2016 Disability Confidence Survey report

About the Australian Network on Disability Founded in 2000, the Australian Network on Disability (AND) is a national, membership based, for-purpose organisation, that aims to advance access and inclusion of people with disability in all aspects of Australian business, including; employment, customer service and stakeholder relations.

The member-based organisatation is resourced by more than 170 businesses and has partnered with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), Westpac Group, IBM and the Department of Defence to conduct an annual survey on business attitudes and behavior towards people with disability as customers and employees. 

A note from Suzanne Colbert AM, founding CEO of the Australian Network on DisabilityThe Australian Human Rights Commission has revealed that disability discrimination received the highest level of complaints across the board to the commission.

In addition, a recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey found that an employer was the source of discrimination for almost half of those aged 15 to 64 years with disability who were unemployed (46.9%) or employed full-time (46.2%) and just over one-third (34.6%) of those employed part-time, at the time of the survey.

These are alarming statistics, and in this, the second Disability Confidence Survey, we asked 500 small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) to answer 17 questions relating to how they welcome customers and employees with disability to their business, to get their perspective.

Encouragingly, we saw some good improvement across the board in how people with disability are included as customers and employees.

A significant highlight is the positive benefits that come from hiring people with disability. Almost 90% of the businesses who are employing people with disability experienced a positive business benefit that directly related to business outcomes or staff morale, and there was a much greater level of awareness from staff that their co-workers may experience disability.

However, there are still gaps and opportunities. The results show that senior leaders need to continue to communicate their organisation’s desire to employ people with disability and their preparedness to make changes to accommodate people with disability as customers to ensure the message is received by all staff.

Small organisations in particular, appear to have found it challenging to make progress. Few identified that they have made changes, or are planning to make changes, to accommodate customers with disability. Where changes are planned they are more likely to be in customer service than premises or ICT.

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The survey also showed that that while people are willing to engage and are open to being inclusive, they don’t know what to do or what changes are required. The current approach is passive with many indicating they wait until they are asked before taking action.

On the employment front, organisations who had not knowingly employed someone with disability were open to doing so, but either lacked the applicants or had not purposefully set about doing it.

Again, small businesses found this more challenging and are less likely to see the relevance of job applicants with disability to their organisation. They cite the lack of suitable candidates as the reason.

These insights support learning from our High Growth Jobs Talented Candidates (HGJTC) project, where an intensive process is used to match skilled jobseekers with disability with companies in high growth areas.

The demand-led model starts by equipping employers with training and support to improve their disability confidence. A thorough review of recruitment and workplace adjustment policies, provides candidates with a disability equal access to apply for roles.

The next step is partnering with disability employment service providers to ensure they have a deep understanding of the organisation and role requirement to find the best match.

Lastly, a short, four day pre-employment training opportunity helps candidates to perform well at interview by giving them opportunity to gain experience carrying out the various tasks and duties required for the position.

The year ahead represents an excellent opportunity for organisations to take that first step in learning more about welcoming customers and employees with disability.

With business benefits ranging from gaining greater customer loyalty and satisfaction to improved productivity and strengthened staff morale, organisations looking for a competitive edge will be well placed to consider the needs of people with disability in their planning.

To find out more about the needs of your customers with disability and what it takes to recruit a person with disability, AND has a number of free and paid resources available.

The Access and Inclusion Quick Self-Assessment is a handy way to measure current performance, while publications such as Welcoming Customers with Disability outlines how to improve accessibility and inclusion for people with disability.

Call AND on 1300 363 645 or visit the AND website , www.and.org.au to discover the many tools available.

Suzanne ColbertCEO Australian Network on Disability

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About the Disability Confidence SurveyLaunched in 2015, the Disability Confidence Survey is an annual measure of awareness and inclusion of people with disability as customers, employees and community members from the perspective of small and medium businesses.

It is a survey of 500 people from small and medium businesses measuring their level of understanding, general perception on company readiness and intent to include customers and employees with disability. The 2016 survey is the second in this series.

The sample was selected from the Crowdology & Crowdology partner panels. Crowdology™ is an online panel owned and operated by Redshift Research. The research was undertaken by Morar Consulting. The Crowdology™ panel is balanced across regional, age and gender demographic factors, and is nationally representative of the Australian population.

All respondents worked for SME’s, with a total number of employees between 5-250 (Mean = 100). Both the industry of the organisations and specific roles within them varied considerably. The respondents were evenly balanced between males and females and covered a diverse age range. The survey sample, while the same size as 2015, was made up of different organisations and with some small change in overall industry mix.

