Disability-Inclusive Hiring for Small Businesses

Contributor: Vanessa Sinclair (vsinclair@ccrw.org)

October is Small Business Month: a time to recognize and celebrate how entrepreneurs and other small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute to Canada’s economy.

Did you know that most employers in Canada are SMEs? In fact, over 99% of businesses are considered small (1-99 employees) or medium-sized (100-499 employees). SMEs also employ over 85% of private-sector workers and contribute to about half of Canada’s gross domestic product.

SMEs have a major influence on the Canadian economy and labour market, but they also face unique challenges. Compared to large businesses, economic downturns can hit SMEs harder. During the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic, SMEs were less optimistic about the future of their businesses. In the years following the pandemic, they also had more trouble than larger businesses finding enough qualified workers to fill roles.

SMEs, especially small and ‘micro-sized’ businesses (those with fewer than 5 employees), face capacity barriers. With fewer employees, there are fewer available work hours, and smaller operating budgets make employers understandably careful about where they invest their resources. Financial and human resource constraints place SMEs at a competitive disadvantage in attracting talent. Smaller employers may not believe they have the time and resources to spend on workplace disability inclusion and accessibility initiatives.

However, many employers are still unaware that disability inclusion can actually improve their business outlook, making them more profitable, innovative, and competitive. Inclusive employers are more profitable,, better at meeting consumer needs, and have more positive workplace cultures. In other words, disability inclusion is mutually beneficial. Workers with disabilities have increased opportunities to find high-quality, meaningful work, and SMEs gain access to an underrecognized talent pool: the estimated 741,000 Canadians with disabilities who have the potential to work, but are not employed.

SMEs who want to experience the benefits of being disability inclusive employers can start by undoing myths and misconceptions they might have about disability, and building capacity for disability inclusion and accessibility.

Know the Facts

Many myths persist about disability, including that workers with disabilities are less productive, that accessibility and accommodations are always expensive and time-consuming, and that there are no qualified candidates with disabilities in employers’ talent pipelines. Research shows that all of these are false. Workers with disabilities are as productive and reliable as workers without disabilities, but they continue to face stigma about their capability and motivation. Many workplace accommodations have no direct cost to employers (e.g., flexible work schedules), and many more are one-time costs of a few hundred dollars or less (e.g., an ergonomic chair). And over one-in-four Canadians has a disability, but because not everyone discloses, employers frequently underestimate how many qualified workers with disabilities are applying (or already working for them).⁹

Build Capacity

A limited budget can affect SMEs’ ability to implement accessible, inclusive recruitment, hiring, and talent management processes, leaving them more likely to rely on informal recruitment practices like word-of-mouth and personal referrals.¹ These actions may leave workers with disabilities out, even if it’s not done on purpose. When it comes to attracting workers with disabilities, employers may not know where to start. This is where community organizations, like CCRW, can help.

Disability-focused employment services organizations can remove some of the administrative barriers to becoming more disability inclusive. They can connect SMEs with qualified workers with disabilities who match employers’ needs. They can be a link between workers and employers, helping employers implement accommodations and create inclusive workplace environments. Community organizations may also offer wage-subsidy programs, removing some of the financial barriers employers face to hiring workers with disabilities. Additionally, community organizations or accessibility consultants can work with employers directly to do workplace accessibility audits; review and improve recruitment, hiring, and talent management processes; and conduct disability confidence training.

Business networks and associations are another avenue through which SMEs can build capacity. By connecting with other SMEs – or even large businesses with reputations as industry leaders in accessibility – SMEs can learn about best practices, gain access to resources, and connect with like-minded businesses.

Ultimately, investing in disability inclusion doesn’t only help workers; it is a strategic advantage that can help SMEs thrive in an increasingly competitive economy. If you’re an employer ready to start your disability confidence journey, you can check out CCRW’s Untapped Talent platform or connect with your local CCRW office for support.

References

1. Ravanera, C., & Kaplan, S. (2019, July). Diversity and inclusion in small and medium enterprises. Institute for Gender and the Economy. https://www.gendereconomy.org/.../GATE_Diversity_Inclusion_SMEs2019.pdf
2. Statistics Canada (2022). Key Small Business Statistics 2022. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. https://ised-isde.canada.ca/.../key-small-business-statistics-2022
3. Li, B., Sood, S., & Johnston, C. (2022, January 6). Impact of COVID-19 on small businesses in Canada, fourth quarter of 2021. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/.../00043-eng.htm
4. Mahboubi, P., & Zhang, T. (2023, November). Empty seats: Why labour shortages plague small and medium-sized businesses and what to do about it. C.D. Howe Institute. https://www.cdhowe.org/.../Commentary_648.pdf
5. Hunt, D. V., Yee, L., Prince, S., & Dixon-Fyle, S. (2018, January 18). Delivering through diversity. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/.../delivering-through-diversity
6. Lindsay, S., Cagliostro, E., Albarico, M., Mortaji, N., & Karon, L. (2018). A systematic review of the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 28(4), 634–655.
7. Deloitte (2019, August). The economic benefits of improving social inclusion. https://www2.deloitte.com/.../economic-benefits-of-improving-social-inclusion.pdf
8. Australian Human Rights Commission (2021, July). IncludeAbility: The economic and business benefits of employing people with disability. https://humanrights.gov.au/.../includeability_-_factsheet...
9. Hébert, B-P., Kevins, C., Mofidi, A., Morris, S., Simionescu, D., & Thicke, M. (2024). A demographic, employment and income profile of persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over in Canada, 2022. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/.../89-654-x2024001-eng.htm
10. Bonaccio, S., Connelly, C. E., Gellatly, I. R., Jetha, A., & Martin Ginis, K. A. (2020). The participation of people with disabilities in the workplace across the employment cycle: Employer concerns and research evidence. Journal of Business and Psychology, 35(2), 135–158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-018-9602-5
11. Sinclair, V. M., Bath, R., Renaud, L., Willson, M., Ali, S., & Karusala, C. (2024). Awareness to action: How employers can embrace disability inclusion in the workplace. In Trends Report 2024: Shaping Tomorrow. CCRW. https://ccrw.org/.../Awareness-to-action-...Trends-Report-2024.pdf