Kristine Foss, MA, SPHR

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Liberty Plaza, 335 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 rwjms.rutgers.edu/boggscenter p. 732-235-9300 f. 732-235-9330

Kristine Foss, MA, SPHR Managing Director

Disability Solutions at Ability Beyond Bethel, CT

Changing Minds and Changing Lives through Disability Inclusion

November 8, 2018 Doubletree Guest Suites, Mt. Laurel, NJ

The attached handouts are provided as part of The Boggs Center’s continuing education and dissemination activities. Please note that these items are reprinted by permission from the author. If you desire to reproduce them, please obtain permission from the originator.

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Changing Minds & Changing Lives through true Disability & InclusionWorking with Employers

November 8, 2018

©Disability Solutions @Ability Beyond – Ability Beyond Disability, Inc. 2017©Disability Solutions @Ability Beyond – Ability Beyond Disability, Inc. 2017

About UsChanging Minds. Changing Lives.

Consulting practice of Ability Beyond, a non-profit provider of services topeople with disabilities.

60+ years of working with corporations to employ individuals with disabilities,including veterans with disabilities.

Disability Solutions consists of a team of Consultants focusing on strategydevelopment, partnership development, recruitment, training, compliance,human resources, etc. that result in business-driven outcomes.

Working with leading corporations globally to leverage early adopter benefits in talent and market.


Nonprofit service provider

Services throughout Connecticut & New York

Residential, Transition, Employment, Clinical, Transportation and Social Enterprises

Roses for Autism

Disability Solutions

About UsAbility Beyond

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Change conversation from charity to talent value.

Create sustainable business driven model that results in an aligned cost per hire.

Create strong case studies of successful engagements with business outcomes.

Utilize consulting revenue to continue to provide services to PWD through our parent company, Ability Beyond.

Changes the conversation from what PWD can’t do to what we CAN do.

Change systems from within….so more people with disabilities nationally can be engaged in meaningful employment at all levels.

#Changing Minds, Changing Lives

Our Mission


Top Five “Secrets”

1) Seek First to Understand…

2) Talent Value not Charity

3) Challenge perceptions: What types of jobs can a person with a disability do?

4) Stay on top of business trends

5) Prepare tomorrow’s workforce to break down barriers.


We Are Finding Our VoicePolicy, Politics, Impact!

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We Are Expanding Our VisibilityEntertainment, Advertising, Pop Culture


We Are Wielding Our Spending PowerLarge and Growing Customer Market


We Are Generation NextWhere are our workplaces?

StrategicImperative to

Do

ComplianceHave to Do

CharityNice to Do

RepresentationHeroes & HolidaysExclusion Participation Inclusion & Value

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Two Perspectives, One Goal


Our Priorities

PWD/IWD

The company/agency/our family

Our Goals

Support person, or are the person seeking to obtain & maintain employment

Assist with increased independence & financial security or obtain it for ourselves

Roles

Advocate, Family, Friend, Jobseeker

The Community Partner


The Employers Priorities

Customers, Shareholders, Board, etc.

Their Goals

Increase profit/shareholder value

Increase customer market share

Broaden talent pipeline & Hire great employees

Reduce turnover

Comply with regulations and reduce risk

Their Roles

Employer, Employee, Family, Community

The Employers

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The Current LandscapeDisability Inclusion and Employment

MARKET VALUE

TALENT VALUE

CORPORATE VALUE

COMPLIANCEVALUE

“This is the next frontier from both a brand and workforce perspective. Ensuring that people with disabilities see themselves and their needs reflected in our products and the services we offer is important. It’s important to our customers, as well as to our workforce.”

- L. Kevin Cox, CHRO American ExpressForbes, July 30, 2015


The MarketConnecting with Customers

Autism Friendly Ships


TalentPerspective to Inform Market Reach

“Synchrony has a diverse client base of major retailers, small-to-mid-sized businesses and health care providers who in turn have their own diverse customers. I believe that having employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences help us better meet the needs of our clients and their customers. They share different perspectives that factor into better solutions for our partners and customers.” Margaret Keane, CEO

Synchrony, Forbes/Entrepreneurs May, 2015

“BUILDING a strong talent base that includes people with disabilities positions us to better connect with all types of consumers, which is definitely a business objective of our Diversity & Inclusion platform.” Marty Bean, Sr. VP, Field Sales, PepsiCo

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TalentEntrepreneurial Enterprises Launching


Supply Chain DiversityOutsourced Work Requires an Alternate Approach

It is the Hottest trend in driving cost reduction in 2017, especially in larger organizations, to farm out all activities that do not offer the people working in them opportunities for advancement into senior management.” Peter F. Drucker, Wall Street Journal.

