Disability and the Workplace: Challenges, Trends and Best Practices among SMEs in Canada
The objective of the research project was to identify best practices, challenges, and emerging trends on issues related to disability and the workplace in Canada, particularly as related to small and medium sized employers. It was led by CBDC Restigouche in partnership with the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) and funded in part by the Government of Canada's Opportunities Fund for People with Disabilities. This research is part of the CBDC Restigouche’s Hire for Talent initiative, which is a national awareness campaign aimed at increasing employer confidence when hiring people with disabilities.As part of this research project, we disseminated two national surveys and hosted 8 focus groups across the country. The first survey was completed by 410 Canadian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) who were recruited through partners within the Community Futures Network of Canada and Chambers of Commerce. This survey aimed to better understand SME employment practices related to hiring and retaining people with disabilities and other equity-deserving groups, including the types of support that would be helpful and the challenges that they experience, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second survey was completed by Canadians with lived experience of disability to better understand the employment situation of people with disabilities, the challenges they may experience working and looking for work, support services they find helpful, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their employment and personal lives. Recruited through Hire for Talent service provider partners, a total of 417 surveys were included in the analysis.
Lastly, the eight focus groups conducted involved 30 participants in total, all who were representatives from SMEs across the country. The focus groups aimed to explore in greater detail the topics that were included in the surveys, such as the employment practices of SMEs related to hiring and retaining people with disabilities and other equity-deserving groups, including the types of support that would be helpful and the challenges that they experience, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hire for Talent
Hire for Talent is a national awareness campaign aimed at increasing employer confidence in hiring people with disabilities and provides resources to help employers tap into this talent pool during their search for skilled workers.Delivered by CBDC Restigouche, Hire for Talent is designed to address the coming need for workforce diversity. Hire for Talent is deeply committed to supporting Canadian employers to prepare for the future of work by building their capacity to attract and retain a diverse workforce. Aside from providing leading-edge resources, we believe in "collective wisdom" and bringing people together for effective working partnerships.
To learn more about Hire for Talent, please visit our website www.hirefortalent.ca
CBDC Restigouche
The Restigouche Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC) is based in Campbellton, New Brunswick. Part of the Community Futures Network of Canada, CBDC Restigouche delivers a range of small business support programs, as well as innovative programs and projects in the areas of training, research, HR management and career counselling.SRDC
The research for this study was conducted in partnership with the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC).SRDC is a non-profit research organization, created specifically to develop, field test, and rigorously evaluate new programs. SRDC's two-part mission is to help policy-makers and practitioners identify policies and programs that improve the well-being of all Canadians, with a special concern for the effects on the disadvantaged, and to raise the standards of evidence that are used in assessing these policies.
Since its establishment in December 1991, SRDC has conducted over 400 projects and studies for various federal and provincial departments, municipalities, as well as other public and non-profit organizations. SRDC has offices located in Ottawa and Vancouver, and satellite offices in Calgary, Halifax, Hamilton, London, Moncton, Montreal, Regina, St. John’s, Toronto, and Winnipeg.