Inclusive Workplaces – Online Survey of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Report

Prepared for Employment and Social Development Canada

Supplier Name: Environics Research

Contract Number: CW22236197

Contract Value: $138,871.35 (including HST)

Award Date: 2022-07-13

Delivery Date: 2022-11-28

Registration Number: POR 015-22

For more information on this report, please contact Employment and Social Development Canada at: nc-por-rop-gd@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en Français

Inclusive Workplaces Online Survey of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Report

Prepared for Employment and Social Development Canada by Environics Research

NOVEMBER 2022                        

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) commissioned Environics Research to conduct a quantitative online survey of 1,000 Canadian small and medium enterprises to explore attitudes toward inclusive workplaces and hiring persons with disabilities.

Permission to reproduce

This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from the Employment and Social Development Canada. For information regarding reproduction rights: droitdauteur.copyright@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2022.

Cat. No.: Em4-34/2023E-PDF

ISBN: 978-0-660-46609-5

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre Milieux de travail inclusifs - Sondage en ligne auprès de petites et moyennes entreprises

 

Table of contents

Executive summary. i

Introduction. 1

Detailed findings. 3

I.     Recruitment and human resource issues. 3

II.    Recruiting persons with disabilities 5

III.   Workplace accommodation policies. 15

IV.   Profile of respondents. 25

Appendix A: Methodology. 27

Appendix B: Quantitative research instrument. 30

 

Executive summary

1.      Background and objectives

The mandate of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) includes taking measures to encourage and assist businesses across Canada in having workplaces that are inclusive and a key feature of this is to be inclusive of people living with disabilities.

This project includes both quantitative and qualitative research. The objectives of the quantitative research phase described in this report are to:

·                Identify the main barriers, from an employer’s perspective, to hiring persons with disabilities;

·                Measure where employers fall in the behavior change model (pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action) to develop strategies that move the audience towards action and hiring persons with disabilities;

·                Establish a benchmark in attitudes, perception and behaviours among employers towards hiring persons with disabilities.

The findings from the qualitative research phase are available under separate cover.

2.      Methodology

Environics Research conducted a quantitative online survey of 1,001 Canadians who are decision makers in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), which are organizations with 1 to 499 employees. The survey was conducted from September 9 to 28, 2022. The survey sample was supplied by an online panel provider. It is a non-probability sample and therefore no margin of error can be calculated.

3.      Cost of research

The total contract value was $138,871.35 (including HST).

-          Quantitative research phase value: $85,315.00 (including HST).

-          Qualitative research phase value: $53,556.35 (including HST).

4.      Key findings

Recruitment and human resources issues

·       Most organizations report challenges in finding qualified employees at this time.  

·       The most common recruitment methods among organizations today are informal networking and online recruitment.

·       When it comes to recruitment policies and protocols related to persons with disabilities, organizations most commonly provide accessibility and inclusion training, equity-based hiring policies, and inclusive workplace policies. Quotas and incentives are less common.

Recruiting persons with disabilities

·       Most organizations are at least somewhat comfortable hiring an employee with a disability and just under half are very comfortable.

·       Organizations tend to give themselves high marks for accommodating employees with disabilities.

·       Significant proportions agree that employing people with disabilities will lead to a variety of challenges, such as employees with disabilities being harder to dismiss, more difficult to train and various other issues.

·       Organizations surveyed expressed keen interest in learning more about how to hire persons with disabilities. There is also high interest in learning how to create an inclusive and accessible workplace.

·       Most organizations either currently employ persons with disabilities or have in the past. One third have never done so. The most common reasons for not hiring persons with disabilities are that none have applied with the required education or qualifications or that no applicants self-identified as having a disability.

·       Most organizations are at least likely to hire persons with disabilities in the next couple of years.

·       Four in ten organizations report having taken steps toward hiring or recruiting persons with disabilities, such as using welcoming language and inclusion statements in job postings, informal word of mouth outreach and posting about openings in disability related publications.

Workplace accommodation policies

·       Most organizations have not ever had to deal with a workplace accommodation request. Organizations that have dealt with a workplace accommodation request report they always or usually provided the requested accommodation.

·       Visual, memory and developmental disabilities are perceived to be the most challenging to accommodate among organizations surveyed.

·       Employers feel the most helpful ways to create an inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities are offering flexible work arrangements, offering staff training programs on accessibility and inclusion, and having a supportive management culture.

·       The main perceived benefits of hiring persons with disabilities are that it is good for society, helps businesses learn to adapt and promotes an inclusive work culture.

·       Most organizations already offer a wide range of accommodations and adaptations or are willing to offer them in the future.

·       Three quarters of organizations would at least consider hiring someone with a disability in the future.

·       Most organizations believe they have already created an inclusive workplace or would like to do so.

·       The most useful tools for helping organizations prepare to hire more persons with disabilities are practical resources on making workplaces more accessible and inclusive, connections with community organizations and information about financial incentives.

5.      Political neutrality statement and contact information

I hereby certify as senior officer of Environics that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.

Derek Leebosh

Vice President, Public Affairs

Environics Research Group

derek.leebosh@environics.ca

416-820-1963

 

Supplier Name: Environics Research

Contract Number: CW22236197

Total Contract Value: $138,871.35 (including HST)

-          Quantitative research phase value: $85,315.00 (including HST)

-          Qualitative research phase value: $53,556.35 (including HST)

Award Date: 2022-07-13

Delivery Date: 2022-11-28

For more information, contact nc-por-rop-gd@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Introduction

1.                  Background

One of the mandates of ESDC is to encourage and assist businesses across Canada in having workplaces that are more inclusive. A key element of an inclusive workplace is to be inclusive of persons living with disabilities. The 2020 Throne Speech and the 2022 federal budget both made commitments to accomplish the following objectives:

·                Increase participation by Persons with Disabilities in the labour market and make workplaces more inclusive and accessible;

·                Ensure fair and inclusive working conditions that remove barriers to accessibility for Canadians with Disabilities and allow all Canadians to participate in an inclusive and efficient labour market; and

·                Develop a robust employment strategy for Canadians with Disabilities, as part of a Disability Inclusion Plan.

