Download - 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.
Statistics Canada 2006 PALS Survey Analytical Paper, July 2008
People with memory and psychological limitations report the highest
unemployment rate and lowest labour force participation rate of all Canadians
with Disabilities.
Statistics Canada 2006 PALS Survey Analytical Paper, July 2008
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.
Canadian Mental Health Association
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%)
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 18, 2005
The Management Practices Most Likely to Precipitate or Aggravate
Mental Ill Health in the Workforce
1. The imposition of unreasonable demands on subordinates.
Bill Wilkerson, Global Business and Economic Round Table on Addiction and Mental Health
The Management Practices Most Likely to Precipitate or Aggravate
Mental Ill Health in the Workforce
2. Withholding information that is materially important to them to carry out
their jobs.
Bill Wilkerson, Global Business and Economic Round Table on Addiction and Mental Health
The Management Practices Most Likely to Precipitate or Aggravate
Mental Ill Health in the Workforce
3. Refusing to give employees reasonable discretion over the day-to-day means and
methods of their own work.
Bill Wilkerson, Global Business and Economic Round Table on Addiction and Mental Health
The Management Practices Most Likely to Precipitate or Aggravate
Mental Ill Health in the Workforce
4. Failing to credit or acknowledge the contributions and achievements of
employees.
Bill Wilkerson, Global Business and Economic Round Table on Addiction and Mental Health
Crippen by Dave LuptonCrippen by Dave Lupton
“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.
Bill Wilkerson, Global Business and Economic Round Table on Addiction and Mental Health
The costs of mental illness in the Canadian labour force exceed $33 billion a year in lost production
alone.
Bill Wilkerson, Global Business and Economic Round Table on Addiction and Mental Health
82% of adults with disabilities have more than one type of disability. In fact, 36% have four or more types.
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 19, 2005
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.
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 18, 2005
The average age of onset in Canada for :
Anxiety disorders – age 12 Substance abuse – age 18
Depression – age 23
Bill Wilkerson, Global Business and Economic Round Table on Addiction and Mental Health
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%).
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 18, 2005
Workers with disabilities are overrepresented in the lowest wage
quartile.
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 16, 2005
Crippen by Dave LuptonCrippen by Dave Lupton
Workers without disabilities are more likely to report having flexible work hours than workers with disabilities.
(35.5% compared to 29.5%)
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 18, 2005
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.
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 17, 2005
Workers with disabilities are less likely than those without disabilities
to have had training of any type.
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 16, 2005
Workers with disabilities are less likely than those without disabilities to have received a promotion in the
previous year.
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 16, 2005
Workers with disabilities are less likely to supervise others on the job, despite tending to have more work
experience.
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 16, 2005
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.
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 10, 2003
Persons with disabilities are more likely than persons
without disabilities to have a regular medical doctor.
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 13, 2004
Persons with disabilities are about 1.5 times more likely to consult an
alternative health care provider than are persons without disabilities.
Canadian Council on Social Development’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 13, 2004
According to a CNIB study, only 25 per cent of working-age people with
vision loss are employed.
CNIB, Fast Facts
Crippen by Dave LuptonCrippen by Dave Lupton
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.
US Job Accommodation Network Data from October 1994 and September 1995. As quoted in CCDS’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 18, 2005
Of the businesses seeking advice on workplace accommodation, only 3%
reported a cost of more than $5,000.
US Job Accommodation Network Data from October 1994 and September 1995. As quoted in CCDS’s Disability Information Sheet, Number 18, 2005
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.
CNIB, Fact Sheet: The Personal and Social Impact of 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.
CNIB, Fact Sheet: The Personal and Social Impact of Vision Loss
In 2002, Alberta had the highest rate of depression in Canada.
Canadian Council on Social Development, A Profile of Health in Canada
Crippen by Dave LuptonCrippen by Dave Lupton
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.
CNIB, Fact Sheet: The Personal and Social Impact of Vision Loss
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.
