compendium - good practice in employment of people with...

R e c r u i t m e n t

347212_compendium_ENG 5/11/99 11:50 7

Recruitment

In 1995 GRAM A/S received a specialprize from the Danish Fund for DisabledPeople for its work on integration. Thisplant manufactures machinery and equip-ment for the food industry and most of itsoutput is exported; its staff of 1 500includes 20 disabled employees. Theywere recruited without any special for-malities under open-ended contracts andare fully integrated in the productionteams. At the outset the companyreceived no public subsidies towardstheir wages.

GRAM is one of the most dynamic centresof economic activity in the Jutlandregion. Some 75 % of the employees

Shouldering its responsibilities

C o m p e nd i u m — G o o d p r a c t i c e i n e m p l o y me n t o f p e o p l e w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s

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GRAM A/S, Jutland, manufactures refrigerator parts and now has 20 full-timedisabled employees among its workforce. This Danish company is especiallyconcerned about the occupational integration of people with disabilities.

come from the town of Vojens and sur-rounding villages. The firm’s managingdirector explains that the company looksto its role in society and has responsibil-ities and duties vis-à-vis the local com-munity; that is why it attaches impor-tance to disabled employees.

GRAM A/S wants to pursue this recruit-ment policy and has recently signed anagreement with the local authorities: itwill henceforth receive grants when itrecruits disabled people. The newemployees will receive three months’training and will then be offered anopen-ended employment contract.

The Danish company is mindful of theworking lives of its disabled employeesand offers them personalised employ-ment contracts adapted to the individual.The arrangements allow disabled people

to take up work gradually or return totheir jobs after prolonged absence. If dif-ficulties arise, the company (on medicaladvice) will assign the disabled employeelighter work where appropriate. Suchchanges may, for example, entail part-time employment contracts.

In conjunction with the trade unions anddisabled people’s associations, GRAM isalso taking steps to raise awarenessamong other companies. Meetings wherediscussions are held on the concepts ofacceptance and tolerance aim to encour-age the recruitment of people with dis-abilities.

ContactGRAM A/S

Michael JacobsenRosenørns Allé 12

DK-1634 Copenhagen V

Tel. (45-35) 24 60 00

Fax (45-35) 24 63 00

D E N M A R K

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Recruitment

Half-and-half


19

Migratronics designs and manufactures ITand electronic equipment for industry.The firm exports 65 % of its output andemploys 350 people.

This Danish company recently intro-duced, in partnership with the tradeunions, a policy for the recruitment andoccupational integration of disabled peo-ple; it receives government subsidies,half the wages of the employees with 50 % disability being paid by the State. Under this policy disabled peopleare integrated into the normal working

Thanks to government grants, a Danish IT company hasbegun integrating disabled employees. The recruitment of thefirst two caused no problem at all.

environment. They are afforded the same rights as all other employees andare entitled to training under the sameconditions.

To maintain high skills, Migratronics hasintroduced continuing training. Bothable-bodied and disabled workers areinvited to attend courses in specialisedcentres outside the company. Duringretraining they are replaced by other per-sons working under fixed-term contracts.

ContactMigratronics

Michael JacobsenRosenørns Allé 12

DK-1634 Copenhagen V

Tel. (45-35) 24 60 00

Fax (45-35) 24 63 00

D E N M A R K


Recruitment

Bringing forward its policy on the integra-tion of disabled employees (some 80 per-sons at present), Leipziger Verkehrs-betriebe decided to recruit five wheelchairusers under a company agreement.

In 1996 the managers of this public trans-port company and the trade union organi-sations signed an agreement which speaksfor itself: ‘Rules on solidarity aimed atreducing working time and assuringemployment’. In approving the new 38-hour working week, the employees ofLeipziger Verkehrsbetriebe helped to cre-ate five new jobs (30 hours a week) forpeople with disabilities.

Helping each other


20

Some 2 500 employees of Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe – a German public transportundertaking providing bus and tram services – agreed to cut their working timesand earnings so that five disabled wheelchair users could be recruited. A gesture ofsolidarity by the workforce: wages for five newcomers.

The entire workforce (entire is the opera-tive word) agreed to this cut in workingtime and wages. With the assistance of theBündnis für Arbeit (employment officeplacement service) and the Hauptfürsor-gestelle (main social assistance office),the company recruited three men and twowomen who were assigned to differentdepartments (secretariats, accounting,computing, customer service).

