An Inclusive Culture: Innovative Ways to Attract Job Applicants with Disabilities

There are many benefits to cultivating an inclusive workplace at your company. Employees may feel more loyal to their companies and more satisfied in their jobs. Additionally, employers get access to different types of talent and more unique perspectives when they add inclusive practices to their business plans. According to a study from McKinsey & Company, companies that are more inclusive and diverse have a 35% higher chance of outperforming their competitors. 

If it’s time to make some changes in your company, the Portage Area Chamber of Commerce offers  some ways you can build a stronger, more inclusive work culture.

Evaluate Your Leadership Style

As a leader, it is important to continually evaluate your own leadership style in order to create a more inclusive and productive workplace. By doing so, you can identify areas of improvement and learn strategies that drive true collaboration and respect amongst your team. Taking the time to understand the different perspectives of each individual in the organization will help to build trust and foster an environment where everyone feels valued. With commitment and dedication to self-assessment, you can become a successful leader while also creating an atmosphere where every team member feels respected and heard.

Create Inclusive Recruiting Documents

When you’re recruiting, make sure your promotional materials detail why people of all abilities would be successful in your company. Have paragraphs explaining your commitment to an inclusive work culture. If you publish using PDF documents, use a free tool to edit PDF files. Upload your file to the editor, edit, download and share with your team.

Offer Internship Opportunities

A great way to recruit new employees and get a more diverse and inclusive field of talent is to offer internship opportunities. Visit local colleges to recruit possible interns. Connect with each university’s office of diversity and inclusion to get more access to different abilities and talents.

Address Website Accessibility

Your website could also be a helpful recruiting tool for new, talented staff. Evaluate your website’s accessibility to ensure everyone can engage with the content. Accessibility for all means that people with disabilities, low bandwidth and other situations can access your information. Your content should be easy to read, see and hear. You should have alternative options for content, such as image alt text. Additionally, video and media files should also be available in alternative formats.

Provide Reasonable Accommodations

Employers may also be required to provide reasonable accommodations to staff members with disabilities. To create an inclusive workplace, this practice should be incorporated into your business operational plan. Some examples of reasonable accommodations include job description changes, access to service dogs, and flexibility with work schedules.

Connect With Organizations for People with Disabilities

Inclusive-friendly employers can also make strides by connecting with with community organizations for people with disabilities. Reach out to organizations in your area that support those with disabilities to get help with recruiting new employees or making changes to your workplace that enhance accessibility..

Revamp Your Management Team

Finally, make sure to implement promotional practices that are also supportive of those with disabilities. Your leadership team should reflect an inclusive staff, which means that members of your management team should also include a range of abilities.

Creating a more inclusive workplace can be difficult, but it is an essential part of achieving the goals of any organization. With commitment, dedication and a sense of purpose, it is possible to create an environment where everyone feels they belong and can contribute to the growth of the company. By fostering an open and welcoming atmosphere, your business has the potential to be successful, innovative and welcoming to all.