Contrasting the high cost of maintaining an in-house support staff with a dramatic decline in service-sector productivity, Drucker emphasized the need for corporations to “unbundle” themselves and leave the clerical, maintenance and support tasks to outside contractors.

The "custodial and housekeeping" function

scored a hat trick of sorts in the FMLink-EGT survey.

Survey respondents not only ranked the function as the most frequently outsourced FM activity. Study: Facilities Management Outsourcing

Rising, Hasn't Yet Crested

By JACK LYNE, Site Selection Executive Editor of Interactive Publishing fmlink.com


Supply Chain DiversityDisability Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE)

What Is The Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE)

Certification?

The DOBE certification is granted to businesses that are at least 51% owned, operated, controlled, and managed by a person with a disability. With this certification, disability-owned businesses have increased access to contracts offered by large corporations and market advantages over competitors.

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BLS

PROJECTIONS

2016-2026

Talent: Trends in Demand


Our Challenge, prepare for tomorrow’s jobs. Ask employers:

1) What types of roles are you having trouble sourcing for?

2) Where are your pain points like turnover?

3) What do you see as your top talent needs over the next five

years?

4) The next 10?

Talent: BLS is not the whole picture


TalentCompeting for Talent – Accessing Untapped Talent Pools

https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/trends-and-research/2018/industries-biggest-talent-shortages-2030

Manufacturing

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Demand Breaks Down Barriers!


ComplianceFederal Contractors

Contractors

> 200,000 in the U.S. Per GAO report, 2016

>1,000 CSAL letters sent mid-February; contractors ramping up for potential 2018 audits

Unemployment Rate

General population – 4.3%

Working age PWD – 8.8%


ComplianceFederal Contractors: Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Utilization Goal

101+ employees – 7% for each job group

100 or fewer employees – 7% for the entire workforce

Data Collection

Document applicants & hires

Update annually

Maintain 3 years

Self-IdentificationPre-offer/Post-offer

Every 5 years

Equal Opportunity Clause

Specific, mandated language for subcontractors

ADAAA

Implement changes to definition of “disability”

ADA Amendments Act of 2008

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ComplianceOutreach and Partnerships

Partnerships

Recruitment activities “reasonably designed to effectively recruit qualified individuals with disabilities”

Examples: State VR, MH, and DD agencies; One-Stop Career Centers & American Job Centers; VA; ENs

Evaluations

Partners’ effectiveness

Maintain at least 2 years

Criteria used to evaluate effectiveness


ComplianceVEVRRA

Hiring Benchmark

Updated annually (based on population of working age vets that calendar year)

Currently 6.7%

Data Collection

Document applicants & hires

Update annually

Maintain 3 years

Self-Identification

Pre-offer/Post-offer

Equal Opportunity Clause

Specific, mandated language for subcontractors

Job Listings

Manner & format permitted by State or local job service

Records Access

OFCCP

On-site or off-site

All formats

Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act


Seek First to Understand, There are BarriersKnock em down!

Communication

Lack of information/understanding

Distrust

Big picture forgotten

TOP 4 BARRIERS

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See

DIFFERENT LANGUAGE/TERMS

Social Service vs. Business

Politically Correct vs. Politically Incorrect (at times)

Acronyms

Complex Funding vs. Attention Span

LACK OF RESPONSE/SLOW RESPONSE

Low attendance at meetings

Low to zero response to job announcements and postings

Seek First to UnderstandCommunication


Challenge PerceptionsWhat Kind of Jobs Can We Do?

