Sample Business Proposal
Creating a Successful Disability
Employment & Outreach Program
[or a title suited to COMPANY X]
Overview
COMPANY X’s guiding principles are to be responsive, flexible, reliable, and to demonstrate integrity. As baby boomers retire and immigration restrictions continue to impact the available labor pool, a systematic outreach to the disability community is a highly strategic way to assist the company in strengthening its guiding principles. COMPANY X has taken initial steps toward developing this outreach initiative, and this proposal is intended to help take these efforts to the next level and make COMPANY X one of the top employers of choice for people in the disability community. The overall goals of this outreach include:
- Reach a level where 10-15% of all hires at COMPANY X are people with disabilities.
- Create an internal team experienced in developing individualized accommodations and supports for employees with disabilities.
- Initiate a strategic sourcing effort where all COMPANY X job openings are communicated across the disability community.
- Qualify and receive grants and other funding to build the disability-focused recruiting practice and become self-sufficient.
- Be the employer of choice for people with disabilities, where there is opportunity for movement and growth within the company.
The Facts
The power of the disability community is undeniable; it is an incredible labor and customer market.
1. 56 million people with disabilities plus close family, friends, and supporters comprise almost one-third of the United States population.
2. Twenty million of the 70 million families in the U.S. have at least one member with a disability. (One out of 10 families raising children has at least one child with a disability.)
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3. People with disabilities in the United States have an annual discretionary spending power of $220 billion (and this does not take into account family, friends, and supporters).
4. With the baby boom generation retiring, people with disabilities are the last untapped labor source in the country (66.7% unemployment).
5. Targeting the disability community as a customer and labor source is one of the hot, new, rising trends in the American business community. Companies like Walgreens (www.walgreensoutreach.com), UPS, Starbucks, and IBM have already initiated large scale outreach efforts to the disability community.
Disability Outreach Components
The “Creating a Successful Disability Employment & Outreach Program” could contain any or all of the following recommended components:
§ Disability Awareness Program - Train targeted team members in various levels of the company to help lay the foundation for the initiative.
§ Disability Community Recruiting Program - Develop a recruiting initiative targeting the disability community in order to efficiently locate qualified applicants for positions across the company. This program could partner with various community-based organizations and schools across the country.
§ Specialized Training Program – In partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation, community based organizations and schools, Company X could develop a pre-hire training program. This program could help potential applicants with disabilities develop the skills required to work at Company X as well as assess an individual’s interest in working for the company.
§ Natural Supports Initiative - Working with department supervisors and managers, build job aids and creative accommodations such as visual supports to help all employees do their jobs better and more efficiently
§ Accessibility Support - A part of this outreach would be ensuring that Company X goes above and beyond in making areas of the company accessible to all, including building and physical structures, employment screening and training processes, and internet communication.
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§ Disability Community Marketing Effort - Working in cooperation with Company X’s media, marketing, and sales departments, create a disability community marketing effort that would target potential new customers for Company X.
Bottom Line Benefits to Company X
Reduced Turnover: Studies have shown that with a well-run disability community outreach effort, turnover should be reduced by 50% compared to other labor pools – therefore the costs associated with turnover are decreased (e.g., training time, loss of productivity, loss of hours, overtime for other staff, human resource and payroll time). Some companies estimate the cost of turnover to be approximately $5,000 per hire, so Company X would save $2,500 per hire with this outreach effort as a result of the anticipated 50% turnover drop.
Reduced Recruiting Costs: A well-run outreach effort coordinates and takes true advantage of the "free" recruiting services of the state, community-based organizations, and schools.This can help reduce the need for newspaper ads, temporary agencies, and human resource/recruiting department hours.For example, recruiting costs can average as high as $2,500 per hire, if calculated using a combination of the three sources above. After this outreach effort, this cost could fall to $500 per hire, resulting in a savings of $2,000 per hire.
Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC): Depending on the size of the company and other factors, a company could be eligible for an immediate direct credit of up to $2,400 when they hire an individual with a disability.
Supports for Working with Injured/Disabled Employees: It can be costly to you and to your employee if he/she is injured or disabled on the job. Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services has the expertise to help you support that employee with retraining or other accommodations as he/she rejoins your workforce.
Training Program Incentives:Company X can tap state grants and incentives to set up training programs in partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation programs, schools, and community-based organizations.This will result in having trained workers available immediately with little ramp-up time, which will provide a tremendous savings in training costs (e.g. $2,500).
Customer Outreach: By setting up specific disability-related programs and completing a disability community marketing effort, Company X can expect an increase in patronage from the disability community.
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