A few practical changes had to be made toassure optimum conditions for the dis-abled employees. Alterations were made tothe buildings to make them more accessi-ble: new automatic doors, adaptations tothe cloakrooms, suitable parking spaces.

The Bündnis für Arbeit funded 90 % of thework through public subsidies, whileLeipziger Verkehrsbetriebe paid for theremaining 10 %. Working conditions over-all were changed for the better so all thestaff benefited.

ContactLeipziger

Verkehrsbetriebe

Dr Ralf ReschKarl-Liebknecht-Strasse 12

D-04107 Leipzig

Tel. (49-34) 14 92

Fax (49-34) 1492 18 08

G E R M A N Y


Recruitment

A future in IT


21

Job satisfaction and full integration: thatis the aim of SAP, a software companyemploying 6 000 people in Germany.

There are two sides to this measure whichwas implemented in partnership with thetrade unions: firstly, to recruit and inte-grate into the workforce the disabledemployees for whom the eight jobs werecreated. Special Braille equipment wasused to train the disabled recruits inWindows and the company’s own particu-lar system. The training was funded bythe Employment Department, organisa-tions for the disabled and the companyitself.

The second step was to improve the skillsof the blind and partially-sightedemployees, boost their role and positionin the world of work, help them get usedto the latest technical equipment andlastly, support development projects. The‘Stevie Wonder Prize’ was introduced toencourage attainment of these aims.

Having created jobs for eight blind people, SAP (a German software company)launched a further initiative, ‘Vision’. The aim was to support the efforts made bydisabled people to find work, turn to account in their working lives theirintellectual and practical talents, and confer social status.

Funded by SAP and US sponsors, awardscan be won for each of the following cat-egories:outstanding products are products whichcan help disabled people to learn com-puter work;vision pioneers are people who have madethe world of technology accessible to theblind by means of inventions or tech-nical developments;role model organisations are bodies whichhave devised creative and effective mea-sures to integrate blind and partially-sighted people into the world of work.

The winners are awarded ECU 215 000towards another project for disabled peo-ple.

Not only have these activities given SAPa positive image, they have madeemployees aware of the problems of inte-grating disabled people into the world ofwork. Prejudices have given way to toler-ance, understanding and openness

towards visually-disabled colleagues,while the latter have benefited from in-depth training in a stress-free andfriendly environment. They have agreater chance of finding work on com-pletion of their traineeship, social statusand the satisfaction of earning their liv-ing.

SAP intends to pursue and develop thisscheme in forthcoming years, increasingthe number of visually disabled peopleemployed by the company.

ContactSAP

Mr Winfried KaellerMarketing Deutschland

Postfach 1461

D-69185 Walldorf

Tel. (49 -622) 774 83 61

Fax:(49 -622) 775 83 61

G E R M A N Y


RecruitmentC o m p e nd i u m — G o o d p r a c t i c e i n e m p l o y me n t o f p e o p l e w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s

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””

‘At SAP, my qualifications are important, not my disability. I am not a token disabled employee, nor a special case. I am

not proving a point. I am an expert in my field and my job profile calls for specialised qualifications. It is also important

to me that my job was not created to provide me with occupational therapy.

My job gives me great satisfaction and proves that being recruited for one’s skills is the best way of integrating people with

disabilities into normal working life. All the problems arising at the workplace between employees with or without

disabilities are discussed openly and all parties help in solving them.

If I could make a wish for the future, I would like the normality and frank relations established here at work between

disabled and able-bodied people to find their way into other companies. SAP’s example should be followed: that is more

companies should take on people with disabilities voluntarily, not to meet a fixed quota, but because in recruiting a

disabled person, they have found the person best qualified for the vacant post.’

Dr Matthias Kaiser

SAP employee


Recruitment

The fruits of genuine cooperation


23

The Paul-Ehrlich Institute specialises inbacteriology, virology, parasitology,immunology, veterinary medicine, aller-gology, haematology and biotechnology.Its staff of 550 includes 38 disabled peo-ple. This Federal Institute has introduced‘partnership tandems’: bringing togetherable-bodied and disabled research work-ers in scientific cooperation on the sameprojects.

