An exploratory study of both the causes of exclusion of persons with physical disabilities from employment and mechanisms to promote their inclusion

Abstract

Orientation: The study researched physical disability apropos of employment. The attitudes of able-bodied persons towards persons with disabilities (PWD) culminate in the exclusion of the latter from the workplace. Aspects of this topic have been addressed by researchers abroad and in Africa using samples of limited size. Research aim: The general aim of the research was twofold. Firstly, it set out to uncover the causes of exclusion of persons with physical disabilities from employment in the South African open labour market, and secondly, to identify interventions that could assuage this situation. Research methodology: A convergent mixed methods research strategy was adopted, with responses of employers forming the quantitative strand and those of persons with physical disabilities (PWPD) forming the qualitative strand. A customer survey questionnaire was developed and validated for the sample of 342 employers, while interview schedules were used for 312 PWPD. Statistical procedures included factor analysis, chi-square tests and structural equation modelling. Main findings: Meta-inferences were formulated relating to the mixed methods research. The overarching message conveyed discord in respect of several dimensions, between the perceptions of employers, those of persons with physical disabilities and the theory. Employers are receptive to employing persons with disabilities but conflicted about their management, competence and accommodation. They are reportedly unfamiliar with disability matters, and cannot locate qualified candidates, while disability policies are not commonplace. Key national interventions encompass incentives for employers to hire PWD, tax concessions and amendment of the BBBEE scorecard points system. Important interventions at organisational level entail training in disability matters across the board, as well as disability-related policies. At individual level, PWPD need training in job-seeking techniques, effective avenues to secure work, accommodation and assistive technology, and skills. To extend the mixed methods research, industrial sectors were compared and latent constructs sought in separate analyses. Main contributions: Different perspectives gleaned from employers in various sectors, PWPD, disability advocacy organisations and associated groups; expansion of the literature on disability employment; structural equation modelling that produced latent constructs which underlie the causes of exclusion of PWPD from employment and enhance understanding of those aspects with a direct bearing on employers’ receptivity to hiring PWPD. The findings could catalyse national and organisational policy frameworks to promote inclusion in the workplace. Public policy makers could utilise the findings to devise strategies that would motivate employers to hire PWPD. Organisational policies, with practical guidelines, should be formulated relating to recruitment of PWPD and disability training for staff. The different types of disabilities and job categories in which employers would be willing to appoint PWD were ascertained.

Oriëntering: Die studie het ondersoek ingestel na liggaamlike ongeskiktheid ten opsigte van indiensneming. Die houdings van nie-gestremde persone teenoor persone met gestremdhede veroorsaak dat laasgenoemde van die werksplek uitgesluit word. Fasette van hierdie onderwerp is deur navorsers oorsee en in Afrika ondersoek met behulp van steekproewe van beperkte grootte. Navorsingsdoelwit: Die algemene doelwit van die navorsing was tweeledig. Dit het eerstens ten doel gehad om die oorsake van indiensnemingsuitsluiting van persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede in die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark te bepaal, en tweedens, om ingrypings te identifiseer wat hierdie situasie kan verbeter. Navorsingsmetodologie: ’n Konvergerende gemengdemetode-navorsingstrategie is ingespan, met werkgewers se response as die kwantitatiewe been en dié van persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede, as die kwalitatiewe been. ʼn Kliëntetevredenheidsvraelys is vir die steekproef van 342 werkgewers ontwikkel en geldig verklaar, terwyl onderhoudskedules vir 312 persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede gebruik is. Statistiese prosedures het faktorontleding, chi-kwadraattoetse en strukturele-vergelyking-modellering ingesluit. Belangrikste bevindinge: Meta-inferensies met betrekking tot die gemengdemetode-navorsing is geformuleer. Die oorkoepelende boodskap was een van verdeeldheid oor verskeie dimensies; tussen werkgewers se persepsies, dié van persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede en die teorie. Werkgewers is ontvanklik vir indiensneming van persone met gestremdhede, maar het verskil oor die bestuur, bevoegdheid en akkommodering van sulke persone. Hulle is blykbaar nie bekend met ongeskiktheidsaangeleenthede nie en kan nie gekwalifiseerde kandidate vind terwyl ongeskiktheidsbeleide nie alledaags is nie. Deurslaggewende nasionale ingrypings behels aansporings vir werkgewers om persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede in diens te neem, belastingvergunnings en aanpassing van die BGSEB-telkaartpuntestelsel. Belangrike ingrypings op organisasievlak behels algemene opleiding in ongeskiktheidsake, sowel as beleide oor ongeskiktheidskwessies. Op individuele vlak benodig persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede opleiding in werksoektegnieke, doeltreffende metodes om werk te verseker, akkommodasie en ondersteunende tegnologie, en vaardighede. Om die gemengdemetodes-navorsing uit te brei, is nywerheidsektore vergelyk en latente konsepte in afsonderlike ontledings gesoek. Hoofbydraes: Verskillende perspektiewe wat van werkgewers in verskeie sektore verkry is, persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede, gestremdheidvoorspraakorganisasies en verwante groepe; uitbreiding van die literatuur oor ongeskiktheidsindiensneming; strukturele-vergelyking-modellering wat aanleiding gegee het tot latente konsepte onderliggend tot die oorsake van indiensneminguitsluiting van persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede en bevorderlik vir begrip van daardie aspekte wat ʼn direkte invloed op werkgewers se ontvanklikheid rakende indiensneming van persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede het. Die bevindinge kan nasionale en organisasiebeleidsraamwerke kataliseer om insluiting in die werksplek te bevorder. Openbarebeleidbepalers kan die navorsingsresultate gebruik om strategieë te beraam wat werkgewers sal motiveer om persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede aan te stel. Organisasiebeleide, met praktiese riglyne, moet geformuleer word ten opsigte van werwing van persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede en ongeskiktheidsopleiding vir personeel. Die verskillende soorte gestremdhede en werkskategorieë waar werknemers bereid sal wees om persone met liggaamlike gestremdhede in diens te neem, is vasgestel.

