making the business case for employing persons with ... · valuing diversity and inclusion within...

Making The Business Case for Employing Persons With Disabilities

Intersections Conference May 7, 2013

Presented By: Alvin C. Hill, Jr.

Director of Diversity & Cultural Competence

Milwaukee Center For Independence

Many paths, one goal… Independence


Discussion Agenda • Creating the business case with HR and hiring

managers for hiring persons with disabilities • Develop a culturally competent workforce to

reduce the myths, fears and barriers that employers and employees harbor and need to overcome

• Understanding how we need to address the skillsets employers need to meet their business objectives


The Business Case

Any discussion with an employer should start with a discussion about: • The need to hire persons with disabilities • The benefits of hiring persons with

disabilities • The importance of their organization to

having a diverse and culturally competent workforce


The Critical Issues

What are the critical issues before us? • The Baby Boomer exodus has arrived • 76 million Baby Boomers born

between 1946 & 1964 started turning sixty in 2006

• By 2016 40% of our existing workforce will become eligible to retire* *(Ernst & Young LLP Human Capital Practice, 2006, p. 10).


The Critical Issues

• Over 40% of our existing workforce is over 65

• Current average age of our workforce is 43-44 years old

• Within 60 minutes that we will be here together, approximately 450 Baby Boomers will turn age 60! So…

• That leaves us with a current 23 million person job gap

The Critical Issues

And there is more… • There is a 2.1 fertility rate needed to

replace our population and our current rate is 2.0 so that leaves us with…

• a shrinking, younger and maybe less qualified labor pool…and what is most important to note is…

• that only about 20% of organizations have begun to address the issue.


Presenter

Presentation Notes

So what does all this leave us?

The Critical Issues

Question: So why is this such an issue? Answer: With an impending workforce shortage employers need to understand.… There is fierce competition now as well as into the future, a critical need to obtain skilled and qualified workers.


The Critical Issues

So what can an employer do to recruit and retain a qualified workforce that will meet their business needs? Develop, implement and maintain diversity and inclusion strategies and activities, at every level of their organizations.


Presenter

Presentation Notes

From the board room to the boiler room diversity should be valued.

The Critical Issues

• Today’s businesses leaders often need to be sold on the importance of buying into the business case of valuing diversity and inclusion within their organizations.

• The diversity business case also includes the necessity to develop a culturally competent workforce.


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Diversity is like a marriage. You cannot just drop diverse people into a homogeneous workplace and expect minimal cultural conflict

The Critical Issues

With the need to find enough qualified workers to be competitive within their business industry, employers cannot afford to not tap into any diverse or emerging demographic population, which will include persons with disabilities.


The Business Case For Diversity

??? Where Do I Start? ?????



There Are Hiring Opportunities To Bridge the Employment Gap

Really? How?

By Including Hiring of Persons With Disabilities:

An Untapped Resource



We must make a diversity business case for the hiring of more persons with disabilities as one of many strategies to bridge the employment gap. Let’s discuss why.



America’s employers should welcome the opportunity to bridge the employment gap by valuing a diverse and inclusive workforce because… 1. It is economically sound 2. Of the previously discussed predicted

labor shortages, they no longer can afford to ignore the skills and talents of any segment of qualified workers, including persons with disabilities.



• The fact is that persons with disabilities remain among the most overlooked of all minorities now guaranteed equal opportunity under the law.

• They are the single largest untapped pool of employable persons in the nation.

• They also have the highest unemployment rate of any major demographic group of working age Americans.


Presenter

Presentation Notes

We cannot afford to ignore the skills and talents of any segment of qualified workers


• 1 of 5 employees can have a disability.

• Almost 54 million people with disabilities live in the United States.

• By 2030 the number of Americans with disabilities will increase by 30.9 million.



• Today there are over 17 million persons with disabilities available for work, however…

• 70% that are of a working age are unemployed and…

• Two-thirds that seek jobs, however, only one-third have been able to find even part-time employment.



Employers need diverse workforces to include persons with disabilities because • Previously discussed predicated labor

shortages • Increasing global competition • Businesses cannot afford to ignore such a

large pool of qualified ready to work employees Many paths, one goal… Independence


Fact is employers need to view the hiring of persons with disabilities as an essential part of a diverse and inclusive workforce. Hiring persons with disabilities should be good common business sense. However what sometimes makes common sense is not always common practice! Why is that? Let’s discuss why. Many paths, one goal… Independence


Table Discussion



Table Discussion In groups brainstorm reasons employers do not hire more persons with disabilities List your top three reasons and be prepared to share them with everyone.