Note: For some questions, direct comparison with the 2015 results is not possible due to a change in the wording of the questions and response options.

Key findings Customers with disability

7.2 / 10Rating of importance of customers with disability to the organisation (+0.9 on the 2015 rating of 6.3)

82% Believe they have some customers with disability (+2% on 2015) and 75% of these organisations have done something specific to assist customers with disability in the last 12 months.

61% Are likely to make changes in the next year to make it easier for customers with disability to do business with them.

Good practice guidance required58% believe they have not received a request from a customer with a disability and 24% don’t know or are unsure what specific action should be taken.

This shows that more work is required to challenge this passive approach and educate business of the benefit of designing for dignity.

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Employees with disability

89% of organisations who employ people with disability identify positive benefits including:

Improved morale (61%) Filling a skills gap (49%) Productivity (42%) Customer loyalty (34%)

55%of respondents are aware that their organisation employs a colleague with a disability.

Additional leadership required

21% uncertaintyof people were unsure or didn’t know what their organisation’s attitude was to hiring people with disability. This was more prevalent for staff and middle management, which indicates the message may not be getting through from senior managers.

6.8/10Job applicants with disability are seen to be increasingly relevant to organisations surveyed.

Respondents rate the importance of job applicants with disability 6.8 out of 10 (and increase from 6.0 in 2015). This increase occurred across company sizes and at all levels within organisations.

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Customers with disability

Awareness and importance of customers with disabilityThere has been a small increase from 80% to 82% of respondents whose believe their organisation has customers with disability and a corresponding rise in the extent to which respondents perceive customers with disability are relevant to their organisation.

Q: Do your customers include people with disability?

80%

13%

7%

2015

Yes NoUnsure/ Don't Know

82%

16%2%

2016

Yes NoUnsure/ Don't Know

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Respondents rated the importance of customers with disability 7.2 out of 10 (an increase from 6.3 in 2015). This increase occurred across company sizes and at all levels within organisations (particularly with staff members).

Q: On a scale of 1-10 how relevant do you think customers with disability are to your organisation's business?

5 to 20 21 to 50 51+5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

7.5

8.0

6.3 6.3 6.4

7.07.2

7.4

Importance of Customers with Disability

2015 2016

Number of employees

Mea

n Sc

ore

/ 10

Senior Management

Middle and Junior M

anagementStaff

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

7.5

6.8

6.5

6.0

7.1 7.3 7.2

Importance of Customers with Disability

2015 2016

Respondent seniority

Mea

n Sc

ore

/10

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Action and inaction

There was a moderate increase in (+13%) in organisations that believe that they have done something specific in the last 12 months to assist one or more customers with disability.

This change in belief was most strongly held by senior management (+24%) and least felt by staff members (+5%). It was more likely to be felt by larger organisations (+19%) and less likely by smaller organisations (+0%) compared to 2015.

Q: In the last 12 months, has your staff or organisation done something specific to assist one or more customers with disability?

2015 20160%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

42%

55%

Action taken in last 12 months to assist cus-tomers with disability

% Y

es

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Why organisations didn’t take action

In 2016 most of the organisations that had taken no direct action to accommodate customers with disability felt that it was because they had not received a request to do so (58%).

This is a similar proportion to 60% of organisations in 2015 who said that they had not actively sought such information from customers with disability. Other ‘passive’ reasons for taking no action include ‘Don’t know’ (17%) and ‘We are unsure what specific actions we can take’ (7%).

Q: What is the reason (for taking no action over the past year to accommodate customers with disability)?

We have received no specific requests

Don’t know

Other

We are unsure what specific actions we can take

Products and services are not suitable

We have been distracted by other priorities

Premises are not suitable

- 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

58%

17%

16%

7%

6%

5%

3%

Reason for taking no action

This reveals a very passive culture in relation to making adjustments for customers with disability, both on the part of organisations and customers.

This shows that more work is required to challenge this passive approach and educate business of the benefit of designing for dignity.

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Future plans

61% of organisations say they are likely to make changes in the next year to make it easier for customers with disability to do business with them.

This perception or plan was held, or known, most strongly by people in senior management roles (74% in 2016) but not as well known by middle management (61% in 2016) or staff members (45% in 2016).

This may suggest that senior management support to make adjustments for customers with disability has not been expressed to team members, or that team members are not empowered to make the changes required.

Q9 Is your organisation likely to make changes in the next 12 months to make it easier for customers with disability to do business with you?

