SURVEY REVEALS NEARLY HALF OF ATLANTA BUSINESSES VIEW PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS LACKING EMPLOYABLE QUALITIES

Bobby Dodd Institute Partners with Local Companies for Training and Diverse Hiring to Curb Staggering Unemployment Rate Among this Population New research from the Bobby Dodd Institute (BDI) reveals that Atlanta business leaders, in line with national trends, often mistakenly believe people with disabilities are not qualified to work. BDI, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities and disadvantages to maximize their potential by securing economic self-sufficiency, independence and integration into society, is working to displace myths surrounding hiring and employing individuals with disabilities and offering educational resources to Atlanta companies. According to BDI's recent survey of human resource managers in the Atlanta area, nearly 90 percent of small companies and close to 75 percent of large companies do not employ any workers with developmental disabilities, while nearly one-third of large companies and almost 60 percent of small companies do not employ any workers with physical disabilities. BDI is offering educational resources and advice to raise awareness around this key diversity issue and curb the 50 percent unemployment rate among these groups. "While Atlanta business leaders continually embrace the call to create a diverse workforce, people with disabilities are consistently left out of the employment mix," said Wayne McMillan, president and CEO of BDI. "Bobby Dodd Institute's goal is to create a vibrant and truly diverse Atlanta workforce by partnering with local companies to provide diversity training and to identify suitable employment opportunities."

Top Perceived Barriers to Hiring People with Disabilities According to respondents, the following barriers top the list of reasons why employers are reluctant to hire individuals with disabilities. Through its work, BDI hopes to address common employment myths leading to a greater understanding of the value of hiring workers from this group.

• Respondents believe that disabled persons cannot adequately perform required work duties (37% first mentions, 49% total mentions).
  • Adequate or better performance of job duties correlates to long-term job retention. A national survey by Dupont shows that disabled workers have a higher retention rate than their nondisabled peers. This finding holds true with BDI-placed individuals as well, who boast a 70 percent retention rate in the Atlanta market.
    • Individuals surveyed cite lack of knowledge about the disabled as the primary deterrent to hiring and employment (14% first mentions, 25% total mentions).
  • BDI offers free diversity training to ensure that employees and employers experience a smooth transition during the hiring and employment process. Furthermore, diversity awareness programs are beneficial to a variety of minority groups increasing team effectiveness and cohesiveness.
• Respondents refer to concerns over cost for workplace adjustments and accommodations (13% first mentions, 20% total mentions) and lack of understanding about accommodations (7% first mentions, 15% total mentions) when explaining the lack of employment among individuals with disabilities.
  • According to the Department of Labor, the average cost of a workplace accommodation for an individual with a disability is less than $500. Only 15% of survey respondents correctly identified the correct range of cost for making these accommodations. With very little investment, companies can provide meaningful employment opportunities for disabled workers. BDI eliminates guesswork by assisting employers with finding cost-effective accommodations to ensure the best employer-employee fit.

Hiring/Recruiting Practices and Diversity Training Make a Difference More than 70 percent of surveyed companies report not having specific recruiting or hiring practices in place for the disabled population with larger companies significantly more likely to employ these practices. Companies that have specific hiring practices or provide managerial diversity training are significantly more likely to employ people with disabilities. However, the companies that do hire people with disabilities are more likely to hire a person with a physical disability rather than a developmental disability. "People with disabilities are able, dedicated workers that can effectively contribute to Atlanta's labor market," said McMillan. "Businesses who take advantage of graduates from BDI's work programs will get bang for their buck by instantly increasing their diversity, getting a qualified worker who benefits their bottom line, and showing strong corporate citizenry for the 1.5 million Georgians living with disabilities." Notable companies including Kroger, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Community Food Bank and Aramark have hired BDI graduates and report high levels of satisfaction. About the Research Study Two hundred human resource decision makers from companies in the Atlanta area involved in fields including retail, manufacturing, government, education, medical and legal services, completed detailed interviews concerning the issue of employing workers with disabilities. Survey respondents were asked for their feedback on issues including special hiring/training practices, perceived unemployment rate, employer barriers and costs associated with making workplace accommodations for individuals with disabilities.