We hire people for their abilities, for what a person can do, not what they can’t do. Previously we struggled bringing people into the facility as this is a full-time production environment. As a result of our partnership with agencies serving people with disabilities, we currently have 29 individuals with disabilities who offer a wide range of abilities, skills and interests.
The individuals do the same jobs as everyone else; they are meaningful jobs and work that needs to be done. We really haven’t made accommodations for individuals -- it’s part of our culture now to just do whatever needs to be done. We look at person’s skills and interests and try to find the right fit for a person.
Every way you slice it, it’s been cost effective. I have responsibility to make sure we are meeting our budget and I know this makes sense. We’re also investing in our growth and the future. Businesses can employ people with disabilities, you just need to have the mindset.
Another benefit we’ve seen is an increase in morale. We have a few individuals with more significant disabilities who have been here for eight years. They are here every day and are the most popular workers in the building. We’ve also noticed that these employees sometimes see things with a different perspective and are looking for ways to make the environment better.
We hire people for their abilities, for what a person can do, not what they can’t do.
