3 tips from iCIMS to improve the diversity of workforces by employing more students and recent graduates who have physical or mental disabilities

College Recruiter recently asked career experts for their top three tips for employers who want to improve their diversity, equity, and inclusion by recruiting more college students and recent graduates who are mentally or physically disabled. Below are thoughts from of Al Smith of iCIMS:

There are more than one billion people in the world with disabilities who have the capability to make a deep impact on today’s workforce. As we continue to adapt to a remote world, how well have we done in building the needed ramps and rails in our digital world? Our remote life is not a temporary situation, as companies are now looking to abandon the office model and make a permanent move to this new way of work. The result is that we have hit the gas on digital transformation and accessibility is an important part of that. Here are some tips for employers looking to improve their diversity talent pipeline and promote equitable career opportunities:

• Start with Empathy: Empathy is a core concept in the study of usability and accessibility, and it is one that every organization should consider. It is a powerful tool and is essential for understanding the needs of users. At iCIMS, our Empathy Lab offers a guided experience that allows our software developers to build an understanding of, and empathy for, people with disabilities. We were able to bring our leadership team through the experience so they could see first-hand how a user with a disability is able to search and apply for a job with our hiring solutions. They also saw how that experience differs when using an assistive technology tool, such as a screen reader or speech recognition software. In a remote environment, we can build awareness and empathy during live demos of screen readers, color contrast analyzers, and automated accessibility-testing tools.
• Digital accessibility in the hiring process: Global companies of all sizes are held to government-mandated guidelines for physical spaces and digital experiences, but companies don’t always prioritize accessibility, leaving them at a disadvantage.  Neglecting to prioritize digital accessibility not only means missing out on engaging with skilled talent who are also potential customers, but it is also a financial risk. From 2018 to 2019, the number of digital accessibility lawsuits increased by 177 percent in the US, with a total of 2,256 suits filed in 2019 according to Seyfarth Shaw partners. Many of those F500 companies settled at a cost upwards of $16 million. Rather, employers would be better served by focusing efforts – and dollars – on access.
• Offer a Competitive, Inclusive Experience: An inclusive candidate experience sets the tone for your organization’s culture and values. Software accessibility in design includes providing content that can be presented in different ways, such as assistive technologies that make it easier for users to see and hear content, as well as systems that can be operated solely with a keyboard or through other inputs. An equitable job search experience supports the user’s understanding by its predictability, and it helps the user avoid and correct mistakes. The search function should include jargon recognition, conceptual searching, and support for military occupational codes. It should also aid in general usability since accessibility features bring a richer, multiple set of choices in how all users interact with the technology. We all have used similar features, such as captioning, voice assistants, and text magnifiers, on our own mobile phones. 

As an employer, it’s important to hire from a talent pipeline that is diverse, inclusive, and accessible for a well-rounded and winning workforce. Following these tips can make a meaningful difference for talent who may need to access and engage with opportunities in unique ways.

— Al Smith is the Chief Technology Officer for iCIMS, a Talent Cloud company that empowers organizations to attract, engage, hire, and advance the right talent that builds a winning workforce.