Ireland’s disability employment gap is below the EU average. It is important to understand the attitudes and experiences of employers around hiring disabled people to inform the development of effective actions that will reduce the disability employment gap. The NDA has produced this literature review that explores the attitudes and experiences of employers to the employment of disabled people internationally.
The review indicated that employers’ attitudes, experiences and hiring decisions towards people with disabilities are complex and influenced by a range of different factors. While many positive attitudes were identified, negative attitudes and negative hiring intentions towards the employment of disabled people persist. Attitudes were found to vary by disability type with more negative attitudes towards people with mental health conditions or intellectual disabilities compared to other disabilities. Some employers also expressed concern about legal problems, safety, attendance, impact on co-workers and costs of insurance, noting that these issues ultimately impacted hiring intentions.
Three main barriers impacting the hiring of disabled people were identified; perceived reduced productivity and performance, perceived costs, and low knowledge and awareness of disability. Organisations and managers who had the desire to protect and promote the well-being of others or previous experience working with or knowing disabled people were more favourably disposed to employing disabled people.
Further research is required to examine supports provided by employers across the working life of disabled employees and examining the effectiveness of various approaches to change the attitudes and behaviours of employers.