Dining With Diversity Statistics

Workforce Diversity Edmontonthanks you for attending the

2009 Dining with Diversity event.

This presentation includes statisticalinformation on the importance of

considering people with disabilitiesin your business decisions.

Enjoy.

“People with disabilities want to work for you, and they want to buy

your products. With skilled and loyal employees at a premium and traditional market growth slowing,

can you afford to ignore or stereotype them?”

Quoted in Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001

Fortune Magazine

Percentage of Canadians with Disabilities who are Employed:

51%

Percentage of Canadians without Disabilities who are Employed:

75%

Statistics Canada 2006 PALS Survey Analytical Paper, July 2008

Attitudes and cultural biases within organizations continue to be a barrier against the hiring of

persons with disabilities.

CCRW Diversity Planning for Inclusive Employment Survey, September 2005

People with hearing limitations report the lowest unemployment rate and highest

labour force participation rate of all Canadians with Disabilities.


People with memory and psychological limitations report the highest

unemployment rate and lowest labour force participation rate of all Canadians

with Disabilities.


There is a low awareness of and expectation that government or

community groups can provide effective support to help organizations deal with sensitivity to issues related to working

with persons with disabilities.

CCRW Diversity Planning for Inclusive Employment Survey, September 2005

“Canada's maximum disability benefit was lower than any other public

disability insurance program in the industrialized world.”

Sherri Torjman, The Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit, 2002

The most important single accommodation many organizations need to make concerns attitudes and

assumptions.

AccessWORKS, “Employment Accomodations for People with Mental Health Challenges”

As many as one in four Canadians with disabilities still report that they personally faced discrimination in

getting a good education.

Alex Stephens, “Work-related Learning & Labour Market Inclusion”, Abilities Magazine, Winter 2007

Crippen by Dave LuptonCrippen by Dave Lupton

People with depression will try hardest to mask their illness in the workplace.

Fear of being reprimanded, dismissed or stigmatized for feeling "down",

and feelings of shame will prevent

someone from seeking help.

Canadian Mental Health Association

Among unemployed persons with disabilities, 56% say they require some

type of work aid or job modification, with job redesign (42%) and modified work hours (35%)

being the most commonly cited.

Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 18, 2005

People with mental illness usually have average or above average intelligence.

Their abilities vary just as they do for any member of the general population.

Mental illness should not be confused with intellectual or cognitive

disabilities.


Depression and ischemic heart disease are on track to become the leading causes of work

years lost in the global economy by 2020 through human disability and premature death.

Bill Wilkerson, Global Business and Economic Round Table on Addiction and Mental Health

Workers without disabilities are more likely than those with disabilities to

be able to work from home.

(23.6%, compared to 15.9%)


The Management Practices Most Likely to Precipitate or Aggravate

Mental Ill Health in the Workforce

1. The imposition of unreasonable demands on subordinates.




2. Withholding information that is materially important to them to carry out

their jobs.




3. Refusing to give employees reasonable discretion over the day-to-day means and

methods of their own work.




4. Failing to credit or acknowledge the contributions and achievements of

employees.



“The present system of disability income is more accurately described

as a ‘patchwork’ of uncoordinated programs.”

Sherri Torjman, The Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit, 2002

Among people in their early to late 20s who go onto long term disability,

60 % to 70 % never come back to work.


The costs of mental illness in the Canadian labour force exceed $33 billion a year in lost production

alone.


82% of adults with disabilities have more than one type of disability. In fact, 36% have four or more types.


Among employed persons with disabilities, the greatest rate of unmet need for modified work

structures is accessible transportation – 26% of those who

require it, don't have it.


The average age of onset in Canada for :

Anxiety disorders – age 12 Substance abuse – age 18

Depression – age 23


Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters recently announced its Business Takes

Action initiative: challenging Ontario businesses to make people with

disabilities 10% of all new hires by

2020.

Alex Stephens, “Work-related Learning & Labour Market Inclusion”, Abilities Magazine, Winter 2007

More employed persons with disabilities (30%) require work aids

or job modifications, such as modified hours or job redesign, than

require structural modifications (15%).


Workers with disabilities are overrepresented in the lowest wage

quartile.



Workers without disabilities are more likely to report having flexible work hours than workers with disabilities.

