Why bother employing someone with a learning disability?

We are often asked why employing someone with a learning disability is good for business. This isn’t just from hiring managers, but from families and support staff.

Here are a few pointers to remind us all of the benefits of supporting someone with a learning disability to get and keep a paid job.

1. People with learning disabilities are usually very dedicated and hardworking. They appreciate the opportunity to work and often go above and beyond to show their value.
2. They bring a fresh perspective and creative ideas to the workplace. Many people with learning disabilities approach and think differently about situations. They often find new and creative solutions to problems that others might not see.
3. Employing people with learning disabilities promotes a positive company image. It shows that the company values diversity and inclusion, which can attract more customers and clients. Furthermore, we know about the spending power of disabled people and their families. According to Scope:

“The Purple Pound is the spending power of disabled people and their households. In the UK, this market is worth an estimated £274 billion a year.” Attracting more disabled customers and the Purple Pound (scope.org.uk)

It makes sense therefore to employ people who are likely to attract more customers doesn’t it?!

4. Businesses that hire people with learning disabilities often find that these employees are very loyal. They tend to stay with the company for a long time, reducing turnover and training costs.

Want to read more?

Please see this research papers from Mencap 2017.080.1 LDW 2017 research paper DRAFT.indd (mencap.org.uk).

Here is some recent research from Scotland 2024-03-Learning-Disabilities-Employment.pdf (fraserofallander.org)  It found when employers put good practice measures in place, employment outcomes for people with learning disabilities improve. And finally from BASE plans-that-work-april19.pdf (base-uk.org)