Busting 6 myths about employing disabled people

Nearly everyone will experience a temporary or permanant disability in their life. In fact, according to the Office for National Statistics, 3.24 million people identify as being disabled within UK workplaces (ONS, 2018). 

Even though more companies are starting to include disabled people in their workforce, there's still a big challenge in overcoming stereotypes and unfair judgments. This makes it difficult for disabled individuals to get hired.

Our Workplace and education inclusion consultants, Adam Tweed and Lizi Green, bust six myths they have come across about employing disabled people. These are the sorts of fears they address within workplaces through AbilityNet's employee journey training, and lived experience sessions. 

Myth one: Disabled employees can't meet performance targets.

Adam: This is a notion that we often encounter. But let's consider the facts. Contrary to common belief, most disabled employees not only meet, but often surpass expectations. A survey by BMO to the Bank of Montreal revealed that 77% of employers who hired a person with a disability reported that the employee met or exceeded performance targets and expectations.

Myth two: Making accommodations for disabled people is costly.

Lizi: In reality, most accommodations have minimal associated costs. According to Deloitte, 57% of employees with disabilities don't require any additional accommodation, and for those who do, the average cost, according to recent research carried out by the Business Disability Forum, is estimated to only be about £75.

Myth three: disabled people will be absent more frequently than non disabled people.

Adam: Not true! Disabled individuals are no more likely to be absent from work than their non disabled counterparts. The comprehensive study by DuPont found that 85% of employees with disabilities had average or above average attendance rates. 

Myth four: Disabled employees are more likely to quit unexpectedly.

Lizi: Disabled employees tend to actually be far more likely to stay with the company. So again, Deloitte's research indicates that staff retention is 72% higher amongst disabled employees. However, it is worth highlighting that this may unfortunately reflect the disproportionate barriers facing a disabled employee in terms of their opportunities to move, role or progress in their career. But the fact still remains they are less likely to quit unexpectedly. 

Myth five: A disabled person couldn't do this job.

Adam: So this belief often stems from the constraints of our imagination and the assumptions that there is only one way of performing a task. So the onus is really on us to challenge our assumptions or remain open to being challenged. It's crucial to recognise that disabled individuals are no more likely to apply for positions that are beyond their capabilities than again, their non disabled counterparts. Ask yourself why would a disabled person apply for a job that they knew they would be unable to do? What would be the point? Then be open to finding out how they might show you how they carry out a task. The chances are you'll find that there are many ways of doing things, and you'll often also discover that yours may not be the most efficient or the most effective way. 

Myth six: But we've never employed disabled people.

Lizi: Well, this is very unlikely to actually be true. Over 70% of disabilities are non-apparent or non-visible and many individuals with disabilities have faced prejudice and discrimination and therefore they might not be comfortable sharing this information and many may simply choose not to at all. All these people have managed their conditions or their impairments with no impact on their ability to do their job. More than one in seven people identify as neurodivergent, and most of these would not identify as disabled. And each year one in four people experienced significant mental health conditions. So the likelihood is that you have employed individuals with disabilities and you did so, or you still do so without even knowing.

So in conclusion, let's challenge these misconceptions and foster inclusive and diverse workplaces. By doing so, we not only dispel myths and challenge stereotype thinking, but we also unlock the full potential of a diverse workforce. 

By providing training, support, and resources, we want to help address the disability employment gap and support workplaces to become more accessible and inclusive for all. Learn more about our workplace services or make an enquiry to find out how we can help make your workplace inclusive and accessible to all. 

AbilityNet provides a range of free services to help disabled people and older people. If you can afford it, please donate to help us support older and disabled people through technology