(35.5% compared to 29.5%)


People with disabilities most in need of assistive technology –

that is, those with the most severe disabilities –

are the least likely to

have their needs met.


Workers with disabilities are less likely than those without disabilities

to have had training of any type.


Workers with disabilities are less likely than those without disabilities to have received a promotion in the

previous year.


Workers with disabilities are less likely to supervise others on the job, despite tending to have more work

experience.


Persons with disabilities are more likely than those without disabilities to go

without food because of a lack of money or eat less than required due to lack of

money.


Persons with disabilities are more likely than persons

without disabilities to have a regular medical doctor.


Persons with disabilities are about 1.5 times more likely to consult an

alternative health care provider than are persons without disabilities.


According to a CNIB study, only 25 per cent of working-age people with

vision loss are employed.

CNIB, Fast Facts


The average return for businesses providing job accommodations was $28.69 for every $1 spent

on accommodation.

US Job Accommodation Network Data from October 1994 and September 1995. As quoted in CCDS’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 18, 2005

Almost half of all adults with vision loss report gross annual incomes of

$20,000 or less, regardless of marital

or family status.

CNIB, Fact Sheet: The Personal and Social Impact of Vision Loss

Of the businesses seeking advice on workplace accommodation,

the solution for 19% had no cost attached;

for another 50%, the cost of accommodation

was between $1 and $500.


Of the businesses seeking advice on workplace accommodation, only 3%

reported a cost of more than $5,000.


27% of working-age adults with vision loss report that

employers do not see their potential, and another 26% indicated that

employers are unwilling to

hire someone with vision loss.


In 2001, just over one million Canadians aged 12 and older were

living with diabetes.

By 2005, the number had climbed to 1.3 million – an increase of almost

25% in just four years.

Canadian Council on Social Development, A Profile of Health in Canada

Learning disabilities are not related to intelligence:

in fact, many affected individuals have IQ's well above average and

often in the superior range.

Carol A. McMullen for The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, When Bright Employees Don’t Measure Up, 2001

70% of Canadians wouldn’t be able to continue working at their present

job if they were to lose their vision.


In 2002, Alberta had the highest rate of depression in Canada.

Canadian Council on Social Development, A Profile of Health in Canada


Most people with a disability want to work full time.

Canadian Abilities Foundation, Neglected or Hidden: Connecting Employers with People with Disabilities in Canada, May 2004

More than 30 years of internal surveys conducted by DuPont consistently show that people with disabilities:

• Did their jobs well

• Had excellence attendance records

• Were diligent in observing safety standards

• Helped maintain the firm’s competitive position

Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001

61% of respondents indicated that an annual salary of $30,000 or less

would be sufficient to entice them

in to the workforce.

Canadian Abilities Foundation, Neglected or Hidden: Connecting Employers with People with Disabilities in Canada, May 2004

96% of workers seek the advice of those with a different

background when solving complex business problems.

Leger Marketing survey, quoted in the Edmonton Journal, April 5, 2008

“In the past five years, we’ve definitely seen a much broader awareness of the importance of

diversity in the workplace. It’s not just a numbers game and a legislative requirement.

It’s about diversity of thought and how that adds

to the bottom line.”

Quoted in the Edmonton Journal, April 5, 2008

Michael Bach, KPMG

More than three million Canadians are unable to read print because of a

disability.

Less than 5% of published material in Canada is available in multiple formats.


Approximately 10 to 15% of the population have some type of learning disability that causes

serious problems in school achievement or on the job.

Carol A. McMullen for The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, When Bright Employees Don’t Measure Up, 2001

More than 75% of Canadians feel that Canada’s

cultural diversity provides a “distinct advantage” in fostering innovation.


“A diverse workforce is a more engaged one and that

ultimately leads to profitability.”


Michael Bach, KPMG


Between 2001 and 2011, the number of working-age

Canadians with some form of disability will increase by

1.4 million.


People with disabilities influencethe spending decisions of an estimated 12 million to 15 million other Canadians.


HSBC estimates that, worldwide, people over

55 years of age hold around $63 trillion, or about 70% of the planet's wealth.

Employer’s Forum on Disability, Realizing Potential

Alison M. Konrad, Kaye Leslie & Don Peuramaki , Full Accessibility by 2025, Ivey Business Journal, September/October 2007

People with disabilities are a group that has been neglected

by the consumer market, although its purchasing power

– and the secondary market that it influences –

is large and growing.