We can help employers bridge the employment gap through hiring more persons with disabilities by: 1. Understanding the need to having a

culturally competent workforce 2. Having a better understanding of the

value that persons with disabilities bring to their organizations.



Cultural Competence What is it?


Definition of Competence

Competence implies having the capacity to function in a particular way, to have skills, to have a level of mastery in a situation. It is something to be achieved. This is why the word “competence” is preferred to the more passive terms of “awareness” and “sensitivity. The Levels of Understanding: • Cultural Awareness is knowledge-based.

• Cultural Sensitivity is feeling/attitude-based.

• Cultural Competence is behavior/skill-based.

Cultural Competence Myths Are Barriers To Hiring

Myth 1: Individuals with disabilities do not have the right skills for business FACT: People with disabilities develop critical thinking skills “People who have disabilities, either through birth or because they have acquired one, must develop other strengths, traits, and qualities-perseverance, problem solving, goal setting, determination-that makes them valuable in the workplace.” -Jennifer Sheely, U.S. Department of Education



Myth 2: Saying the wrong thing in the workplace will offend employees with disabilities. FACT: Simple etiquette can avoid relationship barriers. FACT: People with disabilities appreciate “people first language.” People should not be afraid to ask questions. A culturally competent work culture promotes this.



Myth 3: Hiring persons with disabilities makes businesses vulnerable to litigation. FACT: Very few businesses experience disability-related claims. Surveys refute this myth.



Myth 4: Co-workers will be uncomfortable and their productivity will be negatively impacted. FACT: Workers with disabilities will have a positive effect on co-workers.



Myth 5: Attendance and safety records of workers with disabilities is poor. FACT: *Employees with disabilities have 90% above average safety and attendance records, well above the norm. *2005 DuPont Corp. study


Benefits of Hiring Persons With Disabilities

Benefit: Consumers with disabilities represent an enormous market niche. • Combined income is more than $1 trillion • Discretionary income of $220 billion


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Compare to the teen market heavily catered to that has only $140.00 billion


Marketing to persons with disabilities and making appropriate accommodations makes good business sense. • Increased access enabled hotel and

hospitality revenues to increase by 12% • Studies show that 54% of households pay

more attention to and patronage businesses that feature people with disabilities in their advertisement.



HR Professionals and hiring authorities will like this as a reason to hire persons with disabilities…… People with disabilities are often more loyal to their employers and are less likely to be lured away by a bigger paycheck


Meeting Employers Needs

“Persons with disabilities are individuals

that are ready to work, some assembly required.”

Richard Pimentel


Meeting Employers Needs

Q. Why should my organization hire persons with disabilities? Answ. Hiring persons with disabilities is not a charitable act-there are sound business reasons to hire persons with disabilities. It just depends on what industry you are in and what skills and qualities that you require from your individual employees.


What Do Employers Want and Need From Today’s Employees?

Question: How Can We Meet The Needs of Today’s Employer? Answer: Provide them what they want and need to meet their business objectives.



It’s A New Day! All of Us Working Together To Meet Today’s

Employer Needs • Is carving or creating positions a thing of

the past? • Single skill set employee is fading fast



• Downsizing and flatter organizations have created the need for more “generalist” or multi-tasking employees

• Strong incentive programs • Quality employees that can perform at or

above expectation • Employees that can hit the ground

running • Limited number of employee trainers


“MCFI Candidate For Employment Continuum”

Hospitality Training Work/Training Center

Health Care Training Competitive Employment

Supported Employment

Pre-Screening For Food Service & Custodial Service Candidates

• (a) Assessment • (b) Intake • (c) Background Checks • (d) Character Training

BENEFITS FOR HIRING MCFI’S CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT

• (1) Prescreened applicants saves HR time , and not having to advertise saves money

• (2)Incentives and Tax Credits available • (3) Monitored progress with support for

90 days • (4) Immediate response time

BENEFITS CONTINUED; • (5) Soft Skills training

• (6) Goal-High Productivity

• (7) The Value of Routine and Repetition

• (8) Employing MCFI Candidates is positive for the bottom line

Money Saving Programs

(a) Work Experience (Internships)

• (b) On the Job Training (OJT)

• (c) Long Term Support

• (d) Job Coaching versus natural supports


Yes it’s all about the business but it is also….. all about building a culture of appreciation for Diversity and Inclusion within your organization which can lead to…. an increased competitive advantage



Thank Your For Your Participation Questions?


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