RESULTS OF INQUIRY ABOUT MANAGERS’ PERCEPTION OF THE

EMPLOYABILITY OF DISABLED PEOPLE

Ralitza Pandurska and Irina DanailovaUniversity of National and World Economy,

Sofia, Bulgaria

GENERAL INFORMATIONIn presented inquiry took part 62 present or potential employers. From all investigated firms, only in 22 (35,48%) there are employed disabled people. Employed disabled people are 75. In most of the companies the disabled people employed are less than 5 persons, mainly in departments such as logistics, communications, sales, accounting, marketing, administration, human resources.

Employed disabled people according their educational level

Employed disabled people according their educational level

6; 8%

17; 23%

11; 15%

37; 49%

4; 5%

Primary education

Secondary education

College

University

Additional qualif ication

Approximately 70% of employers say that they are not informed about the advantages and disadvantages of employing disabled people. Only 12 entrepreneurs answer that they have information from Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Disabled People Agency, Disabled People Union, Trade Unions, etc.It is impressive that most managers have not defined the terms disabled, handicapped, injured, impairment. Those that have tried to, barely make any difference between first three. This is probably due to mixing up the definitions and putting the same meaning into them.

A major part of the people inquired does not answer what work a disabled person should not have. The other part points that hard manual work is not recommended. 88.7% or 55 of respondents answer that there is no disabled person among their family members or relatives, but the part of people, that have daily communicated with disabled people is the same. Only 7 people (11.3%) say that they have never communicated with them.

Q1: Disabled people work productively

Strongly Disagree; 3; 5%

Disagree; 2; 3%

Undecided; 9; 15%

Agree ; 34; 54%

Strongly Agree; 14; 23%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q2: If the workplace conditions (ramps, services, wc, etc.) were more

suitable I would employ more disabled people.

Strongly Disagree; 1; 2%

Disagree; 4; 6%

Undecided; 11; 18%

Agree ; 30; 48%

Strongly Agree; 16; 26%

Strongly DisagreeDisagreeUndecidedAgree Strongly Agree

Q3: The industry we operate does not allow us to employ more disabled people.

Strongly Disagree; 6; 10%

Disagree; 24; 38%

Undecided; 10; 16%

Agree ; 11; 18%

Strongly Agree; 11; 18%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q4: If the incentives (such as reducing taxes and social security premium) to employ disabled people were increased I would concern to employ disabled people.

Strongly Disagree; 4; 6%

Disagree; 4; 6%

Undecided; 10; 16%

Agree ; 28; 46%

Strongly Agree; 16; 26%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q5: I think, there is a problem of harmonising disabled and other employees within the same workplace.

Strongly Disagree; 10; 16%

Disagree; 33; 54%

Undecided; 4; 6%

Agree ; 10; 16%

Strongly Agree; 5; 8%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q6: Concerning disabled employees, their los of working days would be higher then the other employees.

Strongly Disagree; 7; 11%

Disagree; 12; 19%

Undecided; 21; 34%

Agree ; 16; 26%

Strongly Agree; 6; 10%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q7: Health spending will be increased if the number of disabled employees increases.

Strongly Disagree; 4; 6%

Disagree; 22; 36%

Undecided; 22; 35%

Agree ; 11; 18%

Strongly Agree; 3; 5%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q8: The feedback I get from other managers who employ disabled people discourages me to employ disabled people.

Strongly Disagree; 11; 18%

Disagree; 24; 39%

Undecided; 17; 27%

Agree ; 8; 13%

Strongly Agree; 2; 3%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q9: If the government does more inspection number of disabled employees would increase.

Strongly Disagree; 2; 3%

Disagree; 7; 11%

Undecided; 13; 21%

Agree ; 20; 33%

Strongly Agree; 20; 32%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q10: Services ( such as providing special transportation vehicles) to facilitate employment of disabled people by the local governments would have positive impact on my decision to employ disabled people.

Strongly Disagree; 3; 5%

Disagree; 2; 3%

Undecided; 10; 16%

Agree ; 25; 42%

Strongly Agree; 21; 34%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q11: I can increase the number of disabled employees by making physical improvements in the workplaces of my firm.

Strongly Disagree; 7; 11%

Disagree; 9; 15%

Undecided; 12; 19%

Agree ; 28; 45%

Strongly Agree; 6; 10%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q12: In my opinion, the level of education and qualification of disabled people are not satisfying. Impairment

Disagree; 23; 37%

Undecided; 11; 18%

Agree ; 16; 26%

Strongly Agree; 4; 6%

Strongly Disagree; 8;

13%Strongly DisagreeDisagreeUndecidedAgree Strongly Agree

Q13: The only obstacle to employ a disabled person is the person him/herself.

Strongly Disagree; 8; 13%

Disagree; 13; 21%

Undecided; 7; 11%

Agree ; 23; 37%

Strongly Agree; 11; 18%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q14: I would prefer trained disabled people to not trained ones.

Strongly Disagree; 2; 3%

Disagree; 5; 8%

Undecided; 5; 8%

Agree ; 16; 26%

Strongly Agree; 34; 55%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q15: Disabled people harm the image of my firm because of their physical appearance.

Strongly Disagree; 34;

56%Disagree; 17; 27%

Undecided; 4; 6%

Agree ; 5; 8%

Strongly Agree; 2; 3%

Strongly DisagreeDisagreeUndecidedAgree Strongly Agree

Q16: To create employment opportunities for disable people will cause to increase our firm’s social responsibility image.

Strongly Disagree; 0; 0%

Disagree; 6; 10%

Undecided; 13; 21%

Agree ; 26; 42%

Strongly Agree; 17; 27%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q17: If enough fund provided to change the architecture of the workplace, I would prefer to employ more disabled people.

Strongly Disagree; 1; 2%Disagree; 7; 11%

Undecided; 16; 26%

Agree ; 33; 53%

Strongly Agree; 5; 8%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q18: I would sponsor an organization prepared for the disabled people.

Strongly Disagree; 4; 6%

Disagree; 1; 2%

Undecided; 15; 24%

Agree ; 35; 57%

Strongly Agree; 7; 11%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q19: News in the media about disabled people is of my interest.

Strongly Disagree; 2; 3%

Disagree; 5; 8%

Undecided; 19; 32%

Agree ; 27; 47%

Strongly Agree; 6; 10%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q20: Sometime it is difficult to find a disabled employee because there is no enough applicants.

Strongly Disagree; 3; 5%

Disagree; 8; 13%

Undecided; 26; 41%

Agree ; 19; 31%

Strongly Agree; 6; 10%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q21: Penalties for not employing enough disabled people are not deterrent.

Strongly Disagree; 2; 3%

Disagree; 4; 6%

Undecided; 25; 41%Agree ; 24; 39%

Strongly Agree; 7; 11%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q22: In my opinion, disabled people shell mostly be employed by public and local government enterprises.

Strongly Disagree; 0; 0%

Disagree; 5; 8%

Undecided; 11; 18%

Agree ; 29; 47%

Strongly Agree; 17; 27%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q23: Generally, public and local government enterprises do not fill their disabled employee quote, and this has negative effect over us.

Strongly Disagree; 1; 2%

Disagree; 6; 10%

Undecided; 17; 28%

Agree ; 26; 42%

Strongly Agree; 11; 18%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

Q24: Due to market constraints we cannot give enough attention to the disabled people’s problems and necessities.

Strongly Disagree; 2; 3%

Disagree; 6; 10%

Undecided; 8; 13%

Agree ; 29; 47%

Strongly Agree; 17; 27%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Undecided

Agree

Strongly Agree

THANK YOU FOR THE ATTENTION!