A disability or difference does not reflect the employee's identity or competence!

Companies must increase their awareness of the benefits of having diverse teams, which therefore generate greater productivity, believing that a disability or difference does not reflect the employee's identity or competence.

It is essential to look beyond the difference, assessing these employees on the basis of their skills and motivations, ensuring that the company has the necessary accessibility and workplace conditions for them to perform their duties effectively.

In short, companies and their leaders need to see these people as potential talents who, with the right tools, can be just as productive as any other non-disabled person.

Fears on the part of companies, due to the invisibility of these people, the lack of knowledge of what it might entail in terms of adaptations (physical, objectives and goals, working times, in the framework and preparation of the team); the lack of information from companies about the benefits of hiring; the use of precarious contracts and the lack of career progression plans; because they consider that there may be a mismatch between qualifications and training and the needs of the market; and also because of the lack of supervision and evaluation measures by the state to ensure that there is real inclusion and not just abusive use of support measures. Given the increase in the unemployment rate for the general population, due to the pandemic situation, the quota law could prove to be an excellent opportunity for these professionals with employers, transforming their main barrier to the job market into a promoter of it - their disability.

It's important for companies to create an inclusion and diversity program, with the aim of integrating employees with different characteristics, but who are perfectly capable of contributing to increasing the company's productivity, just like any other employee. For this to happen, it is essential to make all employees aware of the importance of inclusive employability, fostering the creation of an inclusive culture. Equip managers and line managers with good inclusive leadership practices. Train the HR department, namely the recruitment and selection team, in mechanisms for implementing and monitoring the inclusive employability process.

Training makes it possible to make company employees aware of the benefits of an inclusive culture, training a set of behaviors and good practices that allow the employee to feel welcomed and integrated into the team. It is essential to normalize these situations, to be aware that our behaviour must be geared towards inclusion, incorporating it into our daily lives, into our teams and into the working environment as a whole. Inclusion is a current and unavoidable reality, generating more business and financial opportunities, as well as obvious competitive advantages.