The pilot scheme was launched in 1996with the help of various partners, includ-ing the Labour Office, an association spe-cialising in the integration of disabledpeople and trade union organisations.The disabled people were initiallyrecruited as trainees and followed in-depth scientific training for three years.All the disabled people now employed bythe Institute are on open-ended con-tracts.

A multi-faceted approach ensured thesuccess of these new-style partnerships.

Disabled university graduates still have great difficulty in getting jobs asresearch workers. The Paul-Ehrlich Institute gives such people theopportunity to carry out their work in ‘partnership tandems’: a scheme witha promising future.

The human resources director of the Paul-Ehrlich Institute is responsible for thesuccessful integration of the disabledpeople who work in different researchdepartments. They are represented by aspecially-appointed delegate who pro-vides assistance. The Institute paid forthe adaptations made to buildings andlaboratories and for the purchase ofequipment suitable for staff with disabil-ities; it received grants from the LabourOffice and from a disabled people’sorganisation.

The human dimension of the scheme hasbeen noteworthy. Although a few diffi-culties were encountered in the start-upstage, they were overcome throughround-table discussions and a climate ofgenuine solidarity and mutual respectrapidly developed. The disabled peoplewere integrated without any discrimina-tion into the routine work. They earn thesame as their colleagues and their pen-sions will be no different. Like all

researchers, the results of their work willbe published in scientific journals.

Motivated by the outcome of the scheme,the Paul-Erhlich Institute has decided totake it forward. Having been acclaimed inpolitical circles and by the public atlarge, the scheme’s success shouldencourage the introduction of similarpartnerships. The Institute’s manage-ment believes they could be introducedin other research centres. Contact

Paul-EhrlichInstitut

Mr PosseltPaul-Ehrlich Institut

Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 51-59

D-63225 Langen

Tel. (49-6103) 77 0

Fax (49-6103) 77 12 34

G E R M A N Y


F R A N C E


24

The inter-union agreement on theemployment of disabled persons signedby the Banques Populaires Group (GBP)in July 1992 was renewed in 1995. Thegeneral principles governing the place ofdisabled workers within the GBP were setout in a sectoral agreement approved bythe public authorities. This agreementprovides for a guaranteed percentage ofdisabled people on the staff, theirrecruitment on open-ended contracts,encouragement of staff awareness withregard to disabled colleagues, adaptationof work premises and workstations, train-ing and placements, adaptation to tech-nological change and retraining opportu-nities.

Priority training has been arranged fordisabled employees having to cope withtechnological innovation. In Troyes, forexample, two people have received 32hours’ training in the use of new soft-ware.

The results are encouraging. Thirty-fiveestablishments within the BanquesPopulaires Group have maintained theirpercentage of disabled employees. In1996, 17 of them signed an open-endedcontract and 38 a temporary contract for19 weeks. Thirty-five disabled peoplecompleted a one-month placement inestablishments within the group. Thesame year, 12 awareness meetings wereheld involving 127 staff representatives,including members of works councils,health, safety and working conditionscommittees, works doctors and socialwelfare workers.

Integration of disabled workers has beencompletely unproblematic. The variousmeasures described were funded by theGroup with financial support from theAssociation de Gestion du Fonds pourl’Insertion Professionnelle des PersonnesHandicapées (AGEFIPH) (Association forOccupational Integration of theDisabled).

A good example of the kind of promotionconcerned is the case of a partially-sighted employee working as a switch-board operator (since 1975) in the ‘Val deFrance’ branch. When the bank set up anew teleconsultancy service, he feltattracted to this kind of work and appliedfor a post in the new service on thestrength of his professional experience.He then followed a two-month commer-cial training course at one of the Group’sbranches. As a result, he was able to getthe job he wanted, which was both a stepforward in his career and an opportunityto use his personal skills.

The Banques Populaires Group employs 544 disabled workers. Promoting theprofessional interests of disabled employees is an important aspect of the Group’scorporate culture, and principally takes the form of helping disabled employeesto adapt to new technologies.

Where training and promotion coincide

ContactBanque Populaire

Val de France

J.-P.LabbéAvenue de Milan 2

BP 1803

F-37018 Tours Cedex 1

Tel. (33-2) 47 80 80 80

Fax (33-2) 47 28 56 50



25

””

‘I have been a staff representative for four years and am on the Training Committee. I am at

the bank to help move things along. It’s up to disabled people themselves to make their needs

known, get things moving, take the initiative. What I’m looking for in my work is indepen-

dence; I organise myself and my time and set myself objectives.

