You can grow your business just by making small changes to become more accessible. Interested to learn how?
Small Business BC invited Yat Li, the Associate Director at Accessible Employers, to present a webinar. In it, Yat shared tools to grow and elevate businesses to adopt an accessibility lens.
Diverse and inclusive workplaces have better business outcomes because they are:
- Two times more likely to meet or exceed financial targets.
- Six times more likely to be innovative.
- And six times more likely to effectively anticipate change.
He also showed business owners how to create a culture of inclusion and innovation while generating measurable revenues. Below are some of Yat’s tips that he shared in the webinar that will help you start your accessibility journey now.
1. Disability Inclusive Employer Self-Assessment Tool
The Disability Inclusive Employer Self-Assessment Tool is free for BC businesses to use. It takes about 15 minutes to go through 35 questions highlighting your experience as an employer and the barriers that exist.
Once you finish the tool, you will receive a PDF full of resources to help you take your next steps to becoming an accessible employer.
2. Open Door Group’s Small Business Resource Guide
The Open Door Group’s Small Business Resource Guide has plenty of free resources, including a glossary, a checklist, and ways to access hiring support. You can also receive free support from a disability inclusion expert by emailing them at [email protected].
3. Accessible Employer’s Free Learning Courses
You can take advantage of free customized employer services and access free training from Accessible Employers. They have free learning courses on the topics of Creating Accessible Workspaces, Leading Cultural Change, Supporting Self Disclosure, and Developing Your Accessibility Action Plan.
4. Web Accessibility Contrast Checker
The Web Accessibility Contrast Checker is a helpful tool to bookmark, especially as you update your website.
“I use this almost every day with my marketing team,” said Yat. “I use it so that I know how colours are being shown on a website.”
This matters because web content accessibility guidelines exist, and it’s good practice to have your website be at least Level 1 WCAG compliant. You can learn more about the WCAG guidelines and access Small Business BC’s free Web Accessibility Check to get started.
Tip: Need funding to update your website? The Canadian Digital Adoption Program has funding available to support small business owners in developing e-commerce capabilities.
5. Pledge to Measure
You cannot change what you cannot measure. If you want to tap into the benefits an inclusive workplace can bring, you have to know where you’re starting from. Join the Pledge to Measure where you will measure and benchmark disability inclusion. It’s a good first step to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and involved.
6. Join the Community of Accessible Employers
You’re not alone. You can join the Community of Accessible Employers for free. Once you register, you will receive:
- Access to FREE employer e-learning courses.
- A subscription to their monthly newsletter.
- Custom-tailored resources and tools based on where your organization is on their journey towards greater accessibility and inclusion.
- Invitations to events that are relevant to your background/industry.
- Opportunities to connect with Presidents Group members.
- Access to relevant training events – in-person and virtual.
- Ability to promote being a member of the Community of Accessible Employers.
Continue your Accessibility Journey with SBBC
Small Business BC is a non-profit resource centre for BC-based small businesses. Our Accessibility Resources for Business page is full of tips, tools, and more to support your next stage.
This article was developed in consultation with Melissa Lyon of Accessibility & Inclusion Matter Consulting.
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