Leger Marketing survey, quoted in the Edmonton Journal, April 5, 2008
“A diverse workforce is a more engaged one and that
ultimately leads to profitability.”
Quoted in the Edmonton Journal, April 5, 2008
Michael Bach, KPMG
Crippen by Dave LuptonCrippen by Dave Lupton
Between 2001 and 2011, the number of working-age
Canadians with some form of disability will increase by
1.4 million.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
People with disabilities influencethe spending decisions of an estimated 12 million to 15 million other Canadians.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
Persons with disabilities are responsible for an estimated $25 billion in annual consumer buying
power in Canada alone.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
77% of Canadian workers feel that diversity in culture and background contributes to innovation and creates a
stronger business landscape.
Leger Marketing survey, quoted in the Edmonton Journal, April 5, 2008
“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.”
Quoted in the Edmonton Journal, April 5, 2008
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
Crippen by Dave LuptonCrippen by Dave Lupton
Persons with disabilities – representing about one-sixth of
all Canadians – have an unheralded but established track
record of being reliable, productive employees.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
Employers who recognize the potential of underutilized
talent sources will be at an advantage in the race for talent.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
Stereotypes, generalizations and labels are seductively easy
to use, but they obscure the singular blend of talents, skills and personality traits of each
individual.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.
The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, Myths and Truths, 2005
One in six Canadians islikely to seek help for a mental health
problem in their lifetime.
Canadian Mental Health Association
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
dizABLED by John & Claire LytledizABLED by John & Claire Lytle
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.
CNIB, Fact Sheet: The Personal and Social Impact of Vision Loss
It’s estimated that, globally, there are 600 million people
with disabilities.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.
The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, Myths and Truths, 2005
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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%
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
Pizza Hut found that employees with disabilities had a retention rate 22%
higher than their able bodiedcounterparts.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
dizABLED by John & Claire LytledizABLED by John & Claire Lytle
One in six Canadians has a disability.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
Both the typewriter and the telephone were based on efforts to
overcome limitations for people with disabilities.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
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.”
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
There are over 50 million North Americans with classifiable
disabilities and about 12 million of them travel.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
Right now, the CSA is in the midst of developing new
standards for services with respect to people with
disabilities.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
Crippen by Dave LuptonCrippen by Dave Lupton
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.
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
Price of retrofitting a commercial or retail space will be only about:
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
• $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.
Alison M. Konrad, Kaye Leslie & Don Peuramaki , Full Accessibility by 2025, Ivey Business Journal, September/October 2007
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.
Alison M. Konrad, Kaye Leslie & Don Peuramaki , Full Accessibility by 2025, Ivey Business Journal, September/October 2007
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.
Alison M. Konrad, Kaye Leslie & Don Peuramaki , Full Accessibility by 2025, Ivey Business Journal, September/October 2007
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.
Dr. Jeffrey Gandz , A Business Case for Diversity, HRDC Canada, 2001
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.
Alison M. Konrad, Kaye Leslie & Don Peuramaki , Full Accessibility by 2025, Ivey Business Journal, September/October 2007
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?”
Alison M. Konrad, Kaye Leslie & Don Peuramaki , Full Accessibility by 2025, Ivey Business Journal, September/October 2007
dizABLED by John & Claire LytledizABLED by John & Claire Lytle
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."
Dr. Jeffrey Gandz , A Business Case for Diversity, HRDC Canada, 2001
Data from Simmons Market Research Bureau indicates, of people with
disabilities…
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
• 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.”
Common Myths and Misconceptions about People with Disabilities, Together We Rock
Companies that had hired more people with disabilities during the preceding five years told the CCDS, they had:
Bill Wilkerson, Business Case for Accessibility, November 2001
• 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!”
Common Myths and Misconceptions about People with Disabilities, Together We Rock
For more information
on Workforce Diversity Edmonton,
contact Dennis Gane,
Diversity Business Development Specialist
at (780) 409-2628 or via email