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For businesses to be as diverse as possible, an acute focus is needed on how disability friendly they are to truly embrace inclusion – as NRL’s Egremont Director Rebecca Graves discussed with In-Cumbria business magazine.
With a record number of disabled people continuing to face obstacles making a career harder than it should be to achieve, how businesses embrace disabled candidates applying for roles is the crucial first step to being a more open and supportive business.
The last census data collected in 2021 identified that 10.4 million people in England and Wales are disabled, posing the question as to how much untapped talent businesses may be missing out on if they do not have any disability support in place. Whether that’s practical support or long-term improvements that ensure everyone can deliver their role to the best of their ability on an even playing field, engineering recruitment specialists NRL are calling for businesses to make this a key focus.
Passionate about building inclusive and diverse workforces with their clients and within their own business, they are proud to be recognised as a Disability Confident certified employer. The Disability Confident scheme is not just a badge; it is NRL’s proactive pledge to ensure that individuals with disabilities find meaningful employment opportunities within their organisation. This commitment resonates throughout their practices, from consulting on inclusive recruitment processes to their internal adaptations for a supportive work environment. NRL’s approach is holistic, recognising the need for physical adaptations and flexible working hours. It’s an approach that Egremont branch director Rebecca Graves explains has wide-reaching benefits for businesses.
"The individual value that people from all walks of life bring to a business is immeasurable. By fostering a welcoming and inclusive culture, we not only leverage a wealth of perspectives, but we ensure that all colleagues feel respected, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential.
It’s time well invested, whether that’s site audits of our facilities to check how accessible we are or reviewing our working practices and policies to ensure we’re providing support where it’s needed most and our colleagues have the flexibility and support to achieve the same productivity level, however that works best for them."
How businesses support colleagues and candidates with disabilities isn’t just important to build an inclusive workplace, it also has legal ramifications under the Equality Act 2010, although as Rebecca explains the most successful companies who can proudly declare they are disability friendly don’t do it solely because it’s a legal requirement.
“For NRL, like many businesses, we’re always looking at how we can improve our business because it’s the right thing to do, not because of legalities. We want everyone who joins our business to feel seen, included and confident to be themselves, knowing they’ll have our full support to create a work environment that meets their individual needs. We extend this same passion when working with our clients.”
If you’re looking to build an inclusive workforce, get in touch with Rebecca on rgraves@nrl.co.uk
You can read the full September issue of In-Cumbria business magazine online.