feature
In fact, studies have shown that people
with disabilities have lower rates
of absenteeism and higher rates of
retention than their non-disabled
counterparts. Employing people with
disabilities is generally not onerous on
the employer. In 57 per cent of cases, no
workplace accommodation is required at
all. Of the 37 per cent of cases that required
a one-time cost to accommodate
an employee with a disability, the average
cost is $500. Furthermore, a DuPont
study showed that 90 per cent of people
with disabilities rated average or better
on job performance.
Nonetheless, the Employment and
Social Development Canada (ESDC)
report Rethinking DisAbility in the
Private Sector says that 795,000 workingaged
Canadians with disabilities that
would not prevent them from working
are not employed – even though nearly
half (340,000) have post-secondary
education.
ABORIGINAL PEOPLE
According to the Canadian Council for
Aboriginal Business, there are more than
37,000 businesses in Canada owned by
First Nation, Métis and Inuit persons.
Further, the TD Bank estimated that by
2016, the Indigenous market in Canada
will represent $32 billion in combined income
across households, businesses and
governments. Thus, the total Indigenous
income would be greater than the level
of nominal GDP of Newfoundland and
Labrador and PEI combined. This is a
market for both customers and talent that
should not be ignored.
According to a study released by the
Centre for the Study of Living Standards,
if Indigenous people in Canada reached the
same education and employment level as
non-Indigenous people, our country’s GDP
would increase by $401 billion by 2026.
Yet, according to Aboriginal Affairs
and Northern Development Canada,
the unemployment rate for working-age
Aboriginal people is more than twice the
rate for non-Aboriginal Canadians of the
same age (13 per cent versus six per cent).
Many companies operating in the oil and
gas sector have a long history of employing
Aboriginal peoples, and organizations
in other sectors have seen tremendous
benefits to including Aboriginal people
among their employees. Some organizations
report that Indigenous people bring
unique decision-making approaches to
their workplace, along with a deep knowledge
of environmental stewardship and a
strong sense of community, among other
unique skills and attributes that make
their contribution to workplaces especially
valuable.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
As David Onley (former Lieutenant
Governor of Ontario and disability
advocate) says, the biggest barrier to employment
for people with disabilities is
other peoples’ attitudes. Many HR and
talent acquisition professionals, as well as
hiring managers, may be reluctant to hire
people with disabilities because they still
believe several myths about people with
disabilities in the workforce – namely that
they have higher absenteeism rates, lower
job retention rates and that they come
with significant accommodation costs.
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ MAY/JUNE 2015 ❚ 25