I don’t mention my disability to clients. One day, one of them found out about it and his

reaction was not negative. If there is to be some kind of awareness programme, I think it

should be directed at the clients.’

Philippe Frelon

Partially-sighted teleconsultant

Banque Populaire Val de France


Recruitment

Some 972 of Air France’s 45 408 employ-ees have a disability. Twelve of themjoined the company in 1997 to fill postsin the administrative and technicaldepartments and in sales. In seven yearsthe recruitment rate for disabled employ-ees has gone up from 2.8 to 4.2 % andefforts are being stepped up.

In cooperation with its specialists (socialworkers, occupational physicians andergonomists) and in partnership with thetrade unions and human resource depart-ments, Air France has been pursuing thispolicy since 1991. It is based on a tripar-tite agreement between the manage-ment, the social partners and DDTEFP(Direction départementale du travail, del’emploi et de la formation profession-nelle).

The terms and conditions of employmenton recruitment are the same for all appli-

Now boarding


26

Air France has been promoting a policy for the recruitment and integration ofdisabled people since 1991. Different types of measures have been used:training, creation of new jobs and subcontracting to sheltered workshops.

cants. Air France recruits people for theirskills above all else. Adaptation of workstations helps to integrate the disabledpeople. Ergonomic studies are carried outon a case-by-case basis to ensure thatthey meet fully the needs of theemployee and his department. Theexpenses incurred by the adjustmentscome within the scope of the Air Francecompany agreement approved by thepublic authorities.

A team has been set up under the com-pany agreement to deal with the integra-tion of people with disabilities (recruit-ment, job retention, access to premises,adaptation of workstations, skills assess-ment, retraining, and so on); its memberswork in cooperation with industrial med-icine specialists, ergonomists and socialworkers. To the same end the companyalso prefers to subcontract certain types

of work to sheltered workshops wherequality standards can be assured.

Air France also conducts a wide-ranginginformation and awareness-raising policyon the participation and work of peoplewith disabilities within the company. Itdistributes CD-ROMs to staff and organ-ises awareness-raising training. The air-line company has a genuine desire tointegrate disabled people into employ-ment, not just to comply with the letterof an agreement.

ContactAir France

Sylvie RichetRue de Paris 45

F-95747 Roissy CDG Cedex

Tel. (33-1) 41 56 71 35

Fax (33-1) 41 56 86 19

F R A N C E


Recruitment

Showing the way at Disney


27

With the support of the management ofthe mission-handicapé, a manage-ment/workforce agreement has beenconcluded at Disneyland Paris whichdefines the policy to be pursued to inte-grate people with disabilities. A numberof objectives are to be achieved: 4 % ofthe workforce to be people with disabili-ties by the end of 1998; cooperation withthe sheltered sector to be developed, therehabilitation of the victims of industrialdisease or industrial accidents to beimproved.

Disneyland Paris’ principle is that beforea disabled worker is taken on, the reluc-tance of the workforce and managementneeds to be overcome and that dialogueis often the most effective way to preparethe ground. Emphasis is placed on thedisabled worker’s skills and not on hisdisability. The worker’s integration is pre-pared two to three months in advance oftheir recruitment.

Disneyland near Paris embraces some 50 nationalities, around 800 different trades,10 000 employees and almost 200 members of staff with physical or mentaldisabilities. A theme park whose management thinks in terms of skills for itsemployment policies irrespective of whether the people are able-bodied or not. Atheme park where many regain self-confidence through their work and throughmeeting people.

People with a mental disability work inthe hotels and restaurants located on-site: their services are so appreciatedthat the hotel managers are quite willingto take on more. For recruitment,Disneyland Paris works closely with ANPE(Association Nationale Pour l’Emploi —National Employment Agency). This bodycollates all the job applications submit-ted by people with disabilities via thevarious disabled people’s associationsand puts forward candidates who fit therequired profile. A computer systemallows the ANPE to monitor the develop-ment of every disabled person it placesand to evaluate their performance over-all.

Punctuality, a neat appearance plus arespect for one’s work and colleagues arealso qualities which people with disabili-ties develop in the course of their work.The spirit of solidarity is an integral partof Disneyland Paris’ corporate culture andit has grown. The teams of able-bodiedworkers are all actively involved in wel-coming the people with disabilities, whosee themselves as full-time workers inthis universe of entertainment.

ContactDisneyland Paris

Chantal ManoyBP 100

F-77777 Chessy - Marne la

Vallée

Cedex 4

Tel. (33-1) 64 74 42 93

Fax (33-1) 64 74 47 47

F R A N C E


Recruitment

Aer Rianta encourages employment ofpeople with disabilities in all its depart-ments. This private Irish airline has 1 200employees, 2.6 % of whom have a dis-ability. With the help of the social part-ners it has developed a special pro-gramme, taking action on a number offronts: employment, customer servicesand awareness-raising.

Applications encouraged


28

Believing in disabled people’s capacity for work, encouraging job applicationsthrough positive action programmes and work experience, providing specialservices and assistance to customers with disabilities: these are the aims of thesocial policy conducted by Aer Rianta, an Irish airline company.

Aer Rianta organises different kinds oftraining (on-the-job training, work expe-rience) including a special programme forpeople with learning difficulties (open-road-learning programme). To make itsstaff familiar with disability and improverelations between able-bodied and dis-abled employees, an awareness trainingprogramme is directed at the entire work-force (meetings, discussions, reviewingvideos) and this has helped to establishan extremely good working atmosphere.The members of the various teams —including all age ranges — are particu-larly open-minded in their approachtowards disabled colleagues.

Adjustments for disabled people (widerparking spaces, easy access for wheel-chairs and special toilets) have beenmade at Dublin airport, both for staff andcustomers. All the alterations (lifts,Braille notices, more accessible publictelephones) were funded by the airlinecompany and the National RehabilitationBoard. Set up in 1967, the NRB is respon-sible for the employment of disabled peo-ple, occupational rehabilitation andtraining programmes. Aer Rianta hasreceived NRB’s Positive to DisabilityAward in recognition of its policy on theintegration of people with disabilities.

ContactAer Rianta

Ann DinnigarnCastlemoat House

Dublin Airport

Ireland

Tel. (353-1) 814 11 11

Fax (353-1) 814 46 09

I R E L A N D


Recruitment

Recruiting ability


29

Right from the outset, recruiting peoplewith disabilities was one of the prioritiesof Heinz, a food manufacturer establishedin Ireland. At present 16 of its 400 staffare registered as disabled.

The recruitment of people with disabilitieshas proven to be a very positive experi-ence for Heinz and the company encour-ages disabled people to apply for posi-tions within the company. Recruitmentprocedures under its social policy arereviewed by the National RehabilitationBoard which comprises representatives ofthe government and both sides of indus-try. Heinz is known for its responsivenessand is often contacted by disabled candi-dates directly.

A food manufacturer, established in Dundalk in 1993, has developed a specialrecruitment and training policy for people with disabilities. In 1996 H. J. HeinzCompany Limited received an award from the National Rehabilitation Board inrecognition of its work on integration.

The person’s skills are the main criterion.Staff interviewing candidates are briefedfully on disabilities and focus on the per-son’s ability: the candidate’s knowledge,skill and ability necessary to do the job.

The company sometimes organises addi-tional training for certain disabledemployees. Job coaches are on hand andprovide support in all stages of integra-tion.

Heinz recognises that people with disabil-ities may encounter difficulties in adapt-ing to a new workforce. That is why thecompany pays particular attention whenplacing staff with disabilities into its dif-ferent departments.

The people with disabilities are integratedinto a sensitive and supportive team envi-ronment. All employees welcome newmembers to their teams.

ContactH. J. Heinz

Company Limited

Ms RattiganFinnabair Industrial Park

Dundalk

Louth

Ireland

Tel. (353-42) 852 00

Fax (353-42) 852 93

I R E L A N D


Recruitment

The action undertaken by Caridata isbased on a Lombardy regional law, whichallowed a joint initiative between thecompany and the social partners by wayof a derogation from the national regula-tions. In cooperation with the tradeunions and employers’ organisations, andwith support from the vocational schoolsfor disabled young people, the computercompany has opted to go further in itspolicy of recruiting disabled staff. At pre-sent, 14 of the 260 employees are dis-abled. Caridata’s aim is to offer a job incomputer programming to persons withvisual, hearing and physical problems.

