Within the hospitality industry, workforce shortages are reported to impact 20 per cent of businesses. But despite venues being unable to fill roles, there is an entire pool of people with disability ready and willing to work, who are often overlooked.
People with disability currently make up 23 per cent of the Australian population, but they are vastly underrepresented in the workforce, presenting the hospitality industry a unique opportunity to lead in this space.
According to the Equal Opportunity: A Blueprint for Disability Employment in Hospitality report released by All Things Equal, 21,400 additional hospitality workers are needed by 2028, and the social enterprise is calling for 1100 hospitality jobs for people with disability by 2035.
All Things Equal CEO, Jess Colgan, says: “We need to stop seeing inclusive hiring as a ‘nice to have’ and recognise it as a business imperative. The workforce crisis demands bold solutions, and disability employment is the answer hiding in plain sight.
“The industry must move beyond good intentions and take real action, integrating inclusive hiring into mainstream business operations and ensuring people with disability are no longer an afterthought in workforce planning.”
Although people with disability are twice as likely to be underemployed than those without disability, the report says inclusive workplaces are four times more likely to retain staff, resulting in reduced turnover, recruitment and training costs.
Already, All Things Equal has helped create 31 job pathways for people with disability and helped nine team members move into hospitality roles, with the report serving as a call-to-action to encourage hospitality businesses to embrace inclusive employment.
While barriers such as outdated employer attitude and inflexible job structures have often prevented inclusive hiring, the report outlines a 10-year strategy for a more inclusive hospitality industry.
Some of the key recommendations from the report include the introduction of sector-wide disability employment reporting to hold businesses accountable, increasing employer awareness of NDIS-funded employment supports, and ensuring employees with disability progress beyond entry-level roles.
All of these recommendations are supported by All Things Equal’s scalable, three-stage pre-employment program that prepares participants for rewarding careers in hospitality, with a current waitlist of more than 100 people seeking employment. The program includes structured skills-based training and real-world hospitality experience for trainees, and supports businesses to identify and onboard suitable employees.
“We are setting ambitious yet achievable goals for a sector that is uniquely positioned to evolve into a more inclusive and forward-thinking industry.” Colgan added.
“I’ve had the immense privilege to witness the world expand when the right structures and supports are put in place to unlock a person’s limitless potential, it’s time to stop talking and start hiring.”
This piece was first published in the April/May issue of Australian Hotelier. You can view the magazine below.