Count them in! Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in a Diversified Workforce: A Transformative Mixed-Method Study

Abstract

Employment is considered a critical element of independent living most especially for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). In the context of work, it is a gateway to further showcase their talents, skills and other capabilities as part of nation building and catalyst of significant change. This study aimed to gather significant inputs from organizations in the context of hiring, retention, practical and policy strategy towards the formulation of hiring and retention action plans for PWDs. Research design used is a mixed-method sequential transformative. Data were gathered through surveys, interviews, and focused group discussions by using validated tool and questionnaire. Purposive sampling method was utilized. Participants are in Central Luzon, Region III, Philippines who have first-hand engagement in the employment of PWDs. Ninety eight (98) organizations were consulted being represented by HR Officers and Managers with 161 employed PWDs. The study utilized SPSS in generating descriptive and correlational statistics. Qualitative data undergone data analysis. Results are being divided into the degree of expressing agreement in hiring and retention of workers with disabilities, and the degree of expressing rating on practical and policy strategies in hiring and retention of workers with disabilities. The results rejected the null hypothesis set in this study that there is no significant relationship of the type of disabilities of employed PWDs and organizations with PWDs’ inclusivity per province, nature of work environment and job titles of employed PWDs due to all type of disabilities have significant association with the organization employing PWDs; nature of work environment, and job titles but limited to visual; auditorial; orthopedic, and psychosocial disabilities for white collar category; visual; orthopedic, and psychosocial disabilities for blue collar; and visual; auditorial; orthopedic, and psychosocial disabilities for pink collar category. Barriers identified were, lack of awareness, incompetency amongst PWDs, costly, lack of institutional inclusivity policy and loss of productivity. Solutions are financial support and subsidies, capability building, institutional inclusivity policy, partnership between industry & government, and improvement of the existing non-discrimination law especially on inclusivity.