Persons with disabilities are responsible for an estimated $25 billion in annual consumer buying

power in Canada alone.


77% of Canadian workers feel that diversity in culture and background contributes to innovation and creates a

stronger business landscape.


“The larger picture is that it’s simply good for business in terms of recruitment to be reflective of your

community and sensitive to the

needs of specific communities.”


Richard Yerema, Mediacorp

Our workforce is aging. As Baby Boomers move through their fifties and begin to retire, the number of

young people and immigrants entering the workforce will be insufficient to meet demand.



Persons with disabilities – representing about one-sixth of

all Canadians – have an unheralded but established track

record of being reliable, productive employees.


The experiences of large corporations such as DuPont and the Royal Bank of

Canada show that when business recruits persons with disabilities:

• The pool of potential employees becomes larger

• Staff retention rates increase

• Absenteeism decreases


Employers who recognize the potential of underutilized

talent sources will be at an advantage in the race for talent.


Stereotypes, generalizations and labels are seductively easy

to use, but they obscure the singular blend of talents, skills and personality traits of each

individual.


The World Health Organization now sees the issue of disability as “a socially created problem” and the full integration of these individuals into society as “an

attitudinal or ideological” issue.


A learning disability does not interfere with intellectual

ability, but rather the way information is processed.

The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, Myths and Truths, 2005

Persons with learning disabilities must overcome discrimination

in the promotion process. Often their skills are overlooked

and they are considered inadequate rather than as talented, capable

persons who may need accommodations to compensate for

specific weaknesses.


One in six Canadians islikely to seek help for a mental health

problem in their lifetime.


The degree of social inclusion and participation that people with so-called disabilities can

achieve is a large factor in determining how disability

affects daily life.


dizABLED by John & Claire LytledizABLED by John & Claire Lytle

http://www.dizabled.com/comics/raft-race/

70% of Canadians would not give their eyesight up for anything:

not to win the lottery, not to be Prime Minister,

not even for a lifetime of great sex.


It’s estimated that, globally, there are 600 million people

with disabilities.


Learning disabilities are lifelong. They don't go away nor can they

be cured, but people can and do learn to effectively

cope with them.


An Angus Reid poll of Canadian CEOs indicated that 61% found it difficult to find workers with the

necessary skills.

They said attracting and retaining employees is the top priority for

business today.


One 2000 survey of 1,600 employees by Watson Wyatt Canadian

Research and Information Centre found that commitment of Canadian employees to their employers has

dropped to the lowest level in a decade.


Another survey by the same firm found that because of this lack of commitment, absenteeism and

employee disability management costs have risen from

5.6% of payroll costs in 1997 to 7.1% in 2000.


Most persons with disabilities don’t consider themselves permanently

unemployable. They perceive themselves as independent and want to make the reality of their

lives consistent with that vision and sense of identity.


DuPont’s 1990 survey confirmed that workers with disabilities

rated average or above…In safety: 97%

In attendance: 86%In performance of job duties: 90%


Pizza Hut found that employees with disabilities had a retention rate 22%

higher than their able bodiedcounterparts.



http://www.dizabled.com/comics/track-meet/

One in six Canadians has a disability.


An April 2000 analysis by the Royal Bank of Canada notes that corporations risk tarnishing their reputations if they’re known to

have underestimated theneeds and interests of people

with mental or physical disabilities.


Both the typewriter and the telephone were based on efforts to

overcome limitations for people with disabilities.


Pizza Hut found that because one in 10 of its customers

had a family member with a disability, the act of

employing more disabled workers improved sales and

customer loyalty.


At 1.1 billion potential consumers, disability represents the

world’s largest emerging market.

It is a market that cuts across any boundary one can dream up,

and how your firm addresses this opportunity marks the difference between exceptional growth and

business as usual.

Integrated Process Solutions LLC, http://www.returnondisability.com

The American National Captioning Institute research indicated that 57% of people with a hearing-

impairment said they were more likely to buy a product advertised

in a captioned commercial.


In a July 2001 article, architect Pamela Cluff observed that seniors and people

with disabilities — two increasingly overlapping groups — taken together,

“will represent between 20 to 25% of the recreation, retail, entertainment,

workplace and housing marketplaces in the next 10 years and beyond.”


