Across Canada, small business owners are grappling with a shortage of skilled workers. Thousands of roles go unfilled, yet a cohort of skilled, capable, and readily available workers are overlooked – people with a disability.
It’s estimated that over one in five working-age British Columbians live with a disability. These individuals are often underemployed (relative to their skillset) or unemployed in much higher numbers than those without a disability.
Addressing this imbalance is something all small business owners can take a leadership role in. All you need to do is prioritize workplace accessibility and create professional spaces that are accessible and equitable to all.
In research on workplace accessibility conducted by Small Business BC, we discovered that 87 percent of small business owners were interested in creating a more accessible workplace, but 35 percent cited cost concerns as a barrier. The good news is that joining the workplace accessibility movement offers plenty of proven financial benefits for a business. Let’s dive into some of the many financial benefits of an accessible workplace:
Internal Benefits
Increase to Innovation and Creativity
Research has shown that diverse and inclusive workplaces are:
- 6x more likely to be innovative, and
- 6x more likely to effectively anticipate change
It’s an unfortunate fact that people with disabilities have always needed to be flexible and resourceful. In the workplace, this can provide a competitive advantage for employers with a diverse team who see opportunities to iterate and find creative solutions to problems.
Increased Talent Pool
As we referenced in the intro to this article, over 20 percent of working-age British Columbians identify as having a disability. Ignoring this vast pool of talent seems like a bad business idea, right?
Show potential candidates you’re serious about accessibility by inviting candidates with disabilities to apply for job openings. Be upfront about your willingness to provide accommodations. Finally, include an accessibility statement in all job postings to indicate your commitment to accessibility and inclusion.
Staff Retention
Hiring staff is a challenge for most small businesses. Retaining them presents an even more complex issue. Luckily, a commitment to workplace accessibility will help to solve this problem.
Research from Statistics Canada found that for organizations with accessible employment practices, staff retention was 72 percent higher among people with disabilities. 90 percent of people with disabilities did as well or better in their jobs than co-workers without disabilities, and 86 percent of employees with disabilities rated average or better in attendance.
External Benefits
Boost Your Public Perception
Millennials are Canada’s largest group of consumers. They’re leading the charge in values-based shopping, with 83 percent favouring brands that align with their values. They prioritize ethical consumption over price, meaning businesses that prioritize workplace accessibility can leverage the great work they’re doing into a powerful marketing tool.
If you’re committed to accessible spaces, don’t be afraid to share the work you’re doing. Consider writing a blog about your accessibility journey on your website. Canvas your community for opinions on how you can do better and incorporate their feedback.
Increased Customer Base
Aligned with a boost to your public perception, many of the changes you can make to your business will also improve accessibility for your customers. If you operate an e-commerce website, accessibility enhancements you make for staff will translate over to your customers. If you make physical enhancements to a space to improve accessibility, it will translate over to your customers.
An indirect benefit to this is the more satisfied customers you have, the fresher and happier your staff will be.
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.
