This year – 2020 – marks the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act, which ensures people with disabilities have equal opportunities for transportation, use of facilities, public accommodations, and, of course, employment. At Goodwill, we’re celebrating by bringing the advantages of hiring workers with disabilities to the forefront.
Most organizations have goals to create a growing, profitable business with a talented, engaged workforce and a strong culture. Many also want their employees to provide positive societal or community contributions. Goodwill believes tapping into people with diverse abilities helps not only achieve these goals but accelerates them. Here are some of the advantages:
1) Business results - People with disabilities have proven to regularly outperform their work peers in productivity, quality, safety, attendance and attrition. Many companies talk about innovation; people with diverse abilities must be creative to adapt to the world around them. As such, they develop strengths like problem-solving skills, agility, persistence, forethought and a willingness to experiment—all of which are essential for innovation.
2) Talented, engaged workforce – It’s import to look at people’s abilities, not disabilities. Everyone has unique skills and talents; it is an employers job to find those skills, nurture and grow them, and match them with the right jobs. People with diverse abilities have learned to be resilient and are great team players.
3) Culture - When employees come from diverse backgrounds, they bring with them unique experiences and perspectives which helps create strong, effective workplaces.
4) Positive societal and community contribution - There is dignity in work, and the network around people with diverse abilities, and the community at large benefits when we can maximize opportunity for individuals.
Goodwill helps individuals with disabilities get a job in the community and provides job coaching support to ensure long term success. We partner with many local employers to create customized, effective employment solutions. Click this link to learn more about our services.
