Across Canada, employers are grappling with a shortage of skilled workers. Thousands of roles go unfilled, yet a cohort of skilled, capable, and readily available workers are overlooked – people with disabilities.
Building an inclusive and accessible work culture takes thought, time, and commitment. To be attractive as an employer to candidates with disabilities, you need to demonstrate and communicate your inclusion practices and organizational accessibility goals.
It may feel overwhelming to tackle everything at once, which is why we’ve broken it down for you using 4 pillars. We use these 4 Pillars of Accessible Recruitment and Hiring to build employer capacity to successfully hire and retain employees with diverse abilities.
Image Description: A circular diagram displaying the 4 Pillars of Accessible Recruitment and Hiring. Each pillar is described in the text below.
Pillar 1: Commitment
Commit to being an inclusive and equitable employer.
- Discover how workplace accessibility benefits employers
- Create and share an accessibility inclusion statement
- Explore and develop community partnerships
Pillar 2: Readiness
Get ready for change by shifting long-held beliefs about people with disabilities and diverse abilities.
- Provide training and education for leaders and staff to support skills development and a culture of inclusion
- Develop and implement best practices to recruit people with diverse abilities
- Develop and implement accessible job application processes
Pillar 3: Support
Provide support and accommodations throughout the recruitment and hiring process.
- Encourage and support proactive disclosure of abilities
- Provide proactive accommodations to workflow, processes, equipment, and spaces to promote accessibility
- Create and outline benefits and perks that support all employees
Pillar 4: Hiring
Adapt the hiring process to reduce bias and ensure diverse talent
- Reduce Bias in the Selection Process
- Screen candidates in instead of screening out to build candidate pools
- Engage different interview styles and approaches
It’s estimated that over one in three working-age Nova Scotians live with a disability. These individuals are often underemployed (relative to their skillset) or unemployed in much higher numbers than those without a disability. Addressing this imbalance is something all employers can take a leadership role in. All you need to do is prioritize workplace accessibility and create professional spaces that are accessible and equitable to all.
For job advertisements:
- Consider the accessible formats of your job descriptions including accessible document design requirements, plain English good practice, and whether the job offer itself properly supports applicants with disabilities .
- Consider where you are posting job adverts. Do the platforms you are promoting it on meet accessibility requirements? Does your own job platform meet accessibility requirements?
- Make sure your application process is accessible. If you are using online application forms, do these meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)? Are there other ways for candidates to apply?
- How are you promoting that you are an accessible organization? Are you sharing stories from staff with lived experience of disability? Do you have an inclusion statement? How is the advert encouraging disabled applicants or to encourage people with additional access needs to reach out?
For shortlisting:
- Representation is important but must be true. Include staff with disabilities because of their expertise or relevance to the role.
- Make sure you can support panel members with disabilities. Consider the accessibility of scoring documents or candidate applications so that all panel members can fairly provide feedback.
For interviews:
- Give candidates the questions in advance. This can significantly reduce nerves and stress, allowing candidates to thoughtfully prepare their responses and better showcase their experience, skills, and personality.
- Promote disclosure (without pressure) and be ready and willing to support reasonable adjustments.
- Do not crowd interview panels.
- Think about the accessibility of any interview tasks.
- Think about your interview format and what accessibility features you might need. In person, think about physical access. Virtual, think about platform accessibility tools like live captioning.
- Be clear and consistent to all candidates about the next and all steps in the hiring process, including timing.
By actively seeking out and supporting disabled talent, employers can create workplaces that truly embrace accessibility and equity. Remember, it’s not just about compliance; it’s about creating an environment where every individual feels valued and empowered to contribute their unique strengths. By implementing these inclusive hiring practices, you’re not only enriching your team but also setting a powerful example for the broader community. Together, let’s build a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.