Chennai: Indian Institute of Technology-Madras researchers conducted a study based on the differences in employment rates among persons with disabilities, arising from diverse nature of their disabilities.
While the disparity in employment rates between persons with disabilities and the rest of the workforce has been highlighted as a cause for concern in several studies, factors contributing to the differences in employment rates within the heterogenous group of people with disabilities has received lesser attention.
Uneven representation of persons with varied types of disabilities in the workforce underscores the need for organizations to seek talent beyond familiar types of disabilities. As employers play a critical role in promoting employment of persons with disabilities, this study explored leaders’ perspectives on key factors that direct their decisions regarding targeted recruitment of persons with various types of disabilities.
The research was undertaken by Dr. Lata Dyaram, Associate Professor, Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras, and her Doctoral Student, Ms. Vasanthi Suresh.
Highlighting the key findings of this study, Lata Dyaram said, ‘based on interviews with leaders of 17 Public and Private Sector Organisations, the study reiterates the uneven representation of persons with various types of disabilities in organizations and identified some organization specific determinants (such as knowledge about type of disability, work characteristics, accommodations, accessibility and external pressures) that shape employer decisions.’