“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” What does this quote from the father of modern management, Peter Drucker, have to do with inclusive workplaces driving business success? Plenty, as it turns out. 

There has been a shift in the values of the modern-day and emerging workforce. Employees, now more than ever, are looking for socially conscious organizations. As in organizations that invest in the well-being of the communities in which they do business. 

When employers partner with agencies like Columbia Ability Alliance, Goodwill Industries, Responding to Autism and many other similar agencies to hire individuals with a developmental or intellectual disability, employees or potential future employees recognize these organizations are invested in impacting an individual’s life in profound ways while building a more accessible and inclusive community.

This action can aid workforce retention and recruitment endeavors and enhance workplace culture.

Employees of these businesses have a unique opportunity to invest in the success of an individual with a disability through job coaching and mentoring. This provides intrinsic rewards as the employee aids in the life success and possible career success of someone who has faced countless barriers. In fact, individuals with disabilities are twice as likely to live a life of poverty when compared to someone without a disability. They are also three times more likely to have food insecurities. Coaching and mentoring by employees of inclusive workplaces can help mitigate these challenging life circumstances. 

Columbia Ability Alliance client Esteban  works at the Pasco Wingstop.

| Courtesy Columbia Ability Alliance

Workplace culture

Repeatedly, employers mention that individuals they have hired with disabilities impact the lives of those they work with. As in, the individual with the disability also invests in the lives of those around them and the organization. They are excited to overcome barriers to employment, have employment opportunities, and are invested in meeting the expectations set out for them. More than this, they make those around them feel like rockstars. We hear it repeatedly: The clients we place into employment opportunities positively impact workplace culture. 

When workplace culture is positively impacted, employee morale increases. When employee morale increases, retention is increased, as is an employer’s ability to recruit key talent. When an organization builds the team of its dreams, including providing a job opportunity for an individual with a disability, morale is up, productivity is increased, and the customer experience is enhanced. 

When the customer experience is enhanced, organizations can expect the lifetime value of their customers to increase. These customers often become brand ambassadors and promote your business through positive word-of mouth advertising. Talk about a winning proposition.

Let’s revisit “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Obviously, culture is king, but does this mean we abandon strategy? Absolutely not. Creating an inclusive workplace is a strategic move as it positively impacts an individual’s life and workplace culture while driving business success. This happens not only for the reasons mentioned but also through strategic leadership.

Columbia Ability Alliance client David works at the Richland Safeway.

| Courtesy Columbia Ability Alliance

Benefits of inclusive workplaces

Think about this: when employers provide opportunities to hear voices from throughout their organizations, they are likely embracing diverse voices, including, in this case, the voices of individuals with disabilities. These are often voices that do not have a seat at the table. 

Think about the creativity and innovation that individuals with disabilities must employ daily to overcome obstacles to earn a job or be successful in that job or in life in general.

Imagine if these skills were employed to drive organizational success. Employers should ask: How can we benefit from the unique perspectives of these individuals? Might we uncover latent talents, or have we created artificial barriers for individuals with disabilities due to labeling or ableism? Are there other areas of our business these individuals could positively impact? Could including their voices lead to enhanced organizational creativity, innovation, and the achievement of greater outcomes with a higher degree of frequency? 

When we build inclusive workplaces, all of this is possible, and that is strategic leadership at work. 

When employers embrace inclusive workplaces and create access to job opportunities for individuals with disabilities, they positively impact a life. By positively impacting that life, they, in turn, positively impact workplace culture and many lives within the walls of their business. 

When these lives are positively impacted thanks to an inclusive workplace, productivity increases. When culture is strong, and productivity is high, the customer experience is enhanced. And when the customer experience is enhanced, customers stay loyal and spend more money with a business. 

And when this happens, an organization has successfully driven business success by building an inclusive workplace.

Michael Novakovich is the president and CEO of Columbia Ability Alliance in Kennewick.