ESDC’s Inclusive Workplaces Phase 4 Campaign is a plan to support these commitments and builds on the initial success and lessons learned from the previous three campaign phases (2019-2022). It will contribute to reducing cultural employment barriers and creating workplaces that are more inclusive for Persons with Disabilities. A small media buy will also launch in early 2023 that will target Canadian small and medium-sized employers. The goal of the campaign is to increase awareness and knowledge that 1) employers should hire Persons with Disabilities and 2) tools and resources are available to help employers create inclusive workplaces. Prior to designing new creatives for the campaign, ESDC wishes to conduct a survey with small and medium-sized employers to better understand, from an employer’s perspective, the barriers to hiring Persons with Disabilities. This will inform the strategy for communicating with employers in upcoming campaigns. Additionally, since changing employer attitudes about accessibility, inclusion and hiring Persons with Disabilities requires a long-term commitment, and future behaviour change campaigns are expected, the survey with employers will set a baseline to measure change in attitudes and behaviour over time.

2.      Research rationale and objectives

This research will inform strategies for communication with small and medium-sized employers about hiring persons with disabilities in the upcoming Inclusive Workplaces Phase 4 campaign, as well as future campaigns. It will also be used as a benchmark to measure changes in employer attitude.

The research objectives were to explore the following topics:

·                Identify the main barriers, from an employer’s perspective, to hiring persons with disabilities;

·                Measure where employers fall in the behavior change model (pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action) to develop strategies that move the audience towards action and hiring persons with disabilities;

·                Establish a benchmark in attitudes, perception and behaviours among employers towards hiring persons with disabilities.

3.      Report

This report begins with an executive summary outlining key findings and conclusions, followed by a detailed analysis of the results. A detailed description of the methodology used to conduct this research is presented in Appendix A. The research instrument is presented in Appendix B.

Note: Some columns and rows may not add to 100% due to rounding or multiple mentions. Any base sizes not indicated are total sample.

Detailed findings

I.                   Recruitment and human resource issues

1.                  Challenges finding qualified employees

Most organizations report challenges in finding qualified employees at this time.

Three-quarters of organizations (74%) indicated it was at least somewhat challenging to find qualified employees, with half (50%) reporting it is somewhat and one-quarter (24%) reporting it is very challenging.

Challenge to find qualified employees

Q13 In general, how challenging is it for you and your organization to find qualified employees? Is it …?

Those most likely to find it very challenging to find qualified employees include organizations in natural resources/construction/manufacturing, those that are federally regulated, and those who currently employ people living with disabilities.

2.      Recruitment methods

Informal networking and online recruitment methods are most common among organizations today.

The most common methods of recruitment are networking or worth of mouth (61%), followed by social media (47%), online job boards (40%), and from the company website (35%).

 

Recruitment methods

Q14 How does your business or organization usually recruit new employees?

Those most likely to mention networking/word of mouth include small companies with between two and four employees, respondents aged 55 and older, non-federally regulated companies, and organizations in the private sector.

Social media is most likely to be used by medium-sized organizations, those in the education and health services sectors, those currently employing persons with disabilities, those where respondents were between the ages of 18 and 34, Ontarians, and organizations in cities with populations over 100 thousand. Organizations in the leisure/hospitality sector are less likely to use social media to recruit.

Online job boards are more commonly used by medium-sized organizations, those in the retail/wholesale/transportation sector, those operating in English, younger respondents, Ontarians, those in cities of over one million people, and those currently employing persons with disabilities.

Those who identified as having a disability themselves were less likely than others to use word-of-mouth/networking and online job boards.

3.      Recruitment policies and protocol

Organizations most commonly provide accessibility and inclusion training, equity-based hiring policies, and inclusive workplace policies. Quotas and incentives are less common.

Most organizations provide accessibility and inclusion training to employees (58%) and half also have equity-based hiring policies and inclusive workplace policies (51% each). It is less common for organizations to ask employees to self-identify about any disabilities (37%) or have quotas or incentives to hire persons with disabilities (26%).

Recruitment methods

Q15 Please answer the following questions about your organization or business:

Organizations who are most likely to be taking all these actions include those with 25 or more employees, those that operate in English, those in the non-profit sector, those where the respondent is younger (18-34), those in communities with over one million people, those who currently employ people living with a disability or have in the past and respondents who identify as having a disability themselves.

In contrast, those least likely to be taking these actions include organizations where the respondent was 35 or older, operating in French, located in a rural/town of between one thousand and 30 thousand people, and those who have never employed a person with a disability.

II.                Recruiting persons with disabilities

1.                  Level of comfort with hiring an employee with a disability

Most organizations are at least somewhat comfortable hiring an employee with a disability and just under half are very comfortable.

The vast majority of organizations (85%) are at least somewhat comfortable hiring an employee with a disability and almost half are very comfortable (46%). Just one in ten are uncomfortable.

Level of comfort

Q16 How comfortable would you feel about hiring an employee with a disability? Would you be…

Response to this question does not vary very much by sub-group. However, those most likely to feel very comfortable about hiring an employee with a disability include those in retail/wholesale/transportation and those in leisure/hospitality, those living with a disability themselves and those who currently employ people living with a disability. Those less likely to feel very comfortable include those in the natural resources/construction/manufacturing sectors and those who have never employed anyone with a disability.

2.      Accommodating persons with disabilities

Most organizations give themselves high marks for accommodating employees with disabilities.

Over six in ten (65%) feel their workplace does an excellent (25%) or good (40%) job of accommodating employees with disabilities. Just 15 percent rate themselves as doing a fair (13%) or poor (3%) job. Another 19 percent say this question does not apply to them as they have no employees with disabilities.

Job of accommodating employees with disabilities

Q17 How would you rate the job your workplace does of accommodating employees with disabilities? Is it . . . ?

Organizations most likely to rate themselves as “excellent” or “good” include medium-sized companies, non-profit organizations, federally regulated organizations, those whose representatives were 18-34 years old or male, organizations in the Atlantic provinces and Alberta, and those living with a disability themselves.

