May 18th, 2012

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Inclusion Is the Theme for 2012 National Disability Employment Awareness Month

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Workforce inclusion has been a consistent theme from advocates for people with disabilities in their attempts to improve the quantity and quality of employment opportunities. Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) formalized it as part of its official theme for 2012 National Disability Employment Awareness Month this coming October.

The “What Can YOU Do?” campaign has been effective in forwarding the idea that companies hiring individuals with disabilities are making good business decisions and not just providing a helping hand to an underserved population. The 2012 slogan, “A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce: What Can YOU Do?,” is a natural evolution promoting assimilation and acceptance of these individuals as having a beneficial impact on productivity and morale. As the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, Kathleen Martinez, says in the official press release:

Employers who ensure that inclusive workplace policies and practices are woven into the fabric and culture of the organization create an environment that encourages all workers — including those of us with disabilities — to work to their full capacity and contribute fully to the organization’s success.

Intuitively, a comfortable working environment is a more productive one; accommodating the needs of an individual with a disabilities through accessibility equipment and technology is only part of the equation. The emotional peace plays a role as well, and for some individuals with disabilities it is the more important factor.

Comfort is a two-way street: Co-workers need to be understanding and accepting of individuals with disabilities in the work environment for their own sake and for the sake of everyone else in the workplace. Expect much of the support materials created for the National Disability Employment Awareness Month campaign to focus on ensuring each organization foster a culture of inclusion that will encourage individuals with disabilities to disclose who are they are.

It should not be difficult to make the case. The same studies that have demonstrated making workplace accommodations are not a cost burden also point to the less tangible benefits of employing people with disabilities. Judy Owens points to a couple of them in her May 12 “Diary of a Start-up” blog post for Forbes. One by the Labor Department’s Job Accommodation Network cites “improving productivity and morale” as a benefit; while her quote from a DePaul University report, entitled “Exploring the Bottom Line: A Study of the Costs and Benefits of Workers with Disabilities,” elaborates on specific ways each of these are accomplished:

Participants noted low absenteeism rates and long tenures. They also described their employees with disabilities as loyal, reliable, and hardworking. An additional benefit to hiring people with disabilities was the diversification of work settings, which led to an overall positive work environment.

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Image by Keoni Cabral, used under its Creative Commons license.

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