There are over 50 million North Americans with classifiable

disabilities and about 12 million of them travel.


Right now, the CSA is in the midst of developing new

standards for services with respect to people with

disabilities.



Architect Pamela Cluff notes that universal design will only add about 5% to the construction budget and

much, much less if accessible design is included as part of the plans and

overall design of any new construction project.


Price of retrofitting a commercial or retail space will be only about:


• $800 - $1,000 per linear foot to construct ramps

• $3,500 - $4,000 each for automatic door openers

• $7,000 - $8,000 for an accessible unisex public washroom

• $6,000 - $7,000 to provide wiring and hearing-assisted devices for the average conference room

A common example of an accommodation that demonstrates

little respect for the dignity of a person is a wheelchair entrance over a loading dock or through a service area or garbage room.


Businesses that place a priority on inclusion and accessibility within their workplaces, public relations initiatives and overall corporate

culture will have a distinct advantage and competitive edge

over businesses which lag behind.


Mobil Corporation’s equation: "diverse workforce = good reputation

= shareholder returns"

Dr. Jeffrey Gandz , A Business Case for Diversity, HRDC Canada, 2001

Job candidates and employees are not required to disclose

disability status to employers or prospective employers.


Minnesota Diversified Industries, a $6.3 million enterprise in St. Paul, employs over 500 people, more than half of whom have "developmental"

disabilities, for duties considered to be detail-oriented, repetitive work.


To encourage employees to disclose their disabilities, employers

can express their willingness to provide reasonable accommodation

for workers with disabilities and create a history of treating workers with disabilities in a respectful and

confidential manner.


A commonly told story in seminars about accommodating disabilities describes the

experience of a disability activist, who is a lawyer and blind. One day in court in the middle of a case,

chaos broke out. When the lawyer asked his assistant what had happened, he was informed that

the power had gone out and there were no lights. Court was adjourned until the following day. As he remarked to a colleague “You sighted people ask

for so much! You want every room in every building wired for lighting and you just can’t function without

it. Do you know how much that costs?”



http://www.dizabled.com/comics/small-talk-interview/

Frito-Lay Inc.’s Dennis Zeleny says a diversity of backgrounds yields a diversity of

ideas, which is key to creating the best marketing strategies.

"Smart, good consumer-packaged goods companies in particular, if they're going to continue to be

successful, are involved and supportive (of diversity) because its the right

business thing to do."


Data from Simmons Market Research Bureau indicates, of people with

disabilities…


• 48% are principal shoppers for their household

• 46% are married

• 77% have no children – increasing their disposable income

• 58% own their own homes

“You learn to talk by talking. You learn to read by reading.You learn to write by writing.

You learn to include by including.”

Gary Bunch

Strategies for Educators to Create Inclusive and Accessible Community Schools, Together We Rock

For decades, persons with disabilities have been identified

by their disability first, and as persons, second.

Often, persons with disabilities are viewed as being afflicted with, or being victims of, a disability.

Removing Bias in Language: American Press Association Style, quoted in Suggested Guidelines for Language to Promote Positive Images of People with Disabilities, Together We Rock

People with disabilities are often viewed as tragic figures whom

society should pity.

Disability does not mean a poor quality of life. It is often the negative attitudes of society and the lack of accessibility within the community

that are the real tragedy.

Common Myths and Misconceptions about People with Disabilities, Together We Rock

George Covington, a writer who is blind, has said,

“We’re seen as inspirational, and inspiration sells like hotcakes.

My disability isn’t a burden: having to be so damned

inspirational is.”


Companies that had hired more people with disabilities during the preceding five years told the CCDS, they had:


• Overcome negative stereotypes about people with disabilities

• Understood the idea of a diverse workplace• Partnered with associations supporting people

with disabilities and used them as a source of recruitment

• Advertised on specific web sites targeted to people with disabilities

• Worked with Workers’ Compensation Boards through vocational rehabilitation programs

• Made their entryways more accessible

Researchers at Dawson College and MacKay Centre in Montreal remind us:

“Mechanics who are blind, nurses who are wheelchair users, teachers who are hard of hearing,

painters without arms, and chemists with shaky limbs-

it’s all been done!”


For more information

on Workforce Diversity Edmonton,

contact Dennis Gane,

Diversity Business Development Specialist

at (780) 409-2628 or via email

at [email protected]