3.      Attitudes toward hiring persons with disabilities

Significant proportions agree that employing people with disabilities will lead to a variety of challenges, such as being harder to dismiss, more difficult to train and various other issues

Significant proportions agree with statements about challenges of employing people with disabilities. About four in ten agree that it would be harder to dismiss employees with disabilities (46%), that their organization does not have the tools to accommodate them (44%), and that training someone with a disability will be more difficult (43%). Another considerable proportion also thinks work can’t be effectively performed by someone with a disability (38%), that persons with disabilities will take more time off (37%), that hiring a person with a disability will cause a legal liability (36%), or that accommodations would be too expensive (34%). Over one-quarter (28%) think their employees without disabilities would not be comfortable working with persons with disabilities

Statements about employing persons with disabilities

Q18 How strongly do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements

Those most likely to agree with all or most of these statements include medium-sized organizations, companies in the natural resources/construction/manufacturing sector, federally regulated companies, organizations where respondents were between 18 and 34 and male, those operating in a community of over one million people. It is also notable that those living with a disability themselves are also more likely to agree with all of these statements.

There are some differences on some specific items in this question as well. It is notable that medium-sized organizations are significantly more likely than small organizations to agree that their employees without disabilities would not be comfortable working with persons with disabilities (39% vs 25%). Businesses operating in French were more likely to agree that their organization does not have the knowledge, expertise, or tools to accommodate someone with a disability, but they were less likely to agree with many of the other statements.

4.      Interest in learning about how to hire persons with disabilities

Organizations surveyed expressed keen interest in learning more about how to hire persons with disabilities.

One-third are very interested (31%) and nearly half are somewhat interested (45%) in learning more about how to hire persons with disabilities. Nearly one-quarter are not interested (23%).

Level of interest

Q19           How interested are you in learning more about how to hire persons with disabilities?

Groups that are more likely to be “very” interested in learning more about how to hire persons with disabilities include medium-sized businesses, non-profits, and federally regulated organizations, and those where respondents were 18 to 34 years old or have a disability themselves.

Interest tends to be lower among those 55 years of age and over, those in rural areas, organizations that operate in French and those that are not federally regulated.

It is also notable that over half (52%) of organizations that currently employ people with disabilities are very interested in learning more, while only ten percent of businesses that have never employed people with disabilities say they are very interested in learning more about this.

5.      Interest in learning about how to create an inclusive and accessible workplace

There is high interest in learning how to create an inclusive and accessible workplace.

Almost eight in ten (78%) are very (35%) or somewhat (43%) interested in learning more about how to create an inclusive and accessible workplace. Two in ten (22%) are not very (15%) or not at all interested (7%).

Level of interest

Q20           How interested are you in learning more about how to create an inclusive and accessible workplace?

Those most likely to be very interested in learning more about this include medium-sized organizations, federally regulated organizations, those with a disability themselves, and those aged 18 to 34.

Interest in learning more about how to create an inclusive and accessible workplace tends to be lower among older respondents, those in rural areas and those whose organization operates in French.

6.      Current employment of persons with disabilities

Most organizations either currently employ persons with disabilities or have in the past. One third have never done so.

Four in ten organizations surveyed currently employ a person or persons with disabilities (41%); another 22 percent do not currently but have in the past. One-third of organizations (32%) report that they have never employed a person with a disability.

Current employment of persons with disabilities

Q21           To the best of your knowledge, does your organization currently employ any persons with disabilities, or has it done so in the past?

Organizations most likely to currently employ persons with disabilities include medium-sized organizations, organizations in the leisure/hospitality sector, federally regulated organizations, those in communities with over one million people, organizations that operate in English and those ages 18 to 34.

In contrast, organizations least likely to employ persons with disabilities include small organizations with less than five employees, those operating in French, those are not federally regulated, those in rural areas and those aged 55 or older.

The linguistic difference is particularly stark on this measure. Over half (55%) of organizations that operate in French have never employed anyone with a disability compared to just 26 percent of organizations that operate in English.

7.      Reasons for not employing persons with disabilities

The most common reasons for not hiring persons with disabilities are that none applied with the required education or qualifications or that no applicants self-identified as having a disability.

The most common reason for not employing persons with a disability include that no one with a disability has applied with the right education or qualifications (35%), followed by no applicant ever having self-identified as a person with a disability (28%). Two in ten indicated their work is not suited for someone with a disability (23%) or that hiring someone with a disability just isn’t a priority (22%). Smaller proportions provided reasons such as concerns about negative impact on workplace culture, liability or legal implications, reliability, or providing additional supervision or support.

Reasons for not employing persons with disabilities

Q22           What are the main reasons your organization does not or has not employed persons with disabilities?

BASE: Those who currently do not or have never employed persons with disabilities (n = 534)

Organizations in the natural resources/construction/manufacturing sector were more likely than those in other sectors to say the reason is that the type of work they is not being suited for someone with a disability or to cite health and safety concerns.

 

8.      Hiring persons with disabilities in the next couple of years

One-fifth of businesses are very likely to hire persons with disabilities in the next couple of years.

Six in ten (60%) say their organization is very (22%) or somewhat (38%) likely to hire a person with a disability in the next couple of years. One quarter (26%) are not very (15%) or not at all likely (10%) to do so, and 14 percent do not know.

Likelihood that organization will hire persons with disabilities

Q23           How likely is it that your organization will hire any persons with disabilities in the next couple of years?

Organizations most inclined to say they are very likely to hire persons with disabilities in the next couple of years include medium-sized organizations, organizations in the leisure/hospitality sector, federally regulated organizations, 18 to 34 year olds, and organizations that operate in English.

Likelihood of hiring any persons with disabilities in the next couple of years tends to be lower in smaller organizations with less than five employees, those operating in French, those 55 years of age and over and those in rural areas.

It is notable that the vast majority of organizations that currently employ (92%) or have previously employed (68%) persons with disabilities say they would be likely to do so again in the next couple of years. In contrast,  among organizations that have never employed any persons with disabilities just 21 percent are at all likely to do so in the next couple of years.

9.      Taking steps to hire or recruit persons with disabilities

Four in ten organizations report having taken any steps toward hiring or recruiting persons with disabilities. Most have not.

Four in ten (38%) report that their organization has taken steps toward hiring or recruiting persons with disabilities, but one half (52%) admit that they have not, and nine percent do not know.

Taken steps to hire/recruit persons with disabilities

Q24           Has your organization ever taken any steps to hire or recruit persons with disabilities?

Organizations most likely to have ever taken steps toward hiring and recruiting persons with disabilities include those that are medium-sized, those in leisure/hospitality, those operating in English, non-profits, federally regulated organizations, those aged 18 to 34 and males. Among organizations that currently employ persons with disabilities 72 percent report that they have taken steps to do so.

