Finding employment is significantly more difficult for people who live with a disability than people who don’t. The main contributor to this difficulty is the lack of accessibility within the organisation’s recruitment process.
The need for a more accessible recruitment process across organisations in the UK has become increasingly more important due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, accessible recruitment should not necessarily be a need but a standard across all organisations. So, if you’re an organisation looking to create a more diverse workforce and support the disabled community, this blog will share the benefits of accessible recruitment.
What is accessible recruitment?
It’s a recruitment process that is truly inclusive and accessible for all people, including people with disabilities. It helps to create a diverse workforce by removing barriers based on their race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or physical or mental condition.
There are several reasons as to why all organisations, both public and private, should be making accessible recruitment an immediate priority, including the following:
It’s a Legal Obligation
Out of the 14.1 million disabled people in the UK, 19% of them are working-age adults that have a right to access jobs, and for organisations, it’s a legal obligation.
The law covers recruitment, employment and dismissal in the Equality Act. It’s essential that organisations have the right practices and tools to cater for people with disabilities.
Diversify Your Workforce
A diverse workforce allows your organisation to tap into a larger pool of talent as opposed to competitors. If your organisation does not have an inclusive recruitment process, then it will be missing out on a large number of talented people who are unable to apply for positions or continue through your recruitment process.
A diverse workforce offers unlimited benefits for an organisation, from fresh perspectives and creative ideas to better decision-making and problem-solving, ultimately increasing employee engagement, thus increasing productivity and profitability.
Making your recruitment process more accessible will increase your chances of finding the perfect candidates to help your organisation flourish. Diverse workforces have been shown to be more productive due to the wide set of strengths and skills at hand.
By making recruitment accessible your organisation will increase the chances of finding the perfect candidate for a role whilst boosting the happiness and productivity of existing staff.
Additionally, a diverse workforce helps to support corporate responsibility, which is important for attracting and retaining both employees and customers.
Help The Disabled Community
People living with disabilities face barriers when seeking and entering employment. Due to the stigmas surrounding disability, there is a strong likelihood that a disabled person will face discrimination or challenges when applying for jobs.
Anyone living with a disability or long-term health condition deserves a fair chance when applying for a job.
Making accessibility a priority in your organisation helps set industry standards, which will help all people with disabilities have a fair chance in the workplace.
Ask yourself, would you want to be an organisation that does not cater for everyone?
At Microlink, we specialise in helping people with disabilities. Due to our extensive surrounding disability allows us to advise the best approaches in the recruitment process to allow a level playing field for all. From specialised training of recruitment staff to inclusive onboarding, we underline all the requirements organisations need to follow.
Download our Accessible Recruitment Insight Proposal
Back to News- Share:
