The topic of inclusive hiring practices has been a hot topic among recruiters for some time now. In attracting and retaining employees, companies have realized recruiting practices that unwittingly exclude those with disabilities have put them at a huge disadvantage. Not only are they missing out on top talent, according to a 2018 Accenture study, companies who hire individuals with disabilities have seen 28% higher revenue and 2 times higher net income.

The most recent Census Bureau reported that approximately 49 million Americans have a disability, yet only 52% of those Americans of working age are employed. More companies and organizations actively working toward inclusive hiring, onboarding, and retention practices is the first step in bridging that gap. So, with that in mind, how does one get started?

Utilize Your Local Resources

As a recruiter, you have a lot of power when it comes to changing the tone of your hiring practice by reaching out to candidates with disabilities – but what if you don’t know where to start? Diversify your recruiting efforts through local resources such as: vocational rehabilitation agencies, American Job Centers, and Centers for Independent Living. All of these organizations can help you find the winning talent you are looking for and tap into the huge market of the disabled workforce. There are also a number of resources available online to find job candidates with disabilities such as the AAPD Career Center and the Association of University Centers on Disabilities.

Create an Accessible Application Process

Unfortunately, many Americans with disabilities struggle with traditional recruiting processes as they don’t allow them to showcase their true talents. For example, an applicant on the Autism spectrum may not be the best at a verbal interview but could be a coding whiz.

Take a look at your application process. Does it support those with disabilities or, if it doesn’t, do you offer alternate means of application? Partnering with and asking some of the same organizations I mentioned above to take a fresh look at your application process could be a great way to identify any areas of opportunity and help you to create a more inclusive process. Enabling candidates to go through the application and hiring process with ease, will be key when looking for quality talent with disabilities.

Inclusive Onboarding & Retention Strategies

Your hiring practices have now gotten that top talent through the door, but once they are there, it’s just as important to keep them there. Just as you may have needed to revamp your application process, your onboarding and retainment efforts may also need to be made over. You will want to ensure your organization is tech savvy, with accessible information and data for employees with a variety of disabilities. You will also want to make sure your organization has a plan in place to provide reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities; such as telework, sign language interpreters, or desks that can be raised and lowered when needed. Other considerations may be looking at specific career development and advancement plans, ensuring there are no inadvertent barriers.

Company Culture

If your corporate culture doesn’t support it, it won’t be successful. Organizations can have many different ways of fostering and moving toward a more inclusive culture, but it all starts at the top with your senior leadership – they need to role model and walk the talk. Furthermore, communicating with and educating your organization, making plans for accommodations, partnering with outside organizations, and raising awareness are just a few ways in which inclusive hiring practices move from “initiative” to “the way things are done.”

Creating a corporate culture inclusive of those with disabilities while revamping your hiring and retention practices may require work, but by doing so you are tapping into talent that can drive the business forward in a meaningful way while helping them to reach their greatest potential.