Organizations that are least likely to have ever taken steps toward hiring and recruiting persons with disabilities include small organizations with less than five employees, those operating in French, those in rural areas, those that are not federally regulated, those 55 years of age and over and females.

10. Specific steps taken to recruit/hire persons with disabilities

Organizations report taking a range of steps to recruit or hire persons with disabilities such as using welcoming language and inclusion statements in job postings, informal word of mouth outreach and posting about openings in disability related publications.

Those that have taken steps to hire and recruit persons with disabilities report a wide range of steps and tactics. These include welcoming language and an inclusion statement in job postings (44%), informal/word of mouth outreach (38%), posting in disability-related publications (36%), offering accommodations during the interview process (33%), using employment agencies aimed at persons with disabilities (32%), or providing internships and mentoring programs for youth with disabilities (29%).

Steps taken to hire/recruit persons with disabilities

Q25           Which of the following steps have you taken in an effort to recruit or hire persons with disabilities?

BASE: Those who have taken steps to hiring or recruiting persons with disabilities

Medium-sized companies were more likely to have done most of the steps toward hiring and recruiting persons with disabilities.

III.             Workplace accommodation policies

1.                  Experience with workplace accommodation requests

Most organizations have not ever had to deal with a workplace accommodation request.

One-third of organizations report that they had ever been asked for a workplace accommodation by an employee or an applicant with a disability (34%), while six in ten had not (60%).

Applicant/Employee requested a workplace accommodation

Q26           Has a job applicant or an employee with a disability in your organization ever requested a workplace accommodation?

Organizations most likely to have received a workplace accommodation request from an employee/applicant include medium-sized organizations, organizations in education/health services or leisure/hospitality, those operating in English, non-profits, federally regulated organizations, those aged 18 to 34 and those who have a disability themselves.

Organizations least likely to have ever dealt with an accommodation request include smaller organizations with less than 25 employees, those operating in French, those that are not federally regulated, those 55 years of age and over and those in rural areas.

2.      Providing workplace accommodation

Organizations report they always or usually provided accommodation requests by persons with disabilities.

Organizations that have received workplace accommodation requests from an employee or applicant with a disability claim that these accommodation requests were always (54%) or usually (39%) provided.

Workplace accommodation provided

Q27           When this happened, did you provide the requested workplace accommodation?

BASE: Those who have received workplace accommodation requests (n = 338)

Accommodations are more likely to be always made in the leisure/hospitality sector, in the private sector, in community sizes of over 100 thousand, and where the company currently employs persons with disabilities.

3.      Reasons for not providing workplace accommodation

When accommodations are not possible due to the nature of the job, or adaptations are not available.

The two most common reasons for not being able to provide accommodations to employees or applicant when requested were that it simply was not possible due to the nature of the job (35%) or because the adaptation was not available (28%). Smaller proportions mentioned not having enough information about how to provide the accommodation, high cost or potential problems with other employees.

Reasons for not providing workplace accommodations

Q28           What were the main reasons your organization has not always been able to provide workplace accommodation, adaptation or support for employees or applicants with disabilities?

BASE: Those who did not always provide accommodation (n = 153)

4.      Level of perceived challenge when accommodating employees with disabilities

Organizations perceive visual, memory and developmental disabilities to be the most challenging to accommodate.

Disabilities that are perceived as most challenging to accommodate include visual disabilities and memory disabilities (40% very challenging each) and developmental disabilities (30%). Mental health and learning disabilities, hearing, and mobility disabilities were all viewed as very challenging by about one-quarter of respondents. The disabilities that are perceived to be the least challenging to accommodate are chronic pain and flexibility and dexterity disabilities.

Perceived challenge to accommodate

Q29           How challenging do you think it would be to accommodate an employee with each of the following disabilities within your organization?

In general, there was relatively little variance by demographic segments in terms of the extent to which organizations find different disabilities to be challenging to accommodate. There was some tendency for those 55 years of age or older to perceive all of the disabilities to be more challenging to accommodate. Physical disabilities such as mobility were perceived to be more challenging by organizations in the natural resources/construction/manufacturing sector while visual and memory disabilities were perceived as more challenging in the retail/wholesale/transport sector. Hearing and mobility disabilities were seen to be more challenging by those with disabilities themselves.

5.      Most helpful ways to help create an inclusive workplace

Employers feel the most helpful ways to create an inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities include offering flexible work arrangements, staff training programs on accessibility and inclusion, and having a supportive management culture.

Aside from offering flexible work arrangements (25%), the most helpful tools to creating an inclusive workplace typically relate to instilling understanding within a company, often at management level: 25% say training programs for all employees, 21% say a supportive management culture, 20% say HR professionals with disability management knowledge, and 19% say training for managers. One-in-ten indicate nothing would help (11%) or have no opinion (11%).

Helpful to create inclusive workplace

Q30           Which of the following do you think would be most helpful to your organization in creating an inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities?

Those more likely to consider these offerings to be helpful in creating an inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities were medium-sized companies, those operating in English, federally regulated organizations, companies in Ontario, and companies that currently employ persons with disabilities or have in the past. Those living with a disability themselves were significantly more likely to say that having more employees with disabilities throughout the organization would be helpful.

6.      Benefits of hiring persons with disabilities

The main perceived benefits of hiring persons with disabilities are that it is good for society, helps businesses learn to adapt and promotes an inclusive work culture.

The most common perceived benefits to hiring persons with disabilities are that it is good for the community and society (35%), that employees with disabilities help businesses learn to adapt (31%), that hiring persons with disabilities promotes an inclusive work culture (31%), and that employees with disabilities bring an innovative outlook to the workplace (29%). Another 23 percent say it allows access to an untapped labour pool. Smaller proportions mention other benefits such as it being good for the organization’s image (17%), that employees with disabilities tend to stay in the job longer (15% and that businesses can received financial incentives for hiring persons with disabilities (11%). Just ten percent believe that there are no benefits at all to hiring persons with disabilities and seven percent have no opinion.

Benefits of hiring persons with disabilities

Q31           What are the main benefits of hiring persons with disabilities at your organization, if any?

