With International Women’s Day upon us, Vision Australia is urging Australian employers to reconsider perceptions they may hold about women with disability.
Data published by the AIHW* shows that working-aged women continue to have lower employment rates than men, which is also true for women living with disability, compared to men living with disability.
Only 46% of females with a disability are employed, and even less are in full-time employment.
According to Vildana Praljak Vision Australia National Employment Manager, employer attitudes and inaccessible workplaces remain the most common barriers to employment.
“As someone with low vision, I’ve experienced my fair share of rejections by potential employers due to my vision condition and their unwillingness to understand it or make suitable accommodations for me,” said Vildana.
“Despite my qualifications for past roles, employers were unable to look past my disability and hire me based on my merit.
“It’s beyond time that employers and the wider community stop underestimating the capabilities of people like me, and instead, view us as people of value and potential employees.”
Vildana belongs to the 24% of Australians who are blind or have low vision that are in fulltime employment. Studies conducted by Vision Australia also highlight that more than 50% of Australian employers have never considered hiring a person who is blind or has low vision**.
The benefits of inclusion
Simone Blumberg, Vision Australia Chief People Officer, said taking a proactive approach to gender and disability inclusion brings benefits to workplaces.
“At Vision Australia we’re proud of our work to build a diverse workforce. Close to 15% our entire workforce are individuals who are blind or have low vision, while 50% of our senior Leadership Team identify as female,” Simone said.
“It's not just about the numbers; it's about the culture we create. By fostering an inclusive culture where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute, we create an environment where innovation thrives, collaboration flourishes, and everyone can reach their full potential. The transformative power of inclusion in shaping organizational culture.”
Building and maintaining a diverse workforce
While Vision Australia is collectively proud of the work done in creating a strong culture of inclusion, Simone said maintaining that culture is a key priority.
“It requires investment and leadership, but there is no doubt our organisation has benefitted by the recruiting practices, workplace flexibility and other ongoing measures we have in place to support people who identify as female, are blind or have low vision or live with any other disability to succeed at Vision Australia.
"In addition to our efforts to build a diverse workforce, Vision Australia's commitment to inclusion is further strengthened by our workforce reference groups, which play a vital role in ensuring that diverse voices are heard in decision-making processes.
“These reference groups serve as invaluable forums for gathering insights and perspectives from individuals with lived experience, such as the Blind Low Vision Lived Experience Group and the Workforce Futures Group.
"Their input not only enriches our decision-making processes but also ensures that the solutions we develop are truly inclusive and responsive to the needs of our workforce and clients.”
Strengthening leadership
Developing future leaders is a key priority at Vision Australia and Simone said a diverse and inclusive workplace ensures a broad pool from which they can be developed.
"In our pursuit of inclusion, Vision Australia is not only focused on diversity in terms of numbers, but also on cultivating a type of leadership - a leadership culture that is collaborative, supportive, and inclusive, regardless of gender.
"We believe in empowering leaders who prioritise teamwork, open communication, and mutual respect. This collaborative leadership approach not only enhances employee engagement and satisfaction but also drives innovation and fosters a sense of belonging across the organization. We believe that everyone is a leader, irrespective of their role.”
*People with disability in Australia (2022), AIHW
**Employer attitude research, Vision Australia 2021