3 Reasons To Hire More Individuals With Disabilities In 2021

Paula Morgan Diversity & Inclusion

I write on the intersection of disability and public services.

2021 offers a new year to improve workforce diversity and inclusion. 

This year, challenging as it has been, has afforded individuals with disabilities the opportunity to celebrate several major milestones: July marked 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law and October was the 75th anniversary of Disability Employment Awareness Month. 

Unfortunately, against this backdrop of historical success, data from the National Organization on Disability indicates that nearly 1 million people with disabilities lost their jobs between the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and July 2020. Historically, individuals with disabilities are one of the first groups to be laid off or have their hours cut, and this year many were compelled to stop working due to the various health risks posed by the virus. 

The pandemic has touched the lives of all Americans, but according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1 in 5 workers with disabilities lost employment, compared with 1 in 7 workers in the general population. 

While employment statistics for this group have improved over the years, there is still a great deal more that employers can do to promote diversity and inclusion in their workplaces, especially considering only 13% of employers have reached the 7% target set by the U.S. Department of Labor for federal contractors hiring individuals with disabilities. 

Increasing this percentage will benefit employers and employees alike, so keep reading for the top three reasons to hire more individuals with disabilities in 2021.

1) Investing in diversity leads to financial gains

            According to a 2018 report published by Accenture, companies that prioritized the inclusion of individuals with disabilities were four times more likely to outperform their competitors in shareholder returns, and have, on average 28% higher revenue, double the net income and 30% higher profit margins. 

Research also shows that companies that employ a more diverse workforce, including individuals with disabilities, are also better positioned to attract and serve a more diverse customer base.

Thank you for reading. Look for Reason 2 tomorrow………