Leading the way

Too much of the business community is failing to recognize the potential of disabled people as employees, despite a range of government initiatives to address the issues. Today, just 50 per cent of disabled adults are employed, compared with about 80 per cent of the adult population. In the case of young disabled adults, the figures are even more shocking. By the age of 19, young disabled people are three times as likely not to be in any form of education, employment or training as their nondisabled peers.
Over the past five years, businesses have been forced to review their policies because of the changing legal requirements to tighten-up existing rules on discrimination on the grounds of sexual, age and disability. Laws such as the Disability Discrimination Act have been a critical driver in how many firms have reviewed their diversity strategy.
Yet companies, which simply view changing their diversity policies as a legal necessity, are missing the point.
Helen Cooke, a diversity consultant at Reed Consulting, said diversity issues should be part of a general strategy of lifting management standards, finding the best people and nurturing talent.
She said; "To view diversity as a matter of equal opportunities or legal necessity, or see it as a problematic area is quite old-fashioned.
"We're more concerned with outcomes and a better understanding of personal relationships. It matters because everybody is interested in becoming more effective."
Dispelling the fear of the unknown, is one of the biggest hurdles to be tackled. For example, many organisations are hesitant because they are put off by what they suppose is the enormity of changes required to employ disabled people.
Financially, of course, it is far easier for big companies to pay for the needs of disabled employees. For a small or medium-sized business, making the "reasonable" adjustments required under the Disability Discrimination Act has more significant cost implications. However, the size and resources of a company are taken into account when assessing the level of adjustments they might reasonably be expected to make. Plus, there is a government fund called Access to Work that will compensate businesses for the cost of those adjustments.
Suzanne Stevenson, a consultant at the charity Scope said; "Companies often think that they'll have to make big changes to employ people with disabilities and baulk at the potential costs involved.
"Often only small changes are needed to accommodate people in wheelchairs at work. Many people don't know about the government funding available. There is a job to be done to help people feel confident about dealing with the disabled."
Scope runs a hugely successful leadership recruitment scheme in partnership with companies committed to promoting diversity. The scheme aims to ease the process for would be disabled employees in proving their skills to a potential employer.
A key element of this is discussing the extent of a candidate's impairment - and possibly finding out that its implications are less serious than initial perceptions.
Simon Finaldi, a journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, got a job as newsletter co-coordinator with the education company Edexcel through the Scope leadership recruitment scheme.
Simon has cerebral palsy and walks on crutches and needed to negotiate a four-day week to allow him an extra day's rest, as tiredness is a factor of his condition. After discussion, it turned out that this suited Edexcel too.
"It's been win-win," says Edexcel's HR director, Tim Williams. "Call me naive, but the better you treat people, the better they will respond. These graduates are a good source of quality labour."
Edexcel is one in a list of larger companies, which include blue chip names such as BT and Lehman Brothers, which have taken admirable steps to improve diversity with a range of initiatives.
But, says Peter Little, a trustee and vice-chairman of skill at the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, a lot more can be done elsewhere to promote the vision that the vast majority of people with learning difficulties and disabilities can and should enter into and sustain employment.
He said; "In 2007, 40 per cent of disabled people had no qualifications at all. This puts them at a huge disadvantage in an economy underpinned by so-called world-class skills. For disabled young people the years between 14 and 25 are crucial, and I would urge the Government to invest in this stage, ensuring that skills for employment are key ingredients. One target could be to achieve a higher proportion of disabled apprentices.
"However, we must also remember that three quarters of disabled adults became disabled during their working lives, with huge implications for workforce development. For example, too many visually and hearing-impaired people are unnecessarily unemployed. Likewise, those who acquire mental health difficulties can face extreme barriers and prejudice.
"This will all require a significant change in perception and a willingness to work in a much more collaborative way.
"Specifically, the system needs to be better aligned with and attuned to the needs of disabled people and employers alike."
Indeed, statistics show, the UK lags far behind comparable countries in the retention and rehabilitation of workers following the onset of disability. Most disability occurs while a person is of working age (less than 20% of disabled people were born with a disability). When a worker becomes disabled they have a one-in-six chance that they will lose their job.
Anne McGuire, Minister for Disabled People, speaking at the Diversity Works Partnership Board conference in June said significant progress had been made over the last four years, with a marked increase in the number of disabled people in employment in the UK.
She said; "For a disabled person, getting a job is a major challenge but disabled people don't just want a job, they want the opportunity of a career.
"Employers need to do more to open up opportunities to them for middle and senior management positions. This can often be achieved through simple changes to workplace patterns and management practices that enable disabled people to compete on equal terms."
The overwhelming message is that much can be achieved, but it has to be driven from the top.