Why DEI Makes Your Workplace Stronger and Healthier

Hiring diversely isn’t a liability – it’s a huge asset to employers who want their businesses to excel. We see this in multiple studies that show that those with diverse teams consistently report higher revenue and stronger business results than their less diverse competitors.

Yet, many organizations aren’t leveraging the talents of a diverse workforce. Employees with disabilities represent a large part of this untapped labour pool. According to the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability, 27% of Canadians (8 million people) had one or more disabilities – an increase of 5 percentage points since 2017.¹ However, in 2023, persons with disabilities experienced significantly lower employment levels (47%) than those without disabilities (67%).¹

There is a strong business case for hiring and accommodating employees with disabilities (as well as other marginalized groups). Understanding why DEI is a strategic advantage, not just a buzzword, can help leaders build the kind of strong and healthy teams that the future of work needs.

DEI and Persons with Disabilities

DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It refers to workplace and societal efforts to create environments where individuals of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities are valued, supported, and given equal opportunities to succeed.

• Diversity: The presence of differences, including race, gender, disability, age, and more.
• Equity: Ensuring fair treatment, opportunities, and access to resources based on individual needs.
• Inclusion: Creating a culture where all individuals feel welcomed, respected, and empowered to contribute.

Persons with disabilities are an important part of workplace diversity and must be considered in DEI strategies. Disability exists across all demographics and is one of the largest identity groups in the workforce.

Unfortunately, misconceptions about disability inclusion can be a huge barrier to building a diverse and equitable workforce. Some employers assume that accommodating employees with disabilities is too costly or that individuals with disabilities cannot perform at the same level as their peers. Another common misconception is that disability inclusion benefits only a small percentage of employees. 

The Business Case for Employing Workers with Disabilities

Let’s dispel some myths and see how employing workers with disabilities can actually make your workplace stronger and healthier.

1. Workplace Culture Benefits

Building an inclusive workplace can improve employees’ perception of your organization – and not just for those with disabilities. Our next generation of employees, Millennials and Generation Z, are looking for purpose-driven work that aligns with their personal values. These generations are socially conscious and aren’t afraid to turn down work or reject employers who don’t have inclusive practices.² Employees who connect with their company’s values and feel that they belong are more engaged with the work they do.

In addition to improving morale, inclusivity also facilitates better collaboration and empathy. Strategies that we can use to better work with and support our diverse colleagues – such as communication and accommodation strategies – can benefit the entire team. Active listening, clear and accessible language, and flexible meeting practices, for instance, ensure that every team member has access to the same information.

On the accommodation side, recognizing strategies for managing work tasks effectively and navigating physical workspaces in a healthy way can help all types of employees be successful. Implementing health and safety practices for all can even help prevent disability or aid those with undisclosed disabilities. What may start as a supportive measure for employees with disabilities becomes a standard that benefits and protects the entire workforce.

When we understand that every person has challenges and strengths, and that there are simple ways to remove barriers at work, we can become more flexible, empathetic, and resilient organizations than those that treat individuals with one broad stroke.

2. Business Benefits

Supporting DEI practices has tangible, positive business outcomes. According to a study from Accenture, companies that stand out in terms of disability inclusion and employment report 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income, and 2 times more economic profit. Why do inclusive companies see such successful results?

Research shows that employees with disabilities are just as productive and reliable, if not more so, than their peers. A Dupont employee survey found that 90% of workers with disabilities grade as “average” or “above average” in their performance ratings.³ And despite misconceptions about accommodations being expensive, research shows that most accommodations cost little to nothing to implement. That means the benefits of hiring and retaining a valued employee, including decreasing staff turnover, improving staff attendance, and increasing productivity, do result in better financial ROI.

Being able to draw from a wider talent pool of skilled workers is a competitive advantage. It’s also an opportunity to strengthen reputation among socially conscious consumers and investors.

3. Product and Service Benefits

Organizations can also see improved financial performance when their products are innovative and meet the needs of a broad audience. A BCG study showed that teams with above-average diversity on their leadership teams report 19% higher innovation revenue than those with below-average diversity.⁴ This means that diverse teams are gaining more revenue from launching new products and services, reflecting how “these companies are better able to quickly adapt to changes in customer demand.”⁵

Employees with disabilities bring unique perspectives and strengths to the table. Creative problem-solving, agility, persistence, forethought, and willingness to experiment are some of the attributes these workers might possess, driving innovation in their organizations.⁵ They also offer lived experiences that can help businesses design for greater accessibility in products and services, which appeal to a broad audience of consumers, both disabled and non-disabled. Universal design benefits everyone. Closed captions, voice assistants, and other digital tools were initially designed for accessibility but are now widely used by all consumers.

How Can Employers Improve DEI?

We know that as disability and aging-related challenges increase, workplaces will need to be equipped for change. As businesses look to build stronger, more inclusive teams, the question shifts from why hire employees with disabilities to how. What steps can your organization take today to create a truly inclusive workplace?

You may want to consider the following strategies when building your DEI program, especially in respect to supporting employees with disabilities.

1. Invest in accommodations for employees and ensure that each workplace party understands their duty to accommodate and role within the process.
2. Consider the role of Occupational Therapists in assessing barriers and how their unique role can support your organization.
3. Build inclusive recruitment and hiring practices.
4. Educate your team about the challenges and benefits of neurodiversity.
5. Audit your policies to assess systemic barriers for employees with disabilities.
6. Consider the unique challenges and values of our next generation of workers to create a workplace that addresses physical and cultural barriers.

Need help getting started? Make a referral or contact us to learn more about how we can help your healthy business.

References

[1] Vergara, D., & Hardy, V. (2024, June 13). Labour market characteristics of persons with and without disabilities, 2023. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-222-x/71-222-x2024002-eng.htm  

[2] Deloitte. The Deloitte Global 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey. https://www.deloitte.com/global/en/issues/work/content/genz-millennialsurvey.html

[3] Medium. (November 2017). An Untapped talent Pool: The Opportunity in Employing People with Disabilities https://medium.com/nga-economic-opportunity/an-untapped-talent-pool-the-opportunity-in-employing-people-with-disabiltiies-77be9f76339c

[4] Lorenzo, R., Voigt, N., Tsusaka, M., Krentz, M., & Abouzahr, K. (2024, May 8). How diverse leadership teams boost innovation. BCG Global. https://www.bcg.com/publications/2018/how-diverse-leadership-teams-boost-innovation  

[5] Hewlett, Sylvia Ann. (2017, November 17). Millennials with disabilities: A large, invisible talent cohort with innovative potential. Inc.com. https://www.inc.com/sylvia-ann-hewlett/millennials-with-disabilities-a-large-invisible-talent-cohort-with-innovative-potential.html