Why disability inclusion costs MUCH less than you think

One thing you will notice when discussing the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce is that business leaders always think it will cost more money to be inclusive than it actually does. In fact, in most cases, changes in the workplace are so minor that they might as well be free, writes disability advocate Lisa Cox.

So, let’s look at the real cost of disability inclusion at work and why it’s much less than most people think.

The three types of change made for inclusion in the workplace

There are, essentially, three change types that you might need to consider to be fully inclusive, as an employer, to someone with a disability:

1. No-tech solutions

These are changes that require often require a little creativity and support from the top to be made.

They might include training staff on how best to interact with customers who have a disability, or how best to manage and get the best from employees who have a certain type of disability.

2. Low-tech solutions

These are alterations you might need to make to the office environment that are simple and don’t require any sophisticated technology to implement.

They could include ensuring all virtual meetings are held on a platform that allows captions for staff who are Deaf or hard of hearing. It could also include something as simple as making sure documents are always sent in certain formats and not in others (eg. pdf) so that employees using screen readers will be able to access them.

3. High-tech solutions

These are the most complicated accommodations you might need to make for someone. For example, the use of a screen reader software that then plays back the text as audio with synthesised speech. In all examples, but particularly in this one, speak directly with the individual who has the disability about their specific needs and preferences.

As you might expect, no-tech solutions are usually very cheap or cost nothing at all to implement. The low-tech solutions may cost something, but many are free, and the dollars spent in switching out some door handles to make them more accessible won’t break the bank for any business.

And even the high-tech solutions are often much cheaper than you might expect these days. Sure, there was a time that text-to-speech software, for example, cost a fortune, but not anymore. In fact, some of the best software solutions for this kind of thing are only $200-$300.

It doesn’t cost a lot to be inclusive of somebody with a disability, but time and time again, studies are showing the huge benefits to business – from steadfast loyalty to a rise in team morale. Research also shows that the average cost of making accommodations for a person with a disability at work tends to be around $500.

What it costs an employer NOT to be inclusive

92 per cent of people with disabilities have said that they prefer to spend their money with companies that are inclusive of those with disabilities and, indeed, that they are prepared to spend more money with these companies than they might otherwise have done and to promote such brands on their social media.

This matters because one in six Australians (18 per cent) lives with a disability of some kind, and more than one in three Australians is living with or caring for someone with a disability.

It is estimated that people with disabilities have a disposable income of $1.9 trillion worldwide; other studies have reported this to be as high as $13 trillion.

When a company refuses to spend a few hundred dollars, or even a few dollars sometimes, on making adjustments in the workplace to be more inclusive, they’re actually turning their backs on the vast majority of that money.

Imagine explaining to your shareholders that you didn’t want a cut of that $13 trillion sector because you couldn’t be bothered to change a door handle. Do you think that they’d be impressed? Of course not; savvy businesses want to increase profits for their shareholders. Accommodating people with a disability can be very inexpensive to do and an expensive missed opportunity if it’s not done.

Isn’t it time your business became more inclusive?

Want more? Get our newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! Follow Kochie’s Business Builders on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.