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25 August 2005 - DWP Research Report on
Small Businesses Response to DDA
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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have released a
quantitative research report "Disability in the Workplace: Small
Employers", to find out awareness and responses to the Disability Discrimination
Act (1995) in small and medium sized businesses (SME's).
1002 telephone interviews took place from companies who employed
3 to 14 workers, which also included those employed at various sites.
Some of the findings of the DWP research were as follows:
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Total awareness of DDA (spontaneous and prompted awareness of
DDA by name) has risen amongst small employers from 58% to 63% (spontaneous
awareness of DDA by name from 4% to 17%, and general awareness of legislation
with regard to employment and disability from 59% to 74%). Media is still the
main source of awareness (32%) but leaflets accounted for 13% - up from 8%.
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The proportion of negative responses to statements about
barriers to employing disabled people (e.g. this workplace has equal
opportunities for disabled employees), have decreased.
- Employers with disabled employees were more likely to say they had made an
adjustment, with costs seeming to be less of a deterrent.
- Employers less likely, than in 2003, to say they had not made any changes
because they could not afford to. 61% of those that had made adjustments had
made them at additional cost and 82% because it was the right thing to do for
the disabled person.
- Most small businesses "filed" or discarded information on the DDA that was
not of immediate use. A need for more information on and understanding of
disabled people and the DDA is demonstrated, but it needs to be relevant at
the time, for example when an organisation is recruiting or when an existing
employee becomes disabled.
- Quantitative research suggests 25% of small businesses now have a written
policy for disabled people. However when explored in more depth, qualitative
findings suggest that, whilst there is stated policy in place, it isn't always
fully worked through in practice and detail.
- There is a reduction in approaches to Jobcentre Plus and other
Governmental Departments for advice on disability. Instead a higher proportion
of small business' are now seeking advice from lawyers and solicitors, trade
unions and professional bodies.
The full report can be accessed from the DWP website by clicking the
following:
DWP - Resource centre - Research Report 277
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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