The International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) on 3 December is a global celebration of the diverse talents, skills, and life experiences of people with disabilities. For small businesses, it’s an opportunity to recognise and engage with people with disabilities, not only as customers but also as valuable members of the workforce.
Approximately one in five Australians identifies as having a disability, making this demographic an important segment for small businesses to consider. By taking steps to be more inclusive, small businesses can attract and retain both customers and staff and benefit themselves too.
Inclusive access can expand your customer base
Accessibility means creating an environment where everyone can fully engage with your products and services. It’s easy to recognise stairways, trip hazards and small entryways as limiting accessibility, but it’s important to remember that barriers to access aren’t always physical. Think about how physical, visual, auditory and cognitive access can impact your clients' experience.
Physical
If you have a physical location, can people with physical challenges easily access it, for example is there accessible parking nearby and accessible bathrooms onsite, are entries and aisles uncluttered, is the flooring safe and stable, and are there ramps rather than stairs for people in wheelchairs, on walkers or pushing strollers to use?
Visual
People with visual limitations may have trouble accessing written or graphic information about your business. You can improve accessibility by checking that your digital presence such as your website are accessible to people using assistive technologies like screen readers. For printed materials, such as brochures or menus, consider using high-contrast colours and larger font to make them legible.
Auditory
For people who have hearing limitations, offering written alternatives for any audio content or investing in technology like hearing loops can increase access.
Cognitive
For employees and customers with different cognitive needs, providinb clear and easy-to-follow instructions can help them feel confident and included. This applies equally to job application process. To ensure your business includes people with sensory sensitivities, such as autism, consider modifying your physical environment by having dimmer lighting and no background music, or if a performance venue, schedule sensory performance sessions.
Increasing accessibility can help your small businesses to cater to more customers, as well as attract employees with diverse life experiences and skills.
Developing products and services for people with disability
The disability demographic represents an untapped market segment for many small businesses. offering opportunities for product innovation and development. Whether your business involves designing products, offering services, or creating digital solutions, thinking inclusively and either developing products and services especially for this market, or adjusting existing ones, can open up a whole new market. You could consider:
- If a modification could make your product more user-friendly for someone with limited mobility, vision or hearing?
- Whether you could customise or personalise your service offerings to suit different abilities and preferences?
By viewing inclusivity as a source of innovation, you may not only improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, but tap into a large, lucrative and often overlooked market segment.
Unlocking talent with inclusive employment
Worried about the worker shortage? Hiring people with disability could help you open up an untapped labour market with a wealth of abilities, skills, and life experiences to enrich your business culture. People with disabilities are an underrepresented workforce – with the unemployment rate at 10 per cent, more than double the rest of the population, yet they bring unique perspectives and solutions to the table.
There are things you can do as a small business that may make you more attractive to potential employees – both with and without disability. These can include:
- Offering flexible working arrangements including remote work.
- Making sure that you offer adjustments, such as ergonomic workstations or assistive technology, for those who need it.
- Upskilling your team by providing disability awareness training.
The conscious inclusion of people with disabilities as customers and employees can strengthens both your business and the broader community.
IDPwD each year is a good reminder for us all to consider this large and often overlooked group of customers and employees.
