The inclusion of disabled people in the workplace. The number of Australians who have disability in the workforce is continuing to rise. Too many businesses hold themselves back when it comes to hiring an employee with a disability as they focus on the potential burdens as opposed to focusing on the benefits of neurodiversity and unique skillset that they can bring to an organization.

Here are some tips for businesses who are wanting to create a more inclusive workplace for employees with disabilities.

Identify and Change Processes That Promote Unconscious Bias

It is it important for your business to evaluate whether or not your recruiting and hiring process is discouraging applicants with disabilities or limiting the ability for potential employees with disabilities to showcase their strengths during the interview process.

For example, a few years ago Microsoft realised that they weren’t hiring many employees with autism despite clearly having the intellect and required knowledge to excel in a position of employment at Microsoft.

Their management team eventually realized that the interview processes the business followed made it difficult for people with autism. To solve this problem, Microsoft developed a separate interview process entirely for candidates on the autism spectrum.

Microsoft began working with a local autism-support organization to bring in candidates for a different type of evaluation process. The assessment program involved a series of exercises designed to test teamwork and technical skills; it also provided real-time training.

When reflecting on the changes introduced during the interview process to specially cater to autistic candidates Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Microsoft accessibility officer says that “we feel confident we haven’t overlooked a strong candidate simply because a common assessment practice doesn’t play to their strengths.”

This innovative decision made by Microsoft shows that making even the smallest of changes can make a huge difference.

Enable All Employees To Understand The Challenges That People With A Disability Face And Contribute To Solutions

Educating all employees about the challenges people with a disability face will have a huge impact on creating a more inclusive workplace for all employees. It will also create a workplace where every employee can contribute both his or her best efforts. This type of training should be made available for all employees regardless of whether or not they have a disability. It is also important for employees who are in management positions.

The purpose of this type of training would be to help people better understand and have empathy for individuals who face challenges as a result of their condition and consequently reduce the stigma that comes with being disabled. That’s why they are organizing a strategy for the inclusion of disabled people in the workplace.

Everyone should also be aware of the tools and accommodations that are available to persons with disabilities, so that the burden of figuring out solutions is not solely on the person with disability.

Strengthen The Hiring Pipeline By Engaging With Community Groups

A major challenge business tends to encounter in regards to tapping the talent pool of people with disabilities is identifying the right candidate. This means that there is often a connection issue. People with disabilities sometimes feel reluctant to apply for a job that think they won’t get, as a result of this their talent goes to waste. It is therefore important for companies to start to create a robust recruitment pipeline in part by engaging with groups that support people with disabilities. The inclusion of disabled people in the workplace.

Create A Mutually Supportive Community

It is highly beneficial to develop a training program and other opportunities for individuals with a disability to connect with other employees will help ensure that persons with disabilities develop and succeed. Mentoring and coaching initiatives are also vital lifelines. Persons with disabilities who serve in senior positions should strongly consider becoming mentors both internally and externally.