The business benefits of employing people with disability

1. Employment as a human right

At a glance

• Employment is a fundamental human right and essential to equal participation in society.
• People with disability in Australia participate in work at significantly lower rates than people without disability.

Employment for people with disability is a human right. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(CRPD) recognises the right of people with disability to work on an equal basis with others.^[1]

This work must be freely chosen or accepted in a labour market that is open, accessible, and inclusive.^[2]

People with disability make up 21.4% of the population of Australia, which is around 5.5 million Australians.^[3] This represents a significant portion of the population that continues to be excluded from the workforce.

The labour force participation rate for people with disability is 60.5%, compared to 84.9% for people without disability.^[4] Additionally, the unemployment rate for people with disability (7.5%) is double that of the rate for people without disability (3.1%).^[5]

Employment supports financial independence and reduces social isolation, which people with disability experience at double the rate of people without disability (19% compared to 9.5%).^[6]

2. Employee-facing benefits

At a glance

• Disability-inclusive workplaces are more innovative, engaged, and productive.
• Rights-centred employment practices support retention and long-term workforce stability.

Embedding human rights into organisational practices delivers clear benefits for people with disability while strengthening the overall workplace through fostering inclusive, supportive environments.

2.1 An engaged workforce and innovative culture

People with disability bring diverse skills, perspectives, and lived experience to the workplace. These skills are often developed through navigating barriers and finding creative solutions to complex challenges in a largely inaccessible society.^[7] This supports innovation and encourages organisations to question assumptions, challenge traditional systems, and improve existing work practices.

A human rights-based approach provides organisations with a new lens through which to examine business practices, inputs, and outputs. By centring rights, organisations can identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement that may not be visible through traditional approaches.

For example, supporting flexible working arrangements may prompt teams to question assumptions about how work is structured, such as fixed 9-5 hours. This can reveal unexamined barriers and lead to more efficient ways of working for everyone.

Inclusive employers foster positive workplace cultures where employees feel respected as rights-holders, valued as individuals, and supported to be themselves at work. When people’s rights are supported, employees are more likely to engage meaningfully with their work and work more effectively as a team, building morale and performance.

Research from the Diversity Council of Australia’s Inclusion@Work Index 2021-2022 found that employees in inclusive teams are:

• 10 times more likely to be innovative.^[8]
• 4 times more likely to be highly engaged.^[9]

2.2 Increased workforce retention

Employees are more likely to remain with organisations that respect their rights by providing inclusive working environments. These practices enable people to build long-term careers by removing barriers to participation, progression, and advancement.

Inclusive practices also benefit employees without disability, who may encounter similar barriers at different points in their working lives. This reduces turnover rates and associated costs, retains skilled employees and creates a more stable workforce.

The Inclusion@Work Index 2021-2022 found that employees in inclusive teams are four times less likely to leave their job within the next 12 months.^[10] The same research shows that 77% of Australian workers support their organisation taking action to foster a workplace that is diverse and inclusive,^[11] reflecting strong workforce expectations for rights-based practice.

3. Customer-facing benefits

At a glance

• Inclusive businesses can reach a larger and more diverse consumer market.
• Disability representation improves customer experience and strengthens brand trust.

Rights-based practice delivers clear benefits beyond the workplace, strengthening customer engagement, market reach, and reputation.

3.1 An expanded consumer base

More than 5.5 million Australians have a disability. When family members, friends, and carers are considered, people with disability are connected to a significant portion of the consumer market.

Businesses that demonstrate support for human rights are positioned to attract and retain these customers.

Consumer expectations have shifted significantly over recent decades. Research by Accenture found that nearly two-thirds of global consumers (62%) expect companies to take a stand on issues that matter to them.^[12]

3.2 Better customer experience

Workforces that reflect the diversity of the communities they serve are better equipped to understand customer needs. Lived experience can improve service design, customer interactions, and accessibility across products and services.

The Inclusion@Work Index 2021-2022 found that employees in inclusive teams are six times more likely to provide excellent customer service.^[13]

4. Legal compliance and human rights obligations

At a glance

• Employers have legal and human rights obligations to provide accessible and non-discriminatory workplaces.
• A proactive, rights-centred approach reduces legal risk and supports organisational leadership in inclusion.

Employing people with disability is both a legal responsibility and a human rights obligation. Employers play a critical role in realising the right to work on an equal basis with others, as set out in the CRPD.

This includes providing workplaces that actively uphold rights, rather than focusing solely on avoiding legal risks associated with discrimination. A proactive approach to inclusion supports both compliance and stronger organisational outcomes.

Employing people with disability also increases awareness of the skills and experience they bring to the workplace,^[14] helping to build disability-positive workplaces and communities.

These practices support compliance with Australian anti-discrimination and work health and safety laws by reducing legal risk through proactive, rights-centred inclusion, rather than reactive or risk-avoidance approaches.

The Inclusion@Work Index 2021-2022 found that employees in inclusive teams are:

• 5 times less likely to experience discrimination and/or harassment.^[15]
• 11 times more likely to be highly effective.^[16]

Being employed in jobs which support me financially to work on policy issues and advocate for the rights of my community has been hugely empowering for me as a young woman with disability and has given me a sense of self-fulfilment and purpose. In my personal life, the financial support also means that I can aim for similar goals to my non-disabled peers. There was a time in my life where I never thought I would have the financial capacity to have my own home and family as well as pay for the costs of my health; but my current employment has opened up those opportunities.

Heidi La Paglia, Lived Experience Consulant
Heidi La Paglia Reid Consulting
Equality at Work Expert Advisory Group Member

Endnotes