Isimo nokuqondiswe kukho (orientation) Ucwaningo lucwaninge ngokukhubazeka ngomzimba maqondana nokuhambisana nokuqashwa Imibono yabantu abangakhubazekile maqondana nabantu abakhubazekile ngokubizwa ngokuthi yi-persons with disabilities (PWD) ibangela ukuthi abantu abakhubazekile bakhishelwe eceleni maqondana nemisebenzi. Izingxenye zalesi sihloko kubhekwane nazo ngabanye abacwaningi baphesheya kanye nase-Afrka ngokusebenzisa amasampuli amancane. Inhloso yocwaningo: Inhloso enabile yocwaningo ikabili. Okokuqala, ukuthola izimbangela zokukhishelwa eceleni kwabantu abakhubazekile ekuqashweni eNingizimu Afrika nasemakethe evulekile yezemisebenzi, kanti eyesibili, ukuphawula ngezinto ezingabawusizo ukululamisa lesi simo. Imetodoloji (indlela) yocwaningo: Kusetshenziswe isu elihlangene lezindlela zocwaningo okuyi-mixed methods research, kanti izimpendulo zabaqashi zibumbe ingxenye ye-quantitative strand, kanti ezalabo bantu abakhubazekile ngomzimba (PWPD) zona zibumbe ingxenye ye-qualitative strand. Kwenziwe i-survey yamakhastama yase iqinisekiswa ukwenzela isampuli yaqabashi abangu 342, kanti isheduli yama-interview yenziwe kubantu abakhubazekile ngomzimba (PWPD) abangu 312). Inqubo yamastatistiki ibandakanye uhlaziyo lwe-factor analysis, i-chi-square tests kanye ne-structural equation modelling. Okukhulu okutholakele: Isiphetho ngokujulile i-meta-inferences yenziwe maqondana nezindlela ezixubene zocwaningo. Umlayezo omkhulu owaboniswa ukubhimba maqondana nezinto ezehlukene, phakathi kwemibono yabaqashi, kanye nabantu abakhubazekile ngemizimba kanye nethiyori. Abaqashi bazimisele ukuqasha abantu abakhubazekile kodwa banemibono engqubuzanayo ngokuphathwa kwabo, amakhono kanye nokubabonelela. Abanalwazi ngezinto eziphathelene nokukhubazeka, kanti abakwazi ukuthola amakhandideyiti afundele imisebenzi, kanti imigomo ngokukhubazeka ayikho kahle. Okukhulu okumele kwenziwe ukungenela kwizwe lonke kubandakanya izikhuthazi kubaqashi ukuqasha abantu abakhubazekile, izibonelelo ngentela, kanye nokuchitshiyelwa kwenqubo yamaphoyinti e-BBBEE. Ukungenela okubalulekile ezinhlanganweni kubandakanya uqeqesho ngezinto eziphathelene nobukhubazeki kuyo yonke imikhakha kanye nemigomo ehambelana nokukhubazeka. Kumkhakha wabantu ziqu, abantu abakhubazekile ngemizimba badinga uqeqesho ngamathekniki okufuna imisebenzi, imikhakha efanele yokuthola imisebenzi, izibonelelo, kanye namatheknoloji osizo kanye namakhono. Ukunweba izindlela ezehlukene zocwaningo, kwaqhathaniswa amasektha ezimboni, kwasekufunwa ama-latent construct ngohlaziyo olwehlukene.