Much is made about the opportunity for jobseekers to find temporary work during the festive season. Less is said about the proportion of those who are disabled.

Almost one in five people in the UK have a disability, yet only 47.8% of working age disabled people are employed compared with 75.9% of non-disabled people. Government research has suggested that 42% of disabled jobseekers cite employer attitudes as a barrier, so what does it take for retailers to become disability-confident?

As it stands, nearly seven million people of working age in the UK are disabled or have a health condition. Therefore, for an average business, 20% of its customers are disabled. Having a workforce representative of your customer base can be hugely beneficial. When you add their friends and family to the equation, the market has a combined spending power of £80bn a year.

Many retailers are responsible employers and have created diverse workforces. But they need a clearer understanding of what “disability” actually means.

A disability is a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term effect on someone’s ability to do normal daily activities, but disabled employees also offer a wide range of skills, including those they have had to develop to get by such as commitment, determination and problem-solving.

To tap into this talent pool, retailers must ensure that the appropriate support and adjustments to the recruitment process are available. Adjustments can include an alternative format to the application form, a change to the format of the interview or even the use of an interpreter. Support for this is available through government schemes such as the Access to Work programme.

Many employees find working alongside disabled peers a rewarding and enriching experience. This Christmas, retailers have the opportunity not only to bring their CSR strategies to life, but to promote an equal, fair and positive recruitment process. The ability to bring yourself closer to your customers opens up loyalty, and in retail terms, that is a gift that keeps on giving.

Janice Henson is director of Placeability

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