If you have shifts or jobs that are unique to your company and are hard to fill, you should consider hiring unique individuals.

When I say “unique individuals” I am referring to the approximately 15% (or more) of our population who are classified as having some form of “disability”.  It is time to stop seeing the “dis” and start seeing the “ability”!  Our perceived limitations of their situation is holding everyone back, and are quite often very incorrect.

I attended an event on March 21 hosted by Ableworks, a non-profit job placement service that individually matches employers and workers to ensure a great fit. Some of the employers who have used Ableworks include La Piazza Allegra from Hamilton, Raw Carrot Soup Company from Paris, and Chocolate FX from St. David’s.

At the event, keynote speaker Michael Bortolotto from Vancouver used the term “unique individuals” and this really resonated with me.  Michael has Cerebral Palsy and has become a very successful professional speaker.  Michael has played football, golf and has other remarkable accomplishments to be proud of.

Unique individuals are just that – unique! They bring their own special skills and a level of dedication to a job that is often hard to match.

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