It comes at the same time to establish a more innovative spirit

We will support in this article that the employment of persons with disabilities is not only a good decision in terms of human resources management. A company can also are draw a new impetus for innovation, with a diversity of its work force and the development of an internal culture of continuous change.

Persons with disabilities are still underrepresented in Europe in the labour force. It is difficult to give a precise formulation of the concept of disability, and it is also difficult to implement the systems of measurement in this area. That being said, the survey European conducted in 2002 on the strength of working Labour Force Survey (LFS) shows that approximately 44.6 million Europeans of 16 to 64 years (or 16 of the population of working age) suffer from a problem of health or long term disability. The LFS estimates that the rate of employment in this group was 40, compared with 62.2 for people without disabilities. Add that it has not registered significant improvement in the situation over the past two decades, despite the efforts and the directives of the European Union to encourage the hiring of people with disabilities, and despite the action of a large number of associations and non-governmental interest groups representing the persons concerned.

A cost-benefit analysis

The barriers the hiring of people with disabilities, to include the difficulty of defining the disability and the problems facing to create opportunities for employment for those people. In organizations, enterprises and employment agencies for the disabled, non-disabled people are often a lack of sensitivity, understanding and communication in respect of persons with disabilities. There seems to be there as a brake on applications and the integration of the persons concerned. According to the findings of a report by the General Directorate of the European Union on the costs and benefits related to the diversity of the labour force, "the economic arguments in favour of an investment for the diversity of the labour force is embryonic and fragmentary".

He did nevertheless that, despite the difficulties posed by the quantification of benefits and direct results, companies who develop a determined policy of recruitment of persons with disabilities are a set of positive results. Loyalty, reliability, and the spirit of cooperation among the achieved benefits are considered as of importance to the effectiveness of organizations and the fight against the loss of brain drain and the frequent changes of employment. The creative imagination, a high level of productivity, increased motivation and decreased absenteeism are also among the factors highlighted for their contribution to the financial success of the firms. These results, you might add the direct benefits from the Government financial incentives for employers who hire persons with disabilities in the countries of Europe.

The demographic developments in Europe and the decline of the share of the total population of working age predict competition exacerbated between the organizations for the recruitment of qualified and motivated employees. In the light of the (possible) shortages on the labour market, and taking into account the above mentioned benefits, people with disabilities may represent a significant pool of underutilized job. Companies tapping is developing their opportunities of home in this area, and policies and appropriate human resources programmes.

Long-term strategies

Most of the changes and initiatives necessary for organization and management cost nothing, or almost. According to the General Accounting Office of the United States and several other studies in this area, more than half of adaptations do cost nothing, 30 less than 400 euros, and only 8 more than 1.460 euros approximately. To recruit and integrate people with disabilities, it must, moreover, frequently evolve the culture and atmosphere of the organization concerned in the direction of greater flexibility and more creativity while giving faculties of permanent adaptation. It comes, at the same time, to establish a more innovative spirit.

Encourage a culture of continuous innovation

Firms such as Goldman Sachs, IBM, Bertelsmann and Adecco have been changing their internal cultures in support of long-term strategies to promote the accession of key decision makers, while providing appropriate support functions, working groups and committees facilitate the active involvement of staff at all levels. Continuous training programs have been implemented to accelerate the

The success of policies to attract and recruit people with disabilities calls for a re-evaluation of strategies for hiring in force and, in particular, of the selection criteria. They must be reviewed and corrected to take account of ethical non-discriminatory rules, principles and to overcome the difficulties and obstacles which oppose the hiring of people with disabilities. These changes and restructuring the accompanying have costs, the need to balance with financial gain to wait, for example, when using disabled consultants helps to win a customer, also disabled. According to studies conducted in the United States by the travel industry Association and the society for accessible travel, travellers with disabilities doubled, for example, their spending if the airlines and hotels responded better to some of their needs.

In addition to the establishment of a culture of organization promoting accessibility and integration, the very nature of some diseases evolutionary as sclerosis calls practices management and initiatives that go beyond traditional measures and decisions. Organizations must put more emphasis on flexible and scalable solutions, rather than ad hoc adaptations such as the development of access ramps and widening the doors. Innovative approaches are not limited to the acquisition of the latest tools and equipment adapted keyboards and modified computer screens. Organizations must rely on a dynamic culture that appreciates and supports a permanent effort of adaptation of the technology, the structures and modes of time management in other words, a permanent innovation effort. Policies and management practices based on regular monitoring and review processes induce a better reactivity for the setting in accelerated light of the changing needs of employees with disabilities. By acquiring the flexibility needed to recognize the changes that affect the employment of persons with disabilities and to draw practical consequences, the employer provides the means to adapt to better integrate its work force.

External actions

Innovate is to define creative ways to organize the support functions in force, such as assistance to employees, tutoring and monitoring programs, to fit the needs and the needs of persons with disabilities all constantly and the case by case basis the disabilities and their implications.

Reality complex that covers the concept of disability, from the point of view of its nature, its stage of evolution and its gravity, requires that organizations address each situation individually and do not consider employees with disabilities as a homogeneous group. The continuity of the assessments can be achieved by establishing appropriate mechanisms for monitoring and communication between decision makers and employees, disabled or not continuously. The involvement of non-disabled employees is essential so that they understand, accept and support the special facilities enjoyed by their disabled colleagues.

Further policies and practices internal, innovative management initiatives must also extend to external actions such as the creation of partnerships with the employment assistance services for people with disabilities. It becomes easier to define and develop instruments of measurement suitable for job descriptions or calibration of performance and their adjustment, development of workspaces and the acquisition of technologies required for assistance to the disability concerned. The development of close and sustained long-term collaborations with educational institutions as well as investments for programs such as vocational training open to people with disabilities or not can help prepare these people to work together before even entering the life active. The two groups will be thus also filled the luggage of knowledge, experience and expertise which will increase their chances of finding a job.

If we succeed in combining a style of management innovating with a permanent dialogue between partners involved in the employment of persons with disabilities, will be more easily eliminate artificial barriers, stereotypes and ideas all. Thus can expect an improvement of the prospects for employment of people with disabilities, perspectives which remain still on all of the European labour market.

The mobilization of all available in a diverse work force energy course represents in itself a significant social contribution. The results of the undertaking concerned may be favourably affected, both because of the development of an internal culture favourable to innovation because the firm is located in a good position to adapt to a diverse clientele and better serve