Benefits of employing people with disability

One in five Australians lives with disability. This includes those living with mental health conditions. It’s increasingly likely that, to fill job vacancies with quality candidates, your organisation will employ people with disability. Indeed, it makes good business sense to do so.

The business case for hiring people with disability is strong. There are real cost savings through reduced staff turnover and lower recruitment and retraining costs. What’s more, because people with disability have fewer compensation incidents and accidents at work, compared to other employees, insurance cover and workers’ compensation costs are often lower.

Employing people with disability can also ensure that your team best reflects the community in which it operates. Like all employees, people with disability bring a range of skills, talents and abilities to the workplace. They work in all sorts of jobs, with many holding tertiary or trade qualifications.

Some key facts about employing people with disability

• People with disability generally take fewer days off, take less sick leave and stay in jobs longer than other workers.
• Employment costs for people with disability can be as low as 13 per cent of the employment costs for other employees*.
• Workers’ compensation costs for people with disability are as low as four per cent of the workers’ compensation costs for other employees*.
• Once in the right job, people with disability perform as well as other employees.
• People with disability build strong connections with customers.
• People with disability boost staff morale and enhance a sense of teamwork.
• Hiring people with disability enhances an organisation’s image in the general community.

* Graffam, J, Shinkfield, A, Smith, K, and Polzin, U 2002, ‘Employer benefits and costs of employing a person with a disability’, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 17, pp. 251-263.

Last updated: 1 July 2016 - 7:30am