The inclusion of persons with special needs as workers, clients and partners in business is a wise decision. Having said this, while places of work are increasingly recognising the benefits of having diversity in the workforce, they are, sometimes, wary of including disability within their practice of inclusion.  

What do places of work need to succeed? Internally, they should comprise a group of workers that can contribute to effective solutions to problems and innovation in a rapidly changing global economy. Externally, a positive reputation can help increase clientele and societies’ approbation.   

The inclusion of persons with disability, particularly as employees, can help places of work reach these aims and be a step ahead of their competitors in future job markets. 

The importance of diversity in the job market has been established by research in the last few years. The benefits of a diverse workplace include workers with different talents, increased innovation and creativity, as well as a better image for the workplace. 

There is also a wide range of measures and activities that places of work can implement to include workers with special needs. Among them, there are disability inclusion policies that are backed up by management, training in disability awareness for staff and managers and increased accessibility at the workplace, including in its physical environment, its recruiting processes, websites, information and communication systems as well as the procedures of evacuation in case of emergency. 

So that they can use their talents and skills to the utmost, persons with disability who are looking for work and employees with special needs who need some reasonable adjustments could be accommodated during their time with the company, that is from the recruitment process, during their professional development and when they return to work after a long absence. 

Places of work would benefit from seeking the advice of organisations for persons with disability before implementing such measures. 

All in all, the inclusion of persons with disability is not only smart but, in my opinion, is one of the best things one could do.