Employing disabled people is beneficial for most companies

© michael spring – 123RF.com

When we consider that less than 1% of South Africans with disabilities are gainfully employed, this stigma becomes obvious.

This is something that Stanley Hutcheson, founder and director of SHA, is quick to tackle, "The University of Johannesburg's Centre for Social Development in Africa, research reveals that 68% of adults living with disabilities have never looked for a job because of the stereotypes they face. I believe that only as a society can we positively resolve the situation."

Hutcheson explains that companies need to become 'disability confident' and to achieve this, corporations simply need to arm themselves with knowledge about the community that they are engaging with.

"There is no 'one kind' of disability and industries need to educate themselves when it comes to knowing that disabilities can range from not only physical matters but mental health as well. While these 'impairments' might cause companies to assume that the PWD in question is unable to work at the same level as an able-bodied person, the truth is that disability has zero impact on a qualified candidate's talent to perform as a successful and productive employee."

Incentives available

Employing PWD is not only simple, but also beneficial for most companies. "Aside from obtaining a dedicated team member, did you know that there are many incentives available to companies who employ people with disabilities? For example, the SARS' section 12H tax rebate/deduction provides an allowance for disabled learners to the value of R50,000, on commencement of a learnership and a further R50,000 on completion. Skills development of PWD is also a BEE points earner in the work environment," Hutcheson adds.

There are a few key considerations to check before recruiting a PWD:

• Companies need to understand that there are many quick wins available to them with PWDs who do not require any added facilities, and are just as capable as able-bodied candidates.
  
• Understand what it means to be disabled and not stereotype the term.
  
• Is your organisation ready for change? This can be achieved by including PWDs who have less severe conditions allowing stereotypes to be slowly eroded.
  
• Do a quick analysis on the four w's - why is your company hiring the recruit, who can perform the role, where will the employee be working, and when can they start?

The above considered, the recruitment processes itself should not differ all too much when recruiting 'able-bodied' candidates. Karenza Masie, recruitment manager at SHA says, "Great recruitment is about finding the right person for the right job, and infirmity should not be seen as a hindrance."

Masie believes that empowering students to be proficient in back office support, administrative skills, call centre customer service and data capture, is only one part of the training process. SHA equips learners with the soft skills such as time management and technology skills. The know-how to operate as part of a team is a key focus area and hampering growth based on disability should be excluded.