PhD


TRAINING NEEDED

Community Partners

Unfamiliar with business language

Unfamiliar with business operations

Inexperienced with outreach initiatives

Businesses

Unfamiliar with social service language

Unfamiliar with social service operations

Inexperienced, and at times nervous, with PWD

Challenge PerceptionsChanging Minds

NEGATIVE PAST EXPERIENCE

Business

Has hired PWD and it didn’t work out

Worked with Community Partner previously

Community Partner

Negative experience with specific business

Negative experience with outreach initiative

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Between Partners and Business

Negative history

Negative hearsay

Between Community Partners

Negative history

Negative hearsay

COMPETITION

Across Disability Groups

Challenge Perceptions, and a few RealitiesDistrust and Silos


Business

Unnecessary accommodations

Types of disabilities

Lose patience

Time to Fill Pressures

Community Partner

Focus on 1 or 2 PWD

Lose patience

Time and money investment

Big Picture Forgotten


BEST PRACTICES

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Know the Business – Follow Trends

Toyota makes more than cars, Companies are divesting and merging constantly. Use LinkedIn to track career changes. It can lead to more opportunity in additional companies.

Dress for the Occasion

Inquire about steel-toed shoes, safety glasses, etc.

Sandals, shorts, and/or 4” heels are not practical for warehouse tours

Ask Questions

Learn more about the job, hiring process, shifts, etc.

Follow Your Advice


Recruiting

Open positions

You role as a talent partner

Talent

Untapped talent pool

Meet qualifications

Reduce Turnover

Save money

Save time

Employees vs Interns or Third Party

Only employees meet Federal regulations

Focus on Business Needs


Large Scale Hiring

Thousands of Federal contractors & sub-contractors

Section 503 Utilization Goal – 7%

VEVRAA Hiring Benchmark – 6.7%

One Community Partner cannot

supply all the talent needed

Variety of opportunities

Must play nice in the sandbox!

Business is the customer as well

Remember the Big Picture

It Takes Time

Learning curve for everyone

Get out what you put in

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Black

White

Hispanic

Other

Diversity Within Disability


Diversity Within Disability


Analyze “capacity” –Can we do this internally? Do we need support?

Take a deep dive

Develop and execute a plan

Step forward boldly

Adjust, repeat, grow.

Companies Want to “Do this” Right

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A Strategic ApproachFunctional Inclusion

Review Talent Acquisition processes to evaluate the accessibility of online application system, testing procedures, and any career pages

Enact flexible workplace policies and design accessible workplaces

Consider Talent Acquisition program components:

Marketing materials

Career webpage

Online application system

Accommodation request process

Talent Advisor and Hiring Manager interview training

Onboarding/new employee orientation


Separate Philanthropy from Talent

Employment is an act of charity.


Real employees at work – no stock

Public profiles of employees with disabilities

Disability in your diversity statement

Employee Resource Groups

Highlight the WIIFM

Acme Inc. is an Equal Opportunity EmployerHow are you speaking about disability?

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AccessibilityCommon Issues for 508 Compliance

Common 508 Issue: Alt Tags

Image is missing or has incorrect alt tag. Making it unreadable to screen reader users.

Common 508 Issue: PDF

Missing option to download a PDF reader – Adobe is the most user friendly PDF reader available.


Our Hiring Process & GuidanceSetting expectations and providing guidance


ENGAGEMENT

INNOVATION

TALENT BRAND

EMPLOYMENT NETWORKS

DEVELOP LEADERS

“This is a people

person business.

Relationships matter

here.”

“We want to do more to

develop our people leaders.”

“We want to be

agile and

responsive with our

approach.”

“We are a

developing talent

brand and we want

diversity messaging

throughout”.

“Attract and Hire is a

pillar of our Network

(PDN).”

What Does your Team Say?

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MANAGE ATTRACT

REFERTRAIN

GROW RESULTSPARTNERS

EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS

ENGAGE

BRAND

Driving ChangeCollaborating for Success


People LeadersEmpower people leaders to lead

Train to remove fear and stigma leaders for frontline leaders.

Empower centralized accommodations processes and approvals.

Train leaders to coach to success based on different learning styles, but not to expect less.


