Everybody Works
Hiring a diverse workforce includes hiring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD)! People with developmental disabilities, like you and I, have a broad range of skills and interests.
Consumers prefer businesses that hire a diverse workforce:
According to a study done by Gary N. Siperstein about business consumers.
- 92% of consumers favor businesses that hire individuals with disabilities.
- 87% of consumers prefer to give their business to companies that hire individuals with disabilities.
Employees with Disabilities have Lower Turn-Over:
Multiple studies have found that people with disabilities regularly have lower turnover rates than employees without disabilities. Lowering employee turnover is one of the best ways to reduce costs. Visit https://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1017&context=hospman_facpub to learn more.
You’re Increasing Your Hiring Pool:
At any time, roughly 20% of the population qualifies as having a disability. In markets where employers are competiting with each other to hire enough or the right staff, including people with disabilities in your search increases the hiring pool.
Employees with Disabilities are Reliable:
According to at DuPont Study conducted in 1990 (“Equal to the Task II”), 86% of employees with disabilities were rated as average or above average for their attendance. This means that employers who hire employees with disabilities are statistically likely to find a dependable and reliable employee.
Employees with Disabilities have the Same Safety Record:
According to at DuPont Study conducted in 1990 (“Equal to the Task II”), 97% of employees with disabilities were rated as average or above average for safety when compared to employees without disabilities.
Most Accommodations are Inexpensive or Free:
According to the Job Accommodation Network, 57% of employers in a recent study reported that the accommodations needed by employees cost absolutely nothing. They go on to report, “Of those accommodations that did have a cost, the typical one-time expenditure by employers was $500.” To learn more, please visit http://askjan.org/ and search for “Low Cost.”
If you are a business looking to hire a more diverse workforce, but you aren’t sure where you get started, check out one of the resources below:
COLORADO DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION:
Your business can offer working interviews, set your business up as a skills assessment site, or set up a paid work experience for someone with a disability. Call (970) 223-9823 to get started.
POUDRE SCHOOL DISTRICT:
A.C.E. (Alternative Cooperative Education): Provides work experience, related classroom instruction, and vocational transition planning for high school students with disabilities. Students develop personal and career skills, preparing them to live and work independently as vital, contributing members of their community through the generous workforce guidance of participating businesses.
S.W.A.P. (School to Work Alliance Program): A Poudre School District transition program, S.W.A.P. helps youth with disabilities find and retain jobs after graduation.
Project SEARCH: Enables young adults with disabilities to gain and maintain employment through career exploration and on-the-job training.
To learn more and become a part of any of these PSD programs, contact PSD’s Integration Services Coordinator by calling (970) 490-3213
THOMPSON SCHOOL DISTRICT:
S.W.A.P (School to Work Alliance Program: A collaborative effort between Thompson R2-J Public Schools and the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Our primary goal is to assist youth in a successful transition from school to the world of work. We assist young adults with finding meaningful employment opportunities in their community.
970-669-8349