Leveraging Growth Via Differently Abled People

Organisational culture plays a very vital role in improving the inclusivity of people with disabilities in an organisation, as it is not just about hiring people with disabilities but rather the interactions that they go through on a day-to-day basis, said Ms Anupama Singh, VP – HR, Concentrix, while addressing a panel discussion at the BW People Disability Positive Summit Award 2023.

She delineated that it is not just about the introduced programmes, but also about their implementation in word and in spirit, making it requisite for everyone in the organisation to participate in them.

Speaking about business opportunities with people with disabilities, Mr Rahul Gupta, Co-Managing Partner and Founder, Valu-Able Capital, conveyed that globally there are 1.8 million people with disabilities and their estimated disposable income accounts to around 1.9 trillion dollars. He also explained that by being a part of the diversity group, you are able to bring a broader perspective, and the concept of equity comes naturally to you.

"Today, spectacles are no longer seen as an assistive device, they're more of a fashion statement. Hence, if wearing a spectacle is not taboo, why is wearing a hearing aid? I think if we can get rid of the taboos and make this a part of Gen Z, we can really seize this opportunity,” Gupta stated.

Aradhana Lal Senior Vice President- Sustainability & ESG at Lemon Tree, explained the business sense behind hiring people with disabilities. She said that by including people with disabilities, we get better results in terms of engagement. Furthermore, there is a lower attrition rate. It also enables you to look at things differently. For example, she added that when a restaurant is very busy and full of clamour, customers seek out the speech- and hearing-impaired members as they know that they will be able to spot them more easily than a person who is not hearing impaired.

Underlining the imperative of inculcating a culture of sign language in an organisation, Ms. Madhu Bala Sharma, Sr. DEI Business Partner - International Markets, Amazon, said, "In order for organisations to make people feel at home, fostering relationships is important. This can be done through communication, and sign language becomes the vehicle of communication for the hearing impaired."