Bosses unaware of help
EMPLOYERS across the Gold Coast are being encouraged to consider hiring people with disability, with research revealing 70 per cent of people were unaware that workplace adjustments are available.
Data obtained by JobAccess, the national hub for disability employment information, found there was no general awareness that changes could be made to help businesses broaden their workforce and future-proof workplaces.
“One workplace adjustment that has recently gotten a lot of attention is working from home,” said Daniel ValienteRiedl, JobAccess general manager. “However, general awareness of workplace adjustments is very low, which is concerning considering the existing employment gap, where people with disability are twice as likely to be unemployed as the rest of the population.”
Mr Valiente-Riedl said workplace adjustments were administrative, environmental or procedural changes to enable people with disability to access employment opportunities and work efficiently and comfortably.
Importantly, the survey found that awareness of workplace adjustments is not only low among the general population, but also among people with disability.
“When a person with disability requires adjustments, they might not even know that they could ask for them or that support to arrange them is available,” said Mr Valiente-Riedl.
“That could mean they miss out on an opportunity and an employer misses out on a productive, skilled employee because of this lack of knowledge.”
This is further compounded by the finding that one in five respondents believed it would be hard to implement workplace adjustments, and two in five estimate the cost as significant. Additionally, the majority of Australians think that employers carry the cost of making workplace adjustments alone.
“But there is support through JobAccess and the Australian government’s Employment Assistance Fund (EAF),” said Mr Valiente-Riedl.
“Our internal research shows that half of modifications cost less than $1000 and that many adjustments can be made at no cost at all, like providing flexible work hours or locations.”
The EAF can provide funding to eligible people with disability for physical modifications to a workplace, assistive technologies, Auslan interpreting, awareness training, and specialist support services.
JobAccess has managed over 57,000 applications for workplace modifications, support and training since 2006, with more than 90 per cent of employers saying that employees became more productive after the adjustments were implemented.
“This knowledge gap is an issue for everyone, not just people with disability, because employers are missing out on a huge talent pool when they don’t provide accessible, inclusive workplaces,” said Mr Valiente-Riedl.
“It’s well documented that employees with disability have lower rates of absenteeism and staff turnover and fewer workplace injuries than other workers. Hiring a person with disability shouldn’t be seen as an issue to be overcome, but an opportunity to build stronger teams.”