Senior Management Middle and Junior Management

Staff0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80% 74%

61%

45%

Planned changes in next 12 months

Seniority

% Y

es

Larger organisations were more likely to be making changes (68%) compared to medium sized organsations (65%) and smaller organisations (50%).

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Type of changes

In 2016 we enquired about the type of changes that they were likely to make that would assist customers with disability. Modifying premises was the most likely change (70%) with accessible technology (48%) and additional customer service support (47%) accounting for the balance of likely changes.

Q: What type of change is your organisation likely to make?

Other

Additional support through customer service

Introduction of accessible technology

Adjustment or modification to premises

- 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

0%

47%

48%

70%

Likely type of change

% selected

Larger organisations were more likely than smaller organisations to expect changes to premises (+29%) and accessible technology (+5%) and less likely to be expect changes to customer service support (-17%).

While senior management was more likely to expect changes to premises (+18%) and accessible technology (+14%) than staff members, they were less likely to expect changes to customer service (-38%). Senior managers may have more visibility of budgeted items such as premises and ICT in the year ahead, but it appears that this is not being communicated.

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Employment of people with disability

Awareness and importance of employees with disability

Between 2015 and 2016 there seemed to be a positive shift (+21%) in awareness that a co-worker experienced disability to 55%.

This positive trend was across all sizes of SME organisation (Small +15%, Medium +7% and Large +32%). The same trend was observed across all levels within organisations (staff member +24%, middle / junior managers +11% and senior managers +23%).

Note: The wording of this question was updated in 2016 from - to your knowledge, does your organisation employ anyone who has a disability at the location where you work? to - to your knowledge, does your organisation employ anyone who has a disability? This change, while small may have had an impact on the results.

Q: To your knowledge, does your organisation employ anyone who has a disability?

5 to 20 employees

21 to 50 employees

51+ employees

Senior Management

Middle and Junior Management

Staff

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

37%

49%

76%

68%

52%

47%

22%

42%

44%

45%

41%

23%

Awareness of employee with disability

2015 2016

% Yes

Job applicants with disability are seen to be increasingly relevant within the organisations surveyed.

Respondents rate the importance of job applicants with disability 6.8 out of 10 (and increase from 6.0 in 2015). This increase occurred across company sizes and at all levels within organisations.

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Q: On a scale of 1-10 how relevant do you think job applicants with disability are to your organisation?

5 to 20 employees

21 to 50 employees

51+ employees

Senior Management

Middle and Junior Management

Staff

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0

6.5

6.5

7.3

7.1

6.9

6.5

6.3

6.3

6.4

6.8

6.5

6.0

Importance of job applicants with disability

2015 2016

Mean score / 10

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Action and inactionIn 2016 respondents across organisations and at different levels within organisations were positive about their organisation’s attitude to employing suitably skilled people with disability. While an average of 75% of people were positive about their organisations attitude 21% of people were unsure or didn’t know of their organisation’s position.

Q: What do you think your organisation's attitude to employing suitably skilled people with a disability is?

75%

4%

21%

Employer's attitude to hiring people with disability

Positive Negative Don’t know

This uncertainty was reasonably consistent across organisations of different size, but was very different within organisations. Only 10% of senior management were uncertain about the organisation’s attitude, but the message doesn’t seem to be getting through to middle/ junior managers (17% of whom don’t know) and staff members (33% of whom don’t know). There is a clear opportunity for business leaders to make their organisation’s position known through the company, giving certainty to hiring managers and staff.

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Why organisations haven’t employed people with disability

In 2016 people in organisations that have not knowingly employed a person with disability were asked why their organisation hadn’t done this. Overwhelmingly the answer is about opportunity and motivation rather than concrete objections. “Not sure why, No one has applied, Not considered it before” accounted for 84% of responses with “The type of work is not suitable” (22%), “Concerned about the cost of workplace adjustments” (3%) and “Other” (1%) making up the difference.

Q: Why not?

Not sure why this is

No one with disability has applied for work with us

The type of work we do is not suitable for people with disability

We have never considered it as an option

We are concerned about the cost of workplace adjustments

Other

- 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

35%

33%

22%

16%

3%

1%

Reasons for not employing staff with disability

% selected

In smaller organisations the lack of applicants rated much higher (+29%) compared to larger organisations where concerns are more about the suitability to type of work undertaken and the lack of consideration of the idea.

Within organisations nearly half (47%) of staff members were largely unsure why their organisations had not recruited someone with disability. The situation was clearer for senior managers (only 3% were unsure) as they saw the lack of applicants and not having really thought about doing (both 44%) as the main reasons.

