As a vocational rehabilitation counselor, I have seen many recruiters and firms ask why we should hire an employee with a disability. I feel terrible every time this question is asked because, in my opinion, a disability doesn’t restrict a person from doing their job and being a decent employee. Here I have compiled a list of reasons why employees with a disability are an asset to any workplace. 

• Unique Skills

Disabled people have a unique set of skills and talents. The disability of a person can be a barrier for them, and they might develop additional skills while navigating a world that isn’t designed for them. For instance, they might bring a unique perspective to a workplace because they have ideas and opinions other team members will never even think of. Workplaces that have different perspectives are healthier. 

1. Empathy 

Disabled people are better at empathizing with others and showing care and understanding when other people at the workplace face challenges. It is because they have gone through many struggles and frustrations themselves. This skill is vital as it helps workplaces be more productive as teams who care for each other always perform well. Empathy can also lead to better customer satisfaction as an empathetic person would be able to step into their shoes and resolve a problem satisfactorily. 

1. ​Problem Solving Skills

Disabled people have unique approaches to solving problems because they have been in unique situations. For instance, a person who has a spinal injury might use a suspended laptop at work as they are not able to sit for a long time. Similarly, people with dyslexia might use a speech-to-text dictation software to draft emails. 

• Not Giving Up

People with disabilities get tough with time, and they don’t give up easily. When they are faced with a workplace problem, they try to find the right solution even after many attempts have failed. They are persistent and resilient. It helps them to work hard until they resolve a workplace challenge. 

• Good with Assistive Technology

Another good thing about disabled people is that they are good with assistive technology and often become more productive than their colleagues due to it. For instance, a person with a hand disability might use dictation software to write content and do better than other writers as the use of software means fewer spelling mistakes and other errors. 

• Different Abilities

People with disabilities often also have different abilities that come in handy while doing a particular job. For instance, a person with anxiety issues would check and re-check all the data while analyzing it to ensure that the results are 100% accurate. Their anxiety would compel them to leave no stone unturned and do their best every time. 

• More Loyalty

Sadly, people with disabilities don’t get a job easily. So, when they get a job that gives them satisfaction and allows them to be financially independent, they would stick to that job for a long. Hence, the loyalty of disabled employees is high, and they won’t think of resigning over every small issue. Instead, they will stick with a company even through its bad phases and demonstrate their loyalty. 

• Better Diversity

Workplace diversity is not a trend anymore. It is the reality. More and more organizations are aiming for workplace diversity as it helps them make the workplace more interesting, get different perspectives, and, of course, come across as a modern employer that attracts employee loyalty. If you want to make your organization a more diverse workplace, you should hire disabled employees who bring in fresh perspectives and make your workplace more diverse.

Get Help 

If you are a disabled person who had been in a workplace injury/accident and you are looking to return to work, then you can trust the vocational rehabilitation service offered by Laura M. Wilson & Associates Inc. We help you get a job you will love in an organization that will value you. We also offer constant support until you learn to thrive in your new job. 

We provide a wide array of services such as SJDB Service, RTWSP Service, Expert Witness, Vocational Evaluation, Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling Services, and Transferable Skills Analysis. Our vocational rehabilitation counselors will decide which services are right for you and offer a solution that helps you return to work and retain your job. To know more about how we can help, you can book an appointment here or call us toll-free on (800) 531-5608.

References:

https://diversityq.com/disabled-employees-are-an-asset-not-a-cost-1508278/

https://apm.net.au/individuals/disability-employment-services/health-and-disability/8-reasons-why-employees-with-disability-are-an-ass-02b544f6