Analyze the Funnel

Require Diverse candidate slate

Increased phone screens

Assessments

Interview training

Events

Be creative

APPLICATIONS

PASSED ASSESSMENT

INTERVIEWS

HIRES

100%

80%

50%

25%

100%

85%

10%

30%

PWDALL

Create OpportunitySystems: Not Sexy but Critical

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Source Potential

Talent

Train and Educate Partners

Hard/Soft Skills

Apply Through ATS

Pass Assessment

Immediate Phone

Interviews

Onsite Interviews Scheduled

CREATING AFFIRMATIVE OPPORTUNITYBridge the gap in opportunity through vendors, internal resources, and partnerships.


Community based partners meet with Kettering, Ohio leaders to learn about Synchrony culture, careers, and hiring processes.

Strong Brand + Strong Partnerships = Strong Talent

Building partners in the community takes time and trust.


PersonasUnderstanding the mix between skills and culture.

Help your partners understand your culture and your target talent.

Help hiring managers and recruiters see past common hiring challenges to the strengths.

Humanize and normalize disability without trying to hire

a certain disability type.

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PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES NETWORK (PDN)

SYNCHRONY

©Disability Solutions: Ability Beyond Disability, Inc. 2018

EMPLOYEE RESOURCE

GROUP DRIVEN

Hiring and retention initiative to fill high volume roles expanding with focus on enterprise-wide deployment.


FOCUS:COMMUNITY IMPACT EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS HIGH VOLUME ROLES ENTERPRISE EXPANSION

STATUS COUNT

HIRED >275

PROJECT RETENTION +16%

% OF HIRING GOAL +186%

RESULTS:

� 15% OF ALL HIRES IN PILOT SITE

� ABOVE AVERAGE RETENTION

� IMPROVED HR METRICS

� TRAINED MANAGERS

� GLOBAL FOCUS

PILOT AND EXPANSION

PILOT IN DAYTON, OHIO EXPANSION IN 2018 HIGH VOLUME ROLES INCREASE BRAND EXPOSURESTANDARDIZED METRICS

TALENTED JOBSEEKERS FIND A

HOME AT SYNCHRONY


SYNCHRONYInclusive Culture Brings Business Impact

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FOCUS:

BRAND

COMMUNITY IMPACT

DIVERSE CANDIDATE SLATE

FILL MULTIPLE ROLES

STATUS COUNT

HIRED 1,015

RETENTION RATE +14%

PEPSI ACT

RESULTS:

CHANGING LIVES

NATIONAL BRAND

INCREASED TENURE

IMPROVED HR METRICS

TRAINED MANAGERS

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

3 LINES OF BUSINESS

MANUFACTURE/WAREHOUSECERTIFIED CENTERSALES/CUSTOMER SERVICE

10 UNIQUE ROLES

ENTRY LEVEL TO SALARY

Talented Jobseekers Find a Home at Pepsi



5%

32%

2%

55%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

5% 32% 2% 55%

General ApplicantsVeterans

Affirmative Intiative Vets General ApplicationsPWD

Affirmative InitiativePWD


Brand Power: Increased Self Disclosure

PEPSI ACT


The Advice we are giving Employers“Your ACTIONS are your BRAND! Julie Sowash, Senior Consultant”

YourDevelop a Strategy that Leverages Existing Practices, People & Supports Change

Attract and Recruit ACTIONS are your BRAND!” Julie Sowash Talent Partners: Cast a WIDE Net! Talent Brand and Messaging: Focus on Value and Impact to the Workforce –

Connect directly with job seekers.

Hire and Onboarding

Systems: Not sexy but critical! Centralize and simplify accommodations process – Empower your people

leaders Be prepared to successfully welcome new employees while engaging your

existing workforce: Train, Engage, and Share success!

“

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Recruiting PartnersLeverage community based partners for talent.

Establish relationships with community organizations and Centers of Influence to build the talent pipeline network

Host Open Houses to describe hiring processes, workplace culture, and the types of positions recruited for and the qualifications of candidates sought

Offer Career Fairs or an Interview Day to assist in targeted recruitment; inviting agencies, providers, vocational training schools, community colleges, and universities representing job seekers with disabilities

Provide clear and constructive feedback on candidate quality and flow.

Do not expect perfection.


