12 million people live with a disability in France, 80% of whom are invisible.
In this article, you'll discover the current state of disability in the workplace, the importance of inclusion in the workplace, the company's obligation and the obstacles still present to the integration of a disabled person. Finally, we share with you the tools available to companies for better inclusion.
Disability at work: where do we stand?
In France, 38% of disabled people are in employment. Although this figure is rising, it remains half that of the general population. These people represent 4.3% of the workforce.
They face many obstacles to working. The 2023 Annual Activity Report of the Défenseur des droits indicates that disability is one of the main causes of discrimination in France. The unemployment rate for disabled people is 12%, almost double the 7.3% for other workers.
Things aren't necessarily easier when you're already in a job. A recent Ifop survey revealed that two-thirds of those questioned had had to change jobs because of their disability. Indeed, persistent stereotypes and sometimes ill-adapted accommodations make work difficult for these employees.
Disabled people in employment often hold low-skilled jobs. Only 10% of them are senior executives, half as many as the rest of the working population.
Promoting employment and equal opportunities for people with disabilities is therefore a major challenge.
Disability at work: why is inclusion essential?
A human and ethical challenge
Hiring people with disabilities helps to change professional attitudes. It combats stereotypes and promotes open-mindedness and respect for differences. According to an Ipsos-Deloitte survey in 2022, 1 in 2 employees believes that working with a disabled person changes the perception of disability.
An advantage for companies
Including people with disabilities enables companies to benefit from a wide range of skills. This diversity stimulates innovation, creativity and productivity.
This strengthens team cohesion, solidarity and benevolence. An inclusive work environment improves well-being and quality of life at work.
According to the Ipsos survey, the inclusion of a disabled worker is perceived by recruiters as beneficial to the company. For 62% of respondents, it improves solidarity between employees and between managers and teams.
What's more, including a disabled person reinforces a company's social responsibility. A disability policy highlights an organization's social values. In this way, the company shows that it places people at the heart of its strategy.
Generation Z also prefers committed companies. Inclusion is a key value for these workers. This has a positive impact on recruitment and retention. It also has a positive impact on the company's overall image.
Disability at work: an obligation for companies
By law, companies with 20 or more employees are required to employ 6% of their total workforce in the form of disabled workers. This is known as the Obligation d'Emploi de Travailleurs Handicapés(OETH). Companies failing to meet this obligation must pay a financial contribution.
In addition, companies with more than 250 employees are required to appoint a disability adviser. Smaller organizations can also do so voluntarily. According to the Agefiph-Ifop barometer, 67% of recruiters consider a disability referent to be essential in promoting the inclusion of disabled workers. The role of the disability referent is to inform, guide and support disabled people.
Find out more about the role of the disability advisor
Disability at work: barriers to inclusion
The average rate of direct employment of disabled workers in the private sector is 3.2%, and 6.8% in the public sector.
Ignorance of the subject
Recruiters perceive the hiring of disabled employees as difficult. According to the Agefiph-Ifop barometer for 2023, 62% of recruiters cite this as a major difficulty. This view is linked in particular to a poor understanding of disability. Many companies think they have to make major adjustments, whereas a large proportion of disabilities only require organizational adjustments. For those requiring more complex adaptations, companies benefit from support. Here too, there is a lack of awareness of existing aids and schemes, which has an impact on recruitment.
Prejudices that still exist
There are still prejudices about the skills of a disabled person, who is sometimes perceived as less productive than another employee.
That's why many employees who are already working don't dare talk about their disability. They fear being stigmatized and held back in their career development. In fact, according to a recent survey on equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities, three out of four people feel that their disability has held them back in their career development. Many managers also refuse to have their disability recognized. Only 2% declare administrative recognition, compared with 5% for the working population as a whole. (study by Apec and Agefiph).
The workers concerned often end up talking about it when the disability becomes difficult to hide, or when a workstation adjustment is necessary.
Yet disability has no impact on employees' skills. In fact, living with a disability has enabled them to develop behavioral and human skills that are useful in the world of work. These include resilience, adaptability, stress management and emotional intelligence.
Solutions to promote inclusion
Companies can set up initiatives to promote the integration of people with disabilities. There are also tools available to support them.
Removing obstacles to recruitment
Recruitment must be barrier-free for people with disabilities. It must be accessible. This begins with the job advertisement, which must be comprehensible to all, and in which the possibility of job accommodation must be indicated.
Adapting the workplace and work tools
In France, employers are required to adapt workstations for people with disabilities. This includes accessibility of premises, equipment, organization, working hours and digital tools. To make these adaptations, the first step is to discuss the employee's needs with him or her. The company can also consult the occupational physician, who will advise on the adjustments to be made.
Take advantage of available assistance
There are a number of ways in which we can support companies: help in employing disabled workers, help in maintaining employment, help in adapting work situations, etc.
Private companies can turn toAgefiph for assistance. Public-sector companies can turn to FIPHFP for assistance.
Raising awareness and training teams
Involving all employees in the inclusion policy is essential. Awareness-raising and training must involve teams, managers, employee representatives and senior management.
Raising team awareness is essential to overcome prejudices and improve knowledge on the subject of disability.
At Pros-Consulte, we raise awareness among our teams to help them better understand disability and facilitate the integration of the employees concerned.
We also work with managers. They learn about the impact of disability on working life and how to better manage these people.
Last but not least, we train our disability referents to support them in their role of welcoming, integrating and monitoring employees.
Raising awareness also means creating a caring work environment. Employers need to listen to employees' needs. They must also encourage respect, cooperation and solidarity among all.
There's still a long way to go for the inclusion of people with disabilities. This is true in all areas of life. In the workplace, the integration of these people still represents a major challenge. Companies must continue to adapt their recruitment processes and working conditions, and to take action to integrate these workers. It is also important to raise awareness at all levels of the company. In particular, this aims to place benevolence and working together at the heart of the working environment. The inclusion of disabled people is beneficial for everyone: for the employees concerned, but also for other workers and the company.