There are some significant differences between small and medium sized organizations when it comes to perceptions of the benefits of hiring persons with disabilities. Medium sized businesses are more likely than small businesses to cite how it helps businesses learn to adapt, provides access to an untapped labour pool and that employees with disabilities tend to stay in the job longer.

Those aged 18 to 34 are more likely than those 55 and over to see benefits to businesses in learning to adapt and bringing an innovative outlook to the workplace. Those 55 and over and are more likely not to see any benefits at all.  

Those with disabilities themselves are more likely to feel that hiring persons with disabilities is good for the community/society, helps businesses learn how to adapt and brings an innovative outlook to the workplace and that employees with disabilities tend to stay in the job longer.

 

7.      Workplace accommodation options

Most organizations already offer a wide range of accommodations and adaptations or are willing to offer them in the future.

Nearly three quarters of organizations either already offer or are willing to offer accommodations such as providing additional supervision and training (75%), allowing extra time to complete tasks (74%), providing accessibility awareness training (74%), and adapting workstations (73%). Significant majorities already offer or would be willing to offer such accommodations as allowing service animals (68%), increasing building accessibility (66%), providing specialized software (65%) and providing human support (59%).

Workplace accommodations offered/not offered

Q32           Here is a list of accommodations/adaptations that employers could provide when hiring someone with a disability. For each one, indicate whether you currently offer it; if you would be willing to offer it in the future; or if you could not offer it.

Organizations that either currently offer or are willing to offer most of these accommodations include medium-sized companies, those in the education/health services sectors, those operating in English, federally regulated organizations, those operating in a community of over one million people, those who currently employ persons with disabilities or have in the past and those under the age of 55.

In contrast, those least likely to offer these accommodations include those with less than five employees, those operating in French, those who are not federally regulated, those where the respondent is over 55 years of age, those in small towns and rural areas and those who have never employed anyone living with a disability.

8.      Attitudes toward hiring persons with disabilities

Three quarters of organizations would at least consider hiring someone with a disability in the future.

The largest proportion of respondents are in the contemplation phase and would consider hiring persons with a disability (44%) or would like more information about the process (24%). Around one-quarter each have already recruited/hiring persons with disabilities (26%) and one in ten are looking to do so (13%). One quarter (23%) do not see themselves hiring someone with a disability anytime soon.

Attitudes toward hiring persons with disabilities

Q33           When thinking about hiring persons with disabilities, which one of the following statements do you relate to most?

Those most likely not to see themselves hiring someone with a disability anytime soon include businesses in the natural resources/manufacturing/construction sector, those 55 years of age and older, those that are not federally regulated, those that operate in French, and those in rural communities.

9.      Attitudes toward inclusive and accessible workplaces

Most organizations believe they have already created an inclusive workplace or would like to do so.

One-quarter (25%) say they have already created an inclusive and accessible workplace, and another 23 percent are taking steps to learn how to do this. About one-third (34%) believe there are benefits to having an inclusive and accessible workplace and aim to create one. Another third (32%) agree it is a positive thing but is not a priority and one quarter (23%) do not find an inclusive and accessible workplace to be important to their business.

Attitudes toward inclusive and accessible workplaces

Q34           When thinking about your workplace, which one of the following statements do you relate to most?

Organizations more likely state there are benefits to having an inclusive and accessible workplace and they want to create one include those in education/health services sector, medium-sized organizations, those operating in English, those whose respondents were younger (18-34 or 35-54), organizations in community over one million people, and those who currently employ persons with disabilities or have in the past.

Those most likely to feel they have already created an inclusive and accessible workplace include those that are federally regulated, those that operate in English and those who are living with a disability themselves.

Those who believe having an accessible and inclusive workplace would be a good thing but is not something they focus on include organizations in the professional/information services sector.

Those who are taking steps to learn how to create an inclusive and accessible workplace include organizations where respondents were senior managers, human resources or other senior roles, medium-sized companies, those operating in English, those whose respondents were ages 18 to 34, operating in a community size of over 30 thousand, and those who currently employ persons with disabilities.

10. Tools for organizations to recruit and hire persons with disabilities

The most useful tools for helping organizations prepare to hire more persons with disabilities are practical resources on making workplaces more accessible and inclusive, connections with community organizations and information about financial incentives.

Respondents are most interested in practical resources for learning how to make a workplace more inclusive and accessible (48% selected this as one of the top three most helpful). Connecting with local organizations to help hire persons with disabilities would also be especially helpful (41%). Similar proportions felt information about financial incentives for hiring persons with disabilities (36%), information about business benefits of an inclusive and accessible workplace (35%), and hearing from other employers who have hired persons with disabilities (35%) would be particularly helpful.

Helpful resources for organizations

Q35           From the list below, choose the top three things that would help your organization prepare to recruit and hire more persons with disabilities

Organizations most likely to feel that practical resources for learning how to make an inclusive and accessible workplace would be most helpful were those in education/health services, non-profits, and federally regulated companies, 18 to 34 year olds, and those who currently employ persons with disabilities.

 

IV.            Profile of respondents

The table below provides information on the makeup of the respondents to this survey in terms of their roles, company/organization size, sector, whether federally regulated or not and type of business.

 

Appendix A: Methodology

The research consisted of an online survey of 1,000 Canadians who are decision makers in SMEs (organizations with 1 to 499 employees).

Sample design and weighting

The sample had a proportional regional sample frame for the 1,000 interviews per survey to be conducted among people who are decision makers of SMEs.

Interviews by region	Total	Atlantic	Quebec	Ontario	Man/Sask	Alberta	BC/Terr.
# of completed interviews	1,001	65	235	383	67	110	141
% of completed interviews	100%	6%	23%	38%	7%	11%	14%
% of Canadian population	100%	6.5%	21%	37%	6.5%	13%	16%

Questionnaire design

Environics designed a questionnaire in consultation with ESDC to ensure its research objectives were met. Upon approval of the English questionnaire, Environics arranged for the questionnaire to be translated into French.

The final survey questionnaire is included in Appendix B.

Survey administration

The survey was in field from September 9 to 28, 2022. The average survey length was 14.5 minutes.

Environics assumed overall responsibility for all aspects of the survey fieldwork. The survey was conducted according to the following steps:

·                Environics programed the questionnaire onto its survey software in English and French after the questionnaire was approved by ESDC in both languages. It was hosted on a secure server located in Canada (all aspects of the data collection and processing will be conducted and accessible only in Canada). The online surveys were hosted by the Decipher platform.

