{"id":7201,"date":"2019-02-06T09:00:46","date_gmt":"2019-02-06T09:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/industry\/blog\/?p=7201"},"modified":"2020-01-08T10:55:15","modified_gmt":"2020-01-08T09:55:15","slug":"culture-inclusion-companies-missing-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/industry\/blog\/cross-industry\/2019\/02\/06\/culture-inclusion-companies-missing-out\/","title":{"rendered":"How a culture of inclusion stops companies from missing out"},"content":{"rendered":"

Both inside your company and outside, you\u2019ve a large pool of talent to choose from. Handled right, they could help your business flourish. But are you making the most of this pool?\u00a0<\/em>We asked Kerri Hollis, who leads the UK Accessibility Practice from the Business Group, for her views on how you can create a culture of inclusion. She knows the benefits that people with disabilities can bring, and the strategies that can make a difference for them.<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

We keep hearing about the war for talent and how companies need to recruit and retain the best. But here\u2019s a question that I keep asking myself. Why would a company want to limit the size of the talent pool that\u2019s available to them?<\/p>\n

This is exactly what more than half of workplaces are doing<\/a>. It sounds almost unbelievable. But it\u2019s absolutely true. They\u2019re excluding people with disabilities. A couple of years ago, Acas reported that companies employed over three million people with disabilities, but that still left nearly five million without a job<\/a>. The ridiculous thing is that this is completely unnecessary. It\u2019s generally founded on misconceptions. And in fact, by excluding this pool of talent, they\u2019re excluding some extraordinary performers.<\/p>\n

Misconceptions like\u2026<\/h2>\n

Many people still have preconceptions about disabilities. They believe that employing people with disabilities is going to cost more money. That it\u2019s going to take up more resources or people will have more days off sick.<\/p>\n

Wrong, wrong, and wrong.<\/p>\n

\"Microsoft<\/p>\n

To start with, any adjustments you need to make \u2013 and bear in mind that you may not need to make any \u2013 may be small or low-cost. For example, a designated parking space won\u2019t cost a thing. Nor will giving someone a dedicated place to work instead of hot desking, or offering them a more flexible working pattern.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be embarrassed to ask what would make a difference to someone\u2019s ability to do the job. It\u2019s a question you\u2019re already asking if you operate a choose your own device policy.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

And remember, around 70% of people don\u2019t have any visible sign of their disability. They could have diabetes or epilepsy, for instance.<\/p>\n

So what can you do to create a workplace that\u2019s truly diverse and welcoming? You create a culture of inclusion.<\/p>\n

Why an inclusive culture is better<\/h2>\n

Having a culture of inclusion is about creating a place where\u00a0everyone\u00a0feels included and valued. And where gender, disability, and ethnic background aren\u2019t relevant to people\u2019s abilities to do their jobs. Helping people to be their best means that the business \u2013 and others \u2013 benefit as well. If you can enable everybody to achieve more, you\u2019re not just empowering those with a disability. You\u2019re helping everybody on the planet to do more.<\/p>\n

Word spreads fast if you\u2019ve got such a culture. You attract talent from everywhere. You also help your existing employees with disabilities \u2013 even those with hidden ones \u2013 to be happier and more productive. And why not? They\u2019re getting a chance to shine.<\/p>\n

Accessibility is ultimately a business imperative. A study by Accenture<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>revealed that companies that embrace best practices for employing and supporting persons with disabilities in the workplace outperform their peers with:<\/span><\/p>\n