The benefits of employing people with disability

1. Benefits for individuals, business and the economy

Employing people with disability benefits everyone. It provides people with disability with greater purpose, economic security, independence and autonomy. It also enables businesses to tap into a broader talent pool and increase employee engagement, innovation and customer satisfaction.

By proactively promoting accessibility and inclusion, companies have a unique opportunity to not only meet legal and ethical obligations but also to gain a competitive advantage in the Australian business landscape.

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

2. Benefits for businesses and organisations

Research released in 2018 by Accenture, in partnership with Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), highlights the tangible advantages of disability inclusion. The report, Getting to Equal: The Disability Inclusion Advantage analysed the disability practices and financial performance of 140 companies participating in the Inclusion Diversity Index.^[1]

The findings were clear: companies that embraced best practice for employing and supporting more people with disability in their workforce outperformed their peers.^[2]

The report identified 3 key barriers preventing companies from utilising the talents of people with disability:

• a lack of understanding of the scope of talent available
• a lack of understanding of the potential benefits
• misconceptions about the cost versus the return on investment of disability inclusion.

Leading companies working successfully towards disability inclusion saw meanureable financial gains. On average, these organisations achieved:

• 28% higher revenue
• double the net income
• double the likelihood of shareholder returns outperforming competitors.

According to other research cited in this report, employees with disability bring other tangible benefits to organisations, including increased innovation, improved organisational productivity and a better work environment.

The Business Council of Australia and JobAccess found that Disability-inclusive businesses grow profits more than four times faster than their peers.^[3] The cost to accommodate employees with disability is no more than that to support those without disability. And these adjustments are usually cost-effective, with studies estimating a $40 savings for every $1 invested in workplace adjustments.^[4]

Disability inclusion is not just a social imperative; it is a strategic business advantage.

3. The value of diverse workplaces

Employing people with disability has many direct business benefits. It also helps to build a diverse workplace. Employees in diverse teams are consistently happier, more engaged, innovative, and productive.

Businesses that value and employ people with disability foster benefits inclusive and positive work environments, leading to improved staff morale, stronger co‑worker relationships and increased productivity across the organisation.^[5]

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

• 11 times more likely to be highly effective
• 10 times more likely to be innovative
• 4 times less likely to leave their job in the next 12 months, and
• 5 times less likely to experience discrimination and/or harassment.^[6]

The same research found that 77% of Australian workers support their organisation taking action to create a diverse and inclusive workplace.^[7] Additionally, Accenture reports that 62% of global consumers want companies to take a stand on issues that are important to them.^[8]

There is strong consumer support for accessible and inclusive businesses.

Hiring people with disability also brings unique skills and strengths to the workplace. People with disability often have very good problem-solving skills because they have regular experience adapting to challenges and finding creative solutions.^[9] Hiring people with disability may support businesses to find innovative solutions to challenging problems, and create new, more efficient processes.

Your business could put these skills to the test, finding new ways to improve processes, drive innovation, productivity and efficiencies.

Employing people with disability increases awareness of the skills and experience they bring to the workplace.^[10] This contributes to building disability-positive workplaces and communities.

A 2018 systematic review of 39 international studies found that the benefits of hiring people with disability extends across the organisation or business.^[11] These include:

A diverse workforce, which includes people with disability, will better reflect a business’s surrounding community and customer base. It may also enhance a business’s image and brand among its staff, community and customers.^[12]

4. Benefits for the economy

Increasing the employment of people with disability by 10% would increase national economic output by $16 billion per year, according to the Bankwest Economic Centre in its 2024 report Employment and Disability in Australia.^[13]

The employment rate for people with disability has only recently increased by about 5%, after having remained stagnant since the 90s.^[14]

Employment at full minimum wage or above can help people with disability achieve financial independence and contribute to the economy as consumers.

5. Employment is a human right

People with disability make up 21.4% of the population of Australia, or 5.5 million Australians.^[15] This is a significant portion of the population that is excluded from the workforce.

The labour force participation rate for people with disability is 60.5%, compared to 84.9% for people without disability.^[16] Additionally, the unemployment rate for people with disability (7.5%) is double that of the rate for people without disability (3.1%).^[17]

Employment for people with disability is a human right.

Creating accessible workplaces and increasing the employment of people with disability doesn’t only benefit people with disability.

Ensuring that everyone can participate equally in their community, engage as economic citizens and make valuable contributions to the workplace benefits everyone.

Endnotes