In its recruitment procedure, the Italianfirm contacts three organisations for dis-abled persons, in particular: Istituto DonGnocchi, ASPHI and Ente NazionaleSordomuti; they cover the main types of

No longer feeling excludedfrom working life


30

Twelve severely disabled persons work for a computer company specialisingin software for the banking sector. Caridata recruits, trains and integratesdisabled workers in traditional jobs — an action viewed as positive by allthe staff.

disability and provide data on applicantswho fit the required profile. The generalcondition is to have a good level ofschooling. The company gives them in-house training, where they also followfurther and practical training coursesdesigned for all the staff. A mentor takesthem through this learning process.

The disabled employees are treated with-out discrimination. They have a jobwhich gives them responsibilities and adegree of independence. It should benoted that no awareness-raising wasneeded among the able-bodied workers,who took part voluntarily in the integra-tion of the disabled persons.

Caridata has acquired a number of spe-cific working tools (adapted telephones,for example) and some changes havebeen made in order to facilitate access tothe premises for disabled workers andvisitors.

ContactCaridata

Via Pirelli 16B

I-20124 Milan

Tel. (39-02) 67 50 81

Fax (39-02) 66 98 55 94

I T A L Y



31””

‘After graduating in computer studies in 1992, I

have been working for Caridata since July 1997

as a programmer (Basic, Access, Adelphi and

Cobol). I have been able to increase my knowledge

of computers and I have struck up new friend-

ships, which have enabled me to widen my social

relations.

At Caridata, I have been able to follow training

courses and have received direct assistance in my

work. The company offers opportunities for pro-

fessional advancement by giving the employees

responsibilities in the tasks entrusted to them. As

far as possible, the views of the disabled staff are

given due consideration.’

Roberto Sapuppo (tetraplegic)

Caridata employee

‘After being taken on in 1995 as a junior programmer on

Mainframe, I subsequently became a technical analyst on

Mainframe and PC. My work is very gratifying and gives me eco-

nomic and personal independence. The human relations are

excellent, both with my colleagues and with the management.

Since I have been doing this work, I feel that I have been given

more respect and consideration from those around me. And I have

gained self-assurance with regard to different persons and situa-

tions.’

Domenico Capozzolo (partially-sighted)

Caridata employee


Recruitment

For some years now, TIM, an Italiantelecommunications company, has beendemonstrating its willingness to inte-grate people with disabilities into its ser-vices. Under Law 104 of 5 February 1992,employers are required to take steps topromote the occupational integration ofdisabled employees. All firms must com-ply with a recruitment quota and makeappropriate ergonomic arrangements.Regional, provincial and local organisa-tions support a number of training andoccupational integration projects, awardgrants for study and set up traineeshipsin companies.

Eighty new telecommunicators


32

Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM), in partnership with the three main Italian tradeunions, has signed a two year renewable agreement; its purpose is to integratedisabled people in different worksites within the company.

When recruiting, TIM contacted SIL(Servizio Inserimento Lavorativo) andvocational training centres which keeplists of disabled jobseekers. The candi-dates, who in this case had to hold atleast a secondary school leaving certifi-cate, take psychological and vocationalassessment tests and those whose pro-files best meet the company’s require-ments are then put forward.

The person selected signs an employmentcontract and starts a training programme(185 days maximum). The training isdesigned to facilitate integration into

the company. In the event of difficulty, atutor from the local vocational integra-tion service assists the handicapped per-son throughout the entire training pro-gramme. This scheme is funded by TIMwhich also receives public subsidies. Sofar some 80 disabled employees are nowplaying an active role in their new jobs.

ContactsCGL-Ufficio Handicap

Nina DAITACorso d’Italia 25

I-00198 Rome

Tel. (39-06) 847 61

Fax (39-06) 884 56 83

CISL-DipartimentoPolitiche Sociali

Flavio CocanariVia PO 21

I-00198 Rome

Tel. (39-06) 847 31

Fax (39-06) 847 33 00

I T A L Y


Recruitment

Resolution in recruitment


33

Established in July 1986 by a Japanesecompany, Yazaki, and a Portuguese com-pany, Saltano Investimento e Gestão,Yazaki Saltano currently has 7 772employees working at two sites. Theworkforce is 29 % male and 71 % femalewith an average age of 25. This firm, inpartnership with the trade unions, hasintroduced various measures for employ-ees with disabilities.

