A new podcast focusing on Diversity Disconnect’s (DD) research into workplace accessibility and diversity is now available to the public.
Launched on Jan. 8, the Diversity Disconnect Podcast works off of the recent report published by the Diversity Disconnect (DD) project conducted by Hope's Free Rein Associates last year. It also examines 20 factors that influence employment success. Published November 2024, the report discusses gaps in the workplace, between employers, employees, and job seekers, when it comes to disabilities and diversity in rural communities.
”You’ll hear from the research team directly, and you’ll hear real quotes from the research participants they spoke with,” said DD on the Free Rein website. “Go behind the scenes of this research project and gain new knowledge on cultivating inclusive spaces.”
The report, which was done after conducting research within the communities of Hope, Agassiz, Merritt, Ashcroft, and Princeton, details the challenges faced by job-seekers and employees in rural communities who are disabled, come from a low-income background, or are a minority. The report also looked at employers and whether they were willing to hire job-seekers who are disabled, or provide adequate support for their disabled employees. These stats were followed up by suggestions on how employers can better “support non-traditional employees, such as Indigenous peoples and persons with diverse abilities, to maintain employment.”
According to DD, there is a significant gap between employers and job-seekers and employees; around 82 per cent of employers either agree or strongly agree “that their business/organization reflected the diversity in their communities, whereas only 49 per cent of job seekers and 63 per cent of employees either agreed or strongly agree.”
At the same time, 40 per cent of employers agreed or strongly agreed that “they struggled to balance Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) considerations with their day-to-day business.” Sixty-eight per cent of employees, and 48 per cent of job-seekers, agreed or strongly agreed that their current employers did an adequate job at supporting their specific, accessibility, and/or cultural needs.
In response to the stats, and gathered research, the DD team included a list of suggestions (such as flexible schedules) to help employers turn their workplace into a more accessible and inclusive environment.
Currently there are four episodes available to listen to. Readers interested in reading the report or listening to the podcast can do so by visiting www.freereinassociates.ca/diversity-disconnect .