·                Respondents were able to select the official language they prefer. Environics conducted a thorough online programming test to ensure the functionality of the web version and provided a test link in both languages to ESDC for reviewing purposes.

·                Invitation e-mails including the URL link and a unique password (to ensure that only one version of the survey is accepted per respondent) were sent to eligible online panelists supplied by the panel provider.

·                Environics provided technical support to online survey respondents as required.

 

 

·                Environics electronically captured all survey responses as they were submitted and created an electronic data file that was coded and analyzed (including open-ended/other specify responses).

·                Environics informed participants of their rights under the Privacy Act and ensure that those rights are protected throughout the research process. This includes informing participants of the purpose of the research; identifying both the sponsoring department or agency and research supplier; informing participants their participation in the study is voluntary and the information provided will be administered according to the requirements of the Privacy Act.

All research work was conducted in accordance with the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research – Online surveys (http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/rop-por/enligne-online-eng.html). Where no relevant Government of Canada Standard exists, Environics will meet or exceed industry standards. Environics is a founding member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC) and registered the survey with CRIC’s Research Verification System, which permits the public to verify a survey call, inform themselves about the industry and/or register a complaint. For more information about CRIC: https://www.canadianresearchinsightscouncil.ca/.

Data coding and tabulation

Following data collection and prior to analysis, data analysts performed a data-cleaning and validation process, in accordance with the highest industry standards. Open-ended data was coded and Environics designed the banner tables in consultation with the project authority.

The data were not weighted demographically since the demographic characteristics of the universe of businesspeople is not known.

Respondent profile

The following table presents the weighted distribution of survey participants by key demographic and other variables.

                             *The vast majority of businesses operating in French were in Quebec (190 out of 218)

 

Appendix B: Quantitative research instrument

August 30, 2022

QUANTITATIVE SURVEY TO SME EMPLOYERS

Employment and Social Development Canada 

Environics Research  

N = 1,000 decision-makers in Canadian small and medium-sized businesses who play an important role in the day-to-day operations, direction and hiring practices of a micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (defined as any business with fewer than 500 employees). This would mean owners, C-level administrators, employers, senior leaders, hiring and human resource managers.

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey dealing with issues facing small and medium-sized workplaces in Canada. Si vous préférez répondre au sondage en français, veuillez cliquer sur français [SWITCH TO FRENCH VERSION].

Your participation is voluntary, and your responses will be kept entirely confidential and anonymous. This survey is being conducted by Environics Research on behalf of the Government of Canada. Your decision to participate will not affect any relationship you have with the Government of Canada or the services they provide you. To view the Environics privacy policy, click here.

The survey will take about 12 minutes to do and is registered with the Canadian Research Insights Council's Research Verification Service. Click here [INSERT LINK: https://www.canadianresearchinsightscouncil.ca/rvs/home/] if you want to verify the legitimacy of the survey. The verification number is 20220905-EN255.  

The survey is best completed on a computer or a tablet. If you are completing this survey on a smart phone, please turn the device to landscape mode (horizontal/sideways) so that all questions are shown correctly.

START SURVEY – SCREENING QUESTIONS

For any assistance, please contact ergonlinesurveysupport@Environics.ca.

1.       Are you part of the management team in a Canadian business or organization of any size (including president, owner, partner, senior manager or human resources manager)?

01 -   Yes, president/owner/partner

02 -   Yes, senior manager (for example, director/general manager/vice-president)

03 -   Yes, human resources (for example, hiring manager)

04 -   Yes, other senior role

05 -   No, none of the above     TERMINATE

2.       Including you, approximately how many full-time staff does your organization employ in Canada? (If you are a franchise, think of the number of staff in your individual franchise).

01 - 1, just me

02 - 2-4

03 - 5-24

04 - 25-49

05 - 50-99

06 - 100-249

07 - 250-499

08 - 500 or more           TERMINATE

3.       In your job, do you make any decisions or have any influence over hiring or human resource policies? 

01 -   Yes

02 -   No   TERMINATE

4.       In which sector is your company or organization? Is it . . . ?

01 -   Private sector

02 -   Non-profit sector

03 -   Public sector         TERMINATE

5.       Is your company or organization federally regulated (Examples of federally regulated workplaces or sectors include air transportation, banks, port services, postal and courier services, railways, road transportation, telecommunications)?

          01 - Yes, we are federally regulated

          02 - No, we are not federally regulated

          99 - Don’t know

 

DEMOGRAPHIC AND CORPORATE PROFILE

NOTE: In this survey, the following words refer to you and/or your organization or business: I/my, we/our, you/your

6.       In which province or territory is your business based?

01 - Alberta

02 - British Columbia

03 - Manitoba

04 - New Brunswick

05 - Newfoundland and Labrador

06 - Northwest Territories

07 - Nova Scotia

08 - Nunavut

09 - Ontario

10 - Prince Edward Island

11 - Quebec

12 - Saskatchewan

13 - Yukon

7.       Which of the following best describes the industry or sector of your business/organization? If you are active in more than one sector, please identify the main sector.

01 -   Accommodation and food services

02 -   Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

03 -   Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

04 -   Arts, entertainment and recreation

05 -   Construction

06 -   Educational services

07 -   Finance and insurance

08 -   Health care and social assistance

09 -   Information and cultural industries

10 -   Management of companies and enterprises

11 -   Manufacturing

12 -   Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

13 -   Other services (except public administration)

14 -   Professional, scientific and technical services

15 -   Public administration

16 -   Real estate and rental and leasing

17 -   Retail trade

18 -   Transportation and warehousing

19 -   Utilities

20 -   Wholesale trade

98 - Other, please specify _______

8.       How do you identify?

01 - Male

02 - Female

03 - Gender diverse

99 - Prefer not to respond

9.       In which of the following age categories do you belong?

01 - 18 to 24

02 - 25 to 34

03 - 35 to 44

04 - 45 to 54

05 - 55 to 64

06 - 65 or older

99 - Prefer not to respond

10.    What is the size of the community where your business is based? Is it in a . . . ?

01 - City with a population of over one million

02 - City with a population of between 100,000 and one million

03 - City/town with a population of between 30,000 and 99,999

04 - Town with a population between 1,000 and 29,999

05 - Rural area with a population of less than 1,000

11.    What is the main language your business operates in?

01 - English

02 - French

03 - Other language

12.    Do you identify as a person with a disability? (A person with a disability is anyone with any impairment that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders their full and equal participation in society. The impairment may be physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory—or a functional limitation. It may be permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, and may or may not be evident.)

01 - Yes    

02 - No

99 - Prefer not to respond

 

RECRUITMENT ISSUES

ASK ALL: Now some questions about recruitment and human resources where you work.

13.    In general, how challenging is it for you and your organization to find qualified employees? Is it . . . ?

01 - Very challenging

02 - Somewhat challenging

03 - Not very challenging

04 - Not challenging at all

99 - Don’t know, have not tried recently

14.    How does your business or organization usually recruit new employees? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY

01 - Networking or word of mouth

02 - Industry publications

03 - Social media (such as LinkedIn)

04 - Online applications through company website

05 - Online job boards (such as Job Bank)

06 - Employment or recruitment agencies

07 - Unsolicited applications

98 - Other: please specify______________________

15.    Please answer the following questions about your organization or business: RANDOMIZE…COLUMNS AND ROWS

01 - Yes

02 - No

99 - Don’t know

 

a.    Do you ask employees to self-identify if they have a disability of any kind?

b.    Do you provide accessibility and inclusion training to all employees?

c.     Do you have an inclusive workplace policy (specific to persons with disabilities)?

d.    Do you have equity-based hiring policies (not specific to persons with disabilities but including them with other equity-seeking groups)?

e.    Do you have quotas or incentives to hire persons with disabilities?

 

RECRUITMENT – PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

16.    How comfortable would you feel about hiring an employee with a disability? Would you be…

01 - Very comfortable

02 - Somewhat comfortable

03 - Somewhat uncomfortable

04 - Very uncomfortable

99 - Don’t know

17.    How would you rate the job your workplace does of accommodating employees with disabilities? Is it . . . ?

01 - Excellent

02 - Good

03 - Fair

04 - Poor

05 - Does not apply/we have no employees with disabilities

18.    How strongly do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? COLUMNS AND ROWS…RANDOMIZE ORDER

01 - Strongly agree

02 - Somewhat agree

03 - Somewhat disagree

04 - Strongly disagree

99 - Don’t know

 

a.    Our work cannot be effectively performed by someone with a disability

b.    A person with a disability will need more time off work and be absent more often

c.     Accommodating an employee with a disability would be too expensive

d.    Our organization does not have the knowledge, expertise or tools to accommodate someone with a disability

e.    Training someone with a disability will take longer and be more difficult

f.      Hiring a person with a disability might lead to legal liability issues

g.    It would be harder to dismiss an employee with a disability

h.    Our employees without disabilities would not be comfortable working with persons with disabilities

19.    How interested are you in learning more about how to hire persons with disabilities?

01 -   Very interested

02 -   Somewhat interested

03 -   Not very interested

04 -   Not at all interested

20.    How interested are you in learning more about how to create an inclusive and accessible workplace?

05 -   Very interested

06 -   Somewhat interested

07 -   Not very interested

08 -   Not at all interested

21.    To the best of your knowledge, does your organization currently employ any persons with disabilities, or has it done so in the past?

01 - We currently employ a person or persons with disabilities                  SKIP TO Q. 23

02 - We don’t currently employ persons with disabilities, but we have in the past

03 - We have never employed a person with a disability

99 - Don’t know                                                                    SKIP TO Q. 23

IF NOT CURRENTLY EMPLOYING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES OR HAVE NEVER EMPLOYED PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, ASK:

22.    What are the main reasons your organization does not or has not employed persons with disabilities? RANDOMIZE LIST…SELECT ALL THAT APPLY

01 -   Don’t know how/where to recruit persons with disabilities

02 -   No applicant/employee has ever said they have a disability

03 -   The type of work is not suited to someone with a disability

04 -   No one with a disability has applied with the required education/qualifications

05 -   Concerns about cost of accommodating persons with disabilities

06 -   Health and safety concerns

07 -   Concerns about liability or legal implications

08 -   Concerns about job performance or efficiency

09 -   Concerns about need for more supervision or support

10 -   Concerns about negative effect on the workplace or work culture

11 -   Concerns about employee reliability

12 -   Have hired persons with disabilities in the past who quit/retired and have not needed to replace them

13 -   Just never thought of it/not a priority

14 -   None of the above

98 - Other reason, please specify:

99 - Don’t know

 

ASK ALL

23.    How likely is it that your organization will hire any persons with disabilities in the next couple of years?

01 -   Very likely

02 -   Somewhat likely

03 -   Not very likely

04 -   Not at all likely

99 - Don’t know

24.    Has your organization ever taken any steps to hire or recruit persons with disabilities?

01 - Yes, we have

02 - No, we have not    SKIP TO Q. 26

99 - Don’t know            SKIP TO Q. 26

 

IF “YES, WE HAVE” TAKEN STEPS, ASK

25.    Which of the following steps have you taken in an effort to recruit or hire persons with disabilities? RANDOMIZE…SELECT ALL THAT APPLY

01 -   Used a job-matching service or employment agency for persons with disabilities

02 -   Posted job announcements in disability-related publications, websites or job fairs

03 -   Used welcoming language and an inclusion statement in job postings

04 -   Offered accommodations and supports to applicants during the interview process

05 -   Offered paid summer internship and mentoring programs aimed at youth with disabilities

06 -   Developed a targeted recruitment program/hiring policies for persons with disabilities

07 -   Informal/word of mouth outreach to applicants with disabilities

98 - Other steps, please specify:_________________________

99 - Don’t know                       EXCLUSIVE

 

CURRENT ACCOMMODATION POLICIES

ASK ALL

 

Next are some questions about workplace accommodation. Accommodation means adjusting the work environment and adapting work duties so that persons with disabilities can fully participate in the workplace and work activities.

26.    Has a job applicant or an employee with a disability in your organization ever requested a workplace accommodation?

01 -   Yes  ASK Q27

02 -   No   SKIP TO Q29

03 -   Don’t know SKIP TO Q29

27.    When this happened, did you provide the requested workplace accommodation?

01 -   Yes, always          SKIP TO Q29

02 -   Yes, usually

03 -   Yes, but only sometimes

04 -   No

05 -   Don’t know           SKIP TO Q29

 

IF ‘YES, USUALLY’ OR ‘YES, SOMETIMES’ OR ‘NO’ SELECTED (CODE 02, 03 OR 04 AT Q.27); ASK

28.    What were the main reasons your organization has not always been able to provide workplace accommodation, adaptation or support for employees or applicants with disabilities? RANDOMIZE…SELECT ALL THAT APPLY

01 -   The cost was too high

02 -   I did not have enough information about how to provide the accommodation

03 -   It would create problems with other employees

04 -   It was not possible due to the nature of the job

05 -   The adaptation did not seem necessary

06 -   The adaptation was not available

07 -   It was too much trouble/it would take too much time

08 -   I did not know what was involved or how to get started

98 - Other reason, please specify:_____________

99 - Don’t know            EXCLUSIVE

ASK ALL

29.    How challenging do you think it would be to accommodate an employee with each of the following disabilities within your organization? COLUMNS AND ROWS

01 - Very challenging

02 - Somewhat challenging

03 - Not very challenging

04 - Not challenging at all/we could do it

99 - Don’t know

 

a.    Someone who has a hearing disability (e.g. someone who is D/deaf or hard-of-hearing)

b.    Someone who has a visual disability (e.g. someone who is blind or vision-impaired)

c.     Someone who has a mobility disability (e.g. someone who uses a wheelchair)

d.    Someone who has a flexibility or dexterity disability (e.g. arthritis)

e.    Someone with chronic pain (e.g. arthritis, myalgia)

f.      Someone with a learning disability (e.g. dyslexia)

g.    Someone with a mental health disability (e.g. attention deficit disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, schizophrenia)

h.    Someone with a memory disability (e.g. Alzheimer’s, dementia, amnesia, brain injury, etc.)

i.      Someone with a developmental disability (e.g. Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder)

30.    Which of the following do you think would be most helpful to your organization in creating an inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities? RANDOMIZE…SELECT UP TO THREE

01 -   Training for managers

02 -   Supportive management culture

03 -   Proactive discussions about workplace adaptations for all employees

04 -   HR professionals with disability management knowledge and expertise

05 -   Training and awareness programs for staff on accessibility and inclusion

06 -   Access to mentorship programs

07 -   Access to programs for career advancement

08 -   Having more persons with disabilities in management roles

09 -   Having more employees with disabilities throughout the organization

10 -   Offering flexible work arrangements

11 -   Designating disability champions at the senior management level

12 -   Nothing would help          EXCLUSIVE

99 - Don’t know                       EXCLUSIVE

31.    What are the main benefits of hiring persons with disabilities at your organization, if any? SELECT UP TO THREE

01 -   Employees with disabilities bring an innovative outlook to the workplace

02 -   Employees with disabilities help businesses learn how to adapt

03 -   Hiring persons with disabilities is good for the community/society

04 -   It allows us to access an untapped labour pool

05 -   It’s good for our organization’s image

06 -   It promotes an inclusive work culture for everyone

07 -   Employees with disabilities tend to stay in the job longer

08 -   Businesses can receive financial incentives when hiring persons with disabilities

09 -   None/There are no benefits       EXCLUSIVE

99 - Don’t know                                 EXCLUSIVE

32.    Here is a list of accommodations/adaptations that employers could provide when hiring someone with a disability. For each one, indicate whether you currently offer it; if you would be willing to offer it in the future; or if you could not offer it. COLUMNS AND ROWS…RANDOMIZE ORDER

 

01 - We offer this now

02 - We would be willing to offer this in the future

03 - We could not offer this

99 - Don’t know

 

a.    Human support (e.g. sign language interpreter or job coach)

b.    Providing additional supervision and training

c.     Allowing extra time to complete tasks

d.    Providing specialized software, assistive technologies, or communication aids (e.g. Braille, recording equipment, speech-to-text or text-to-speech technologies)

e.    Adapting workstations (e.g. specialized furniture, modified lighting, handrails)

f.      Increasing building accessibility (e.g. accessible doors, ramps, elevators, designated parking or washrooms)

g.    Providing accessibility awareness training for supervisors/colleagues

h.    Allowing service animals in the workplace

33.    When thinking about hiring persons with disabilities, which one of the following statements do you relate to most? RANDOMIZE…SELECT ALL THAT APPLY

01 -   I do not see myself hiring someone with a disability anytime soon

02 -   I would consider hiring someone with a disability in the future if they applied

03 -   I would like more information about how to recruit and hire persons with disabilities

04 -   I am currently looking to recruit and hire persons with disabilities

05 -   I have already recruited and hired persons with disabilities

34.    When thinking about your workplace, which one of the following statements do you relate to most? RANDOMIZE… ALL THAT APPLY

01 -   Workplace inclusion/accessibility is not important to my business and I don’t spend much time thinking about it

02 -   Having an accessible and inclusive workplace would be a good thing but is not something I focus on in my business

03 -   There are benefits to having an inclusive and accessible workplace and I want to create that kind of workplace

04 -   I am taking steps to learn how to create an inclusive and accessible workplace

05 -   We have already created an inclusive and accessible workplace

35.    From the list below, choose the top three things that would help your organization prepare to recruit and hire more persons with disabilities. RANDOMIZE LIST IN THREE COLUMNS WITH HEADER “HELP MOST” “HELP 2^ND MOST” AND “HELP 3^RD MOST”

01 -   Knowing where to promote my job openings to candidates with disabilities

02 -   Practical resources for learning how to make my workplace more inclusive and accessible (for example, sample job postings, advice on interview process, how to offer accommodations)

03 -   Connecting with local community organizations that would help me hire and retain employees with disabilities

04 -   Information about financial incentives for employers that hire persons with disabilities

05 -   Hearing from other employers who have hired persons with disabilities

06 -   Information about the business benefits of having an inclusive and accessible workplace

07 -   None of the above: I already feel fully prepared to hire persons with disabilities                                               EXCLUSIVE

08 -   Nothing would help          EXCLUSIVE

99 - Don’t know                       EXCLUSIVE

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer this survey conducted on behalf of Employment and Social Development Canada. In the coming months the report will be available from Library and Archives Canada.