We recently introduced a new campaign and by December 2020, we aim to have a workforce in which 20% of our staff are individuals who identify as having a “503-defined disability.”
“Research has shown that having a diverse workforce – including people with disabilities – increases innovation, productivity, and profitability. It also challenges businesses to understand how they can make their environments accessible to everyone with minimal alterations to the workflow,” said Dick Venne, CEO. “As we continue to support people with disabilities in working toward and achieving their goals, we want to also offer that same level of support and acceptance with our own staff.”
“Research has shown that having a diverse workforce – including people with disabilities – increases innovation, productivity, and profitability.” – Dick Venne, VIABILITY CEO
Prior to the kickoff of this campaign, we discovered only 2% of our workforce identifies with having a disability. Although we believe this statistic is lower then the actual figure, it shows that we have room for improvement and must create a culture in which people can feel safe to talk about their disability and are reassured in knowing they will receive the necessary support to thrive and be successful.
Over the next two years, our staff will receive training on the benefits of a diverse workforce as well as how to reduce barriers.
“It is imperative that we create environments where our employees are comfortable discussing their various challenges,” said Vernon Carter, director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Employee Engagement. “We want everyone to feel supported in succeeding in their roles and providing the best services to our members.”
Source: Viability
