How to attract and retain more people with disabilities in the workplace

It's close to our heart due to personal reasons. One of the director’s sons has got a learning disability. Adapting the work setting to attract more people with disabilities is something that we've done for decades. It's part of the concept of the company and we run it both in UK and Sri Lanka.

We believe that being more inclusive gives back to society. We can see what a profound impact we're making on people lives. Work gives people purpose and self-esteem, and that's priceless.

And the other positive aspect is that staff see it, and they value it. We're creating a much nicer society where no one is left behind. We’re creating an inclusive culture and atmosphere in the workplace, which is a very positive experience for all employees.

In our experience, employees who identify as disabled really value work and have a great work ethic. They're very loyal to the company, they bring a new dynamic to the workplace and encourage a more caring environment.

Post pandemic, we're seeing staff shortages across the board, in every single company. Being able to diversify the workforce is hugely beneficial to bringing stability and resilience to the workforce.

The facts are clear regarding unemployment in the disability – disability unemployment is running at 8.4%. And even if we could increase the employment by just 1%, the benefits to the UK economy would be significant, as well as to individual companies.

What do you think the role is of the leadership and the CEO in the process of embedding D&I across the business and making it a strategic priority?

Put very, very simply, I think culture starts at the top. That's the simplest way to put it. There will always be some stars in your company that will believe in this agenda and they rise to the challenge and they will try really hard to embed it.

But if you don't have that leadership from the top, it's not as likely to succeed, and certainly not be as successful as it can. Keep it as simple as possible and make sure that culture starts at the top it. It starts with you.

What's your advice to anyone who isn't thinking about accelerating their D&I agenda?

The first step is to think about it. It's not always easy, but the rewards when you have people in your team that give so much back is priceless. You will look back and you will think “Why did I hesitate?”. Secondly, it's not always about the bottom line. Yes, that's important, but it’s also about creating that sense of belonging within the workforce, which is equally important too.

What are your two or three top tips for businesses who want to advance EDI but don’t know where to start?

Don't be scared. There's lots of support out there and that can help you both locally and nationally, if you don't know where to start.

Think outside the box. Look at the job roles that you have within your organisation. Could some of those jobs be done by people with a disability? Could they be adapted to suit different people? Just take that first step. That's the most important part that you can do.

What lessons have you learned as a business leader when approaching diversity inclusion? Have you done anything that hasn't worked?

Everyone is different. We need to support people from both sides, and that's important to consider. Some people won't not be as committed as you are, and some may also struggle to work with people with their disability and may not be as sympathetic as they should be. They might  have attitudes that they don't belong there. They might question why the business is making extra allowances for some and not for others.

It's not always easy. But there is support out there to help you manage the process. It's all about working together and creating the culture that that you want. Sometimes that means supporting changing attitudes. It doesn't always work, and that's true for us as well. You can only do your best and do what you feel is right. You won't always get it right for everyone all the time. Change is difficult and sometimes you just have to accept that and move on.