The message at a business networking lunch yesterday was loud and clear for bosses who hadn’t yet given people with a disability a go: you don’t know what you’re missing out on.
Scattered among business people who sang the praises of employees with a disability – they’re the soul of my business, one said – were those still “sitting on the fence’’.
But they would have left the Nova Employment event at Camden Lakeside with that message ringing in their ears, it was that powerful.
Some of the employers who were interviewed as part of the event were asked what advice they would give those who hadn’t yet tried hiring someone with a disability.
“Just do it, now’’ was the simple message.
It was pointed out that staff retention rates for employees with disability are more than 70 percent higher which means big cost savings on recruitment and training.
Part of the reason for such successful outcomes is that Nova Employment “coaches’’ play an active role once they place someone with disability into a job.
They visit the workplace at least once a week to find out how things are going and if any action needs to be taken.
As the employers who have signed up said yesterday, those with disability make excellent employees: they are keen, hard working and diligent and end up with a career, not just a job.
And it costs the employers or business owners nothing, because Nova is funded by the federal government so it is able to provides a free service.
Right now is a great time to go for it because Nova Employment is conducting a campaign called 100 jobs in 100 days for people with disabilities in and around the local Macarthur area.
“We have had great success placing some of our candidates in the Macarthur region over a long period of time so we are keen to keep working to find suitable employers for our people as part of our 100 jobs in 100 days campaign,’’ says Scott Longmuir, project manager at Nova Employment.
“This is a major initiative to drive employment opportunities for people with disability in NSW.’’
By the way, Nova is Latin for “new’’, so that could be added to the message for business owners who are thinking about giving people with a disability a go: it’s time to try something new.
For more information visit the Nova website at https://www.novaemployment.com.au/employers