Focus on the Common Goal


Applicants are not prepared

Not knowledgeable of the company and/or job

Not interview ready

Not qualified

Under dressed

Employer Feedback

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Being Confident Is

Everything

Know his/her Work History

Talk about themselves

Prepare Jobseekers to Know their Worth


Finding The Wrong Job

Coaching for Success:

Landing the Right Job

“Any job will do.”

“He/She will Do Anything.”

Indecision about

The industry/job he/she wants.


Finding The Right Job

What does the person want to do?

What are their skills and interests?

What can they offer the company?

Coaching for Success:Landing the Right Job

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Tips To Help Get That Interview

Networking/Resources – it’s who you know! Help to expand networks

Research – finding the right fit Social Media – losing the job before getting the job Resume - Revisit & Revamp Stretch goals but help to set expectations Don’t let people get Lost In The Hunt How to help conquer the application


Networking

Majority of jobs are filled through networking

Most people get a job because they know someone in the company

If the job seeker doesn’t know anybody that works at a place they are interested in what can they do?

LinkedIn and other social networks

Job fairs and visiting the local workforce office

Encourage them to talk to friends, family and acquaintances

Network with different groups and people


Google is a jobseekers best friend

Search the company and find some shared values.

Search openings that fit his/her background

Help to prepare around 3-5 facts/actions he/she like about the company…

Not “I really like your company”

Help to set him/her apart

Research

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All the jobs vs. the “right” jobs

Make sure the person is a good fit

Make sure he/she know the job

Assist in tailoring the resume and cover letter to the position; and include relevant skills and experience to that job in the resume

Keep a log or journal of jobs with key words

Applying


Applicant Tracking Systems

Applicant Tracking Systems are used by most companies to sift candidates.

Match the resume to the job description including exact keywords to get past this impersonal beast.

Allow proper time to complete it

Ensure ALL the information correctly and honestly

Double check the application

Make sure it is complete!


Online Assessment

Most Companies also require online assessments during application.

Many do not work well with phone applications. Encourage the person to stick to laptops/desktops.

Usually answering to the extremes will get better points.

1. How often do you do great work?

A) All of the time

B) Most of the time

C) Almost Never

D) NeverThey would get the most points for A, but most people would answer B

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Why do companies ask job seekers if they have a disability during application? Whyshould or they should not disclose?

All federal contractors are required by law to ask each applicant if they are a personwith a disability. By law, federal contractors must have workforces that reflect theAmerican population…..most need to and want to hire individuals with disabilities.

It will not be used against the job seeker in hiring decisions. In fact, more andmore companies are becoming disability friendly and are actively seeking to hireindividuals and veterans with disabilities.

No one is required to disclose, however, I encourage disclosure as a key part of“Changing Minds and Changing Lives,” and to launching important discussionsaround tools, strategies and productivity needs.

The Application – Self Disclosure


Social Media

Always ask the job seeker to check his/her social media to make sure he/she comes across professionally.

Pretend to be a hiring manager and look at his/her Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

Encourage him/her avoids controversial topics and help to check his/her privacy settings


Resumes

Ensure the job seeker knows what is on his/her resume!!!!!!

Modify the resume to each position being applied for.

Use keywords from job description……only if they pertain to the job seeker!

Why can’t the job seeker use the same resume every time?

They must get past the applicant tracking system before they even have a chance at an interview.

Make sure they keep the formatting simple. Many companies cannot import resumes with fancy flourishes, which can lead ultimately to being passed over.

1 page is preferred unless his/she is in a professional field

Make sure the email and email address is appropriate

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Resumes

Simple format Easily customizable Skills Summary and Professional

Experience sections are the bullet points that can be swapped out

Less messy Employment History with no bullets

underneath


Coaching: The Star Method

S

Situation

T

Task

A

Action

R

Result

Background. Set the Scene.

“When I worked for Company X as a …..”

What did I have to do?

What needed to be done?

What did I do to solve the problem or

issue? Bad example: “I had my manager

fix it”

What happened in the end?

End your story in a positive way, showing

you were the reason behind that


Star Tips

TRUTH - Answers needs to be authentic and something that really happened to him/her at work

PAINT A PICTURE – Provide coaching so the answers are little short stories that start with a negative situation and end with a positive

RESULTS - