Kessler Foundation 2024 Survey highlights key strategies for hiring and supporting workers with disabilities in the hospitality industry

(Press-News.org) East Hanover, NJ – October 11, 2024 – A new Kessler Foundation survey of supervisors in the hospitality industry – focused on restaurant and traveler accommodations – has revealed critical insights into the recruitment, support, and accommodation of workers with disabilities. The findings, released today in a special live Zoom webinar, offer actionable takeaways for employers looking to diversify their workforce and enhance workplace inclusion. Key points revealed that proactive recruitment, effective partnerships, and targeted accommodations are critical to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce.

The 2024 Kessler Foundation National Employment and Disability Survey: Hospitality Industry is the fifth in a groundbreaking series conducted in partnership with the University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD), focused on deconstructing the employment barriers and key workplace dynamics for people with disabilities. The final sample consisted of 813 supervisors, ages 18 and older, working in the U.S. for companies in the hospitality industry that employed 25 people or more.

Several key takeaways from the survey were outlined by industry experts Andrew Houtenville, PhD, Professor of Economics and Research Director, UNH-IOD and Kessler Foundation’s John O’Neill, PhD, Director, Center for Employment and Disability Research and Elaine E. Katz, MS, CCC-SLP, Senior VP, Center for Grants and Communications.

"Proactively recruiting workers with disabilities leads to greater job success, with 50% of successfully performing employees having been recruited through intentional efforts," said Dr. Houtenville, adding, "Partnering with disability organizations and state vocational rehabilitation agencies is an effective hiring strategy, with 84% of companies finding these partnerships successful in filling positions."

The speakers noted that providing workplace accommodations is a key factor in helping employees with disabilities perform effectively in their jobs. "Workplace accommodations, such as flexible schedules and assistive devices, play a critical role in the success of employees with disabilities, and most can be provided with little to no cost,” explained Dr. O’Neill.

"Flexible work schedules are the most commonly offered accommodation, with 91% of companies making them available automatically or upon request for all employees," agreed Dr. Houtenville. Barriers to providing workplace accommodations included perceptions of the high cost of accommodations, coworker attitudes, and complicated or no processes in place to request accommodations. These answers suggest the need for improved training on how to provide low-cost accommodations in the workplace. “In fact, most workplace accommodations can be provided without any direct expense, and those that do involve a cost typically incur a one-time median expense of $300, according to the Office of Disability Employment Policy,” he added. Training supervisors on accessible hiring and accommodation processes is essential, agreed Katz, “Yet only 52% of supervisors feel very confident in their understanding of how to provide accommodations."

In final remarks, Katz asserted, “As the hospitality industry continues to grow and faces a shortage of workers, understanding how to effectively integrate people with disabilities into the talent pool is essential for building an inclusive and diverse workforce.”

About the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire
The Institute on Disability (IOD) at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) was established in 1987 to provide a university-based focus for the improvement of knowledge, policies, and practices related to the lives of persons with disabilities and their families. For information on the NIDILRR-funded Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics, visit ResearchOnDisability.org.

About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research. Our scientists seek to improve cognition, mobility, and long-term outcomes, including employment, for adults and children with neurological and developmental disabilities of the brain and spinal cord including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and autism. Kessler Foundation also leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.

Press Contact at Kessler Foundation:
Deborah Hauss, DHauss@kesslerfoundation.org

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