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The benefits of employing people with disability

For the first time in 2016 we asked organisations that have employed a person with disability if they noticed any positive outcomes as a result.

The results provide us with an insight into the business benefits of employing people with disability including improved morale (61%), filling skills gap (49%), productivity (42%) and customer loyalty (34%). The benefits are typical across SMEs of different sizes.

Q: Have you noticed any positive outcomes as a result?

It has helped to strengthen workplace morale

It has enabled us to add people with valuable skills to our workforce

It has helped improve productivity

It has led to greater customer loyalty and satisfaction

No noticeable positive outcome

Other

- 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

61%

49%

42%

34%

11%

0%

Have you noticed any positive results?

% selected

There is a difference in perception between senior management and staff about where the benefits of employing people with disability accrue. Senior managers are more likely that staff members to attribute benefits as improved morale 83% (+43% compared to staff) and productivity 50% (+15% compared to staff).

Staff members are more likely to see the benefits as bring additional skills to the team 46% (+1% compared to senior managers) and customer loyalty or satisfaction 39% (+6% compared to senior managers) or in fact see no noticeable difference from having a co-worker with disability 21% (+18% compared to senior managers).

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Overall measure of progressTo gauge the overall performance of Australian SMEs we have constructed a partial index of good practices and attitudes to measure change over time:

Attitude to Customer Index Do your customers include people with disability? Action taken to welcome customers with disability in the past 12 months Action planned for next 12 months to welcome customers with disability Relevance of customers with disability

Attitude to Employment Index Organisation currently employs persons with disabilities Importance of people with disability as job applicants

The results show a generally positive increase in attitude to employment of people with disability with the overall Index moving from 47% up to 62%. The overall attitude towards customers with disability remains stable at 59%.

Overall

5-20

21-50

51-250

Senior Management

Middle & Junior Management

Staff

59%

48%

61%

66%

71%

58%

54%

56%

55%

55%

58%

66%

59%

42%

Attitude to Cus-tomer Index

2015 2016

Overall

5-20

21-50

51-250

Senior Management

Middle & Junior Management

Staff

62%

51%

57%

75%

70%

60%

65%

47%

41%

51%

52%

55%

51%

57%

Attitude to Employment

Index

2015 2016

Overall

5-20

21-50

51-250

Senior Management

Middle & Junior Management

Staff

60%

50%

59%

70%

70%

59%

59%

51%

48%

53%

55%

61%

55%

50%

SME Attitude Index

2015 2016

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IndustryThe table below highlights the top three Industries in each survey question.

Question 1st 2nd 3rd

Customers include people with disability

Hospitality (hotels & restaurants) Education & training Healthcare

92.5% 91.9% 89.1%In the last 12 months done something to welcome customers with disability

Healthcare Education & training IT & Telecoms

76.1% 73.0% 62.5%

Likely to make changes in the next 12 months to improve their ability to welcome customers with disability.

Education & training Healthcare IT & Telecoms

64.9% 60.9% 53.6%

Employs people with disability.IT & Telecoms Healthcare Manufacturing

& engineering

71.4% 60.9% 59.5%

Organisation has positive attitude to employing suitably skilled people with disability #

Healthcare Education & trainingHospitality (hotels &

restaurants)

91.3% 83.8% 77.5%

How relevant/ important do you think customers with disability are to your organisation’s business?

Healthcare Hospitality (hotels & restaurants)

Professional Services

7.8 7.6 7.5

How relevant/ important do you think job applicants with disability are to your organisation?

Manufacturing & engineering Education & training Retailing

7.2 7.0 6.9

# Different response construction to 2015

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Demographics

Retailing

IT & telecoms

Healthcare sector

Other

Hospitality sector (hotels, restaurants, cafes etc)

Professional services (law, marketing agencies, consultancy etc)

Education & training sector

Manufacturing & engineering

Financial services

Public sector (local or central government)

Personal services (hair dresser, cleaning services)

Transport services

Wholesale distribution

Entertainment & Leisure

- 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%

17%

11%

9%

9%

8%

8%

7%

7%

6%

5%

4%

4%

3%

2%

Organisation Industry type

The general public

Other businesses

Government / public sector agencies

Other (please state)

- 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%

Organisation customer type

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Overall

5-20

21-50

51-250

Senior Management

Middle & Junior Management

Staff

- 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

44%

48%

46%

38%

30%

48%

51%

Respondant Gender

% Female

5-20

21-50

51-250

Senior Management

Middle & Junior Management

Staff

- 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Respondant Age

16-29 30-44 45-59 >59

% in age bracket

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