I recently attended a very inspiring conference in Surrey, BC put on by Surrey’s Measuring Up Committee. The conference was “Creating an Inclusive Workplace” and featured Denise Bissonnette, one of North America’s foremost job developers.

This conference focused on the abilities that people bring to the workplace rather than their disabilities. We, as a society, tend to have pre-conceived ideas of how someone with challenges might perform in the workplace.

Some of the myths we entertain in our minds are;

• They will not be able to perform the job
• They will be absent more than the other employees
• The accommodations will be expensive
• They will impact safety
• They will require more supervision

NONE of these are true! Visit http://www.usbin.org for more on workplace diversity.

What other myths do you entertain in your mind regarding employees in the workplace?

• They only come to work for the money
• They are not interested in the goals you have set for yourself and your business?
• Hiring an immigrant would require too much of your time
• They are too old and will take too much sick time
• They are young and don’t want to work
• They are not competent because they are not certified
• They are overqualified and will leave at the first opportunity

Although these may be true for some people, for the most part they are myths. You may be missing out on the best employees for your organization. If you need assistance with your hiring or want to find out more about diversity in the workplace, contact us to set up an appointment.