilities is by offering career planning opportunities. You’ll want to invest in training and job coaching for your employees. This will help them find the jobs that best suit them and their interests. Job coaching can also help your company make sure disability accommodations are being made. If your company offers continuing education funding to an online university program, it’s an excellent opportunity for those who have a passion for higher education but may not be able to afford it otherwise. Internship Programs for Those with Disabilities One idea that can help promote inclusivity in the workplace is creating internship programs for those with disabilities. For example, a company could work with local schools to identify students with disabilities who are interested in applying for internships. Then, this company could either hire a coordinator or enact an internship program that serves as a great introduction to its mission and culture. This way, even if these students don’t go on to get hired by the company, they will have had an enlightening experience as well as an opportunity to network with peers and future colleagues. Budgeting For Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace It’s essential to budget for reasonable accommodations in the workplace. This can be especially important when onboarding a new employee with a disability, and any expenses incurred should be considered an investment in your company’s human capital. An office with wheelchair access, for example, will allow more people to work efficiently and comfortably. There are many other accommodations that may make it easier for an individual who is differently-abled to do their job. Small changes like ergonomic chairs in the office or task lights on a desk can make all the difference in the world for someone with chronic neck pain. It is important to remember that if you are providing reasonable accommodations for someone with a disability, you need to provide them for everyone, not just those who are disabled. Offering Continued Education Many businesses are now offering funding to online universities as an incentive to get team members to stay with their respective companies. Thanks to online degree programs, employees can continue to work while earning an advanced degree. Discuss various programs with your company leaders to determine the best option for you and your employees. Submitted by Tanya Lee |