Yazaki first recruited disabled people in1990 and now has 50 disabled employ-ees, including 32 women. Seven of themtook part in the training programmejointly funded by the Portuguese govern-ment and the European Union (IJOVIPprogramme). On completion of the train-ing they were recruited under open-ended contracts with the same wage con-ditions as the other members of staff. Theother 43 disabled employees were

Yazaki Saltano, a company producing electrical components for the carindustry, assesses its employees’ performance every year: the disabled staff are asproductive as the able-bodied employees and the standard of their work leavesnothing to be desired.

recruited directly by the company underthe same type of contract. In Portugal,the Employment and Vocational TrainingInstitute, which reports to the Ministry ofEmployment and Solidarity, is in chargeof the training and occupational integra-tion schemes for disabled people.

In conjunction with the EducationMinistry, the Institute is responsible forthe practical training of disabled young-sters under the school-leaving age. Forexample, it helps them to start up in self-employment by funding the purchase ofthe necessary equipment. The Institutealso provides financial support for firmstaking on young disabled people and isinvolved in the adaptation or adjustmentof workstations.

Fifty disabled people work on YazakiSaltano’s assembly and production lines.

They followed an in-company trainingcourse to prepare them for a step into theunknown (the world of work) and also toget them used to their new jobs. Theessential ergonomic alterations and thevarious practical changes required in thefirm were made above all to the produc-tion line. Appropriate equipment wasinstalled (for example, screens to provideinformation for the hard of hearing).

The human resources department offersongoing, individualised backup to dis-abled employees and their families. Oneof its disabled employees provides spe-cial support for disabled people through-out the selection, recruitment and inte-gration process. An awareness-raisingprogramme has been introduced to getthe production supervisors and staff usedto working with disabled colleagues.They are all committed to facilitatingtheir integration.

ContactYazaki Saltano

de Portugal

Ms Ana Paula AlmeidaServiço de Pessoal

Estrada de Raiha

Praha da Granja

Portugal

Tel. (351-2) 762 70 00

Fax (351-2) 762 45 89

P O R T U G A L

…



34

””

‘Within the company I am just like any other employee and don’t feel sidelined. The rest of the staff are

familiar with our disabilities. I have been with Yazaki for eight of the best years of my life. At home I am

like any other member of the family and can talk about my problems at work. I also feel more at ease in

general because my job uses my talents. I take a close interest in what is going on in the firm. I believe for

example that the vocational training is very thorough and highly beneficial to us all.’

Employee

Yazaki Saltano

Every year the government awards a prizeto companies who have undertaken torecruit and integrate people with disabil-ities. A selection board made up of repre-sentatives from the trade unions and theEmployment and Vocational TrainingInstitute chooses the candidates andnominates the winner. Yazaki hasreceived this prestigious award on a num-ber of occasions

…


Recruitment

An open approach


35

Various kinds of disability affect some sixmillion people in the United Kingdom,but only some 31 % of them are currentlyin employment. In 1996 British Telecomvoluntarily decided to recruit four visu-ally-impaired graduates. It contactedBlind in Business, an organisation forvisually-impaired graduates, which pro-vided information on students complet-ing their higher education.

Some of the graduates were offered regu-lar graduate jobs. The employment sec-tion of the Department for Education and

BT, a private telecommunications company, recruits, trains and organises theintegration of people with disabilities. This huge undertaking employs 116 000 people, including 2 300 with disabilities. It started stepping up itsinitiatives for disabled employees in 1996.

Employment met a proportion of thecosts incurred as a result of the adjust-ments to workplaces and specialistequipment. The new recruits’ colleagueswere invited to take part in an aware-ness-raising programme.

In conjunction with this recruitmentscheme and in order to retain existingemployees, BT regraded and retrainedstaff with a disability, whether the latterhad occurred in the course of their workor not. The company found a post suitedto their new situation, in many cases inan administrative capacity.

The new equipment geared to the needsof the disabled employees was developedby specialist firms; one of the biggestproblems encountered was the long deliv-ery times.

This initiative has been a success, bothin terms of the quality of life of the dis-abled people, integrated or reintegratedinto the world of work, and in terms ofthe company’s image.

ContactBT

Alison ShoopC6K BT Centre

81 Newgate Street

London

United Kingdom

Tel. (44-171) 356 56 58

Fax (44-171) 356 68 76

U N I T E D K I N G D O M


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