New research suggested that thousands of disabled workers will help fill a growing skills shortage in New Zealand industries.
The report, written by disabled researchers and commissioned by Hanga-Aro-Rau and Waihanga Ara Rau, the Workforce Development Councils for the manufacturing, engineering and logistics (MEL) and construction and infrastructure sectors, followed Stats NZ data.
Stats NZ showed the workforce participation rate for disabled adults had declined from 45 percent to 44.7 percent over the past decade, while the rate for non-disabled adults increased from 72 percent to 84.1 percent.
Disabled adults, along with Maori, Pacific Peoples, and women, are underrepresented in these industry sectors and are among the target populations that have been identified as essential to filling workforce shortages.
Government figures also showed a fiscal benefit of $1.45 billion if the labour market participation rate of disabled people was equalised.
A planned $54 billion Crown investment in developing the nation’s infrastructure and construction and MEL sector growth will widen the combined industry skills gap by 51 percent to reach more than 432,000 workers by 2028.
The number of disabled adults in New Zealand represented a potential pool of more than 268,900 workers for these industries.
The ‘Let’s Level Up’ study, which surveyed more than 300 employers and disabled workers throughout the regions to identify the barriers preventing a disability-inclusive workforce within the construction, infrastructure, and MEL sectors, found that many workers did not disclose their disabilities for fear of job loss or career limitations.
Researchers also found that where efforts were being made to increase the number of disabled people in an organisation through an individual's goodwill, this often reinforced the view of disability employment as charitable rather than an expected workforce feature.
The study showed employment processes often overlooked qualified disabled workers, requiring them to utilise non-traditional pathways to enter the workforce, such as family connections or job placement support.
Tangata whaikaha Maori and disabled Pacific people were among those who were less likely to benefit from these alternative pathways and faced further barriers to employment, with researchers noting that racism, sexism and ageism have a cumulative effect on disabled people.
Almost two-thirds of employers had never, or were unsure if they have, had a conversation about disability or considered employing more disabled people. Less than a quarter of managers said they followed disability-inclusive recruitment practices.
Employers also identified key barriers to the growing number of disabled workers, including a lack of suitable jobs, as cited by 56 percent of managers. In addition, a lack of physical accessibility and a lack of knowledge of how to support disabled people and their recruitment were listed as barriers by 40 percent and 36 percent of respondents, respectively.
Other barriers identified by a seventh (13 percent) of employers included the presence of negative attitudes toward disabled people in the workplace and organisational cultures that make disability disclosures unsafe.
The researchers found some disabled workers went to extreme lengths to preserve their employment, including, in one case, paying for their note-takers and assistants in the workplace, despite this leaving them with a lower income than would be found on an unemployment benefit.
Employers were also asked what interventions would make it easier for disabled workers to be hired. The provision of more knowledge about disabled people in the workplace was the most commonly requested mechanism for increasing their employment, requested by a third (32 percent) of those surveyed.
Managers raised the need for ongoing support of both the employer and the disabled worker for six months after hiring.
Almost a quarter (23 percent) of employers said they needed more legal advice about their obligations when hiring disabled workers and financial support when taking them on.
Director of the Donald Beasley Institute and University of Otago Research Associate Professor Brigit Mirfin-Veitch said the report provided a framework for understanding the complex interplay of individual impairments and societal factors in shaping the experiences of disabled people.
She said the research showed the most significant barrier to employing disabled people was attitudinal.
“In recent years, we’ve made some progress in involving disabled people across the employment spectrum, but the statistics still show a stark reality. Disabled individuals remain significantly underemployed and are far more likely to be unemployed compared to other New Zealanders.”
Some sectors covered in this study formed the last frontier, including disabled workers. These aren't the industries that disabled people are expected to contribute to.
“This research shows that disabled people can and should be a part of industry. While there is a perception that there are a lot of barriers to employing disabled people, the study’s findings show that they can typically be accommodated.”
“A truly inclusive workplace doesn't just accommodate disabilities on a case-by-case basis. It's about being open to disability and showing everyone that diversity is embraced.”
According to her, the next step would be to use these research findings to start a conversation between disabled people and employers.
“Together, they can co-design pathways and plans to make these industries more inclusive.”
Samantha McNaughton, Hanga-Aro-Rau deputy chief executive, also mentioned that the study was the first to compare the experiences of people with disabilities and employers within their industries.
She said the current skills crisis stems from the post-baby boom era, yet successive generations have failed to implement long-term strategic initiatives to address it effectively.
“We know that around a quarter of the workforce could have an impairment. For most of these people, the disability is not visible, making it very hard for an employer to understand how to support it best,” said McNaughton.
“This has the potential to lead to tension or friction within the workplace - purely because people don't understand how they need to communicate with each other.”
This research would be the tip of the iceberg in exploring how to improve the employment of disabled people, particularly within the construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, engineering, and logistics sectors, where the skills shortage has been growing daily.
“Ultimately, this research has to achieve collective action. There needs to be a joint responsibility with a cross-government arrangement around improving the working experiences of people with disability. Our employers also need to think and do differently to be able to address the chronic skills crisis.”
Erica Cumming, Waihanga Ara Rau GM Engagement and Partnerships, said the face of the construction sector was changing and providing more opportunities for disabled people.
In addition to recruiting from outside the sector, improving retention rates for those who became disabled during their career in the sector was also necessary.
“Advancements in technology are transforming the construction sector, making it more inclusive for disabled workers. An operator can now control a crane from the ground using a joystick, making the role accessible to someone in a wheelchair.”
Changes like the adjustment in wiring colouring have benefited colour-blind electricians, and learning sign language on noisy job sites were further examples of how the industry was evolving to accommodate a more diverse workforce.
“The high survey response rate from employers in the construction sector suggests this research can be a catalyst for addressing the misconceptions around disability and building awareness of what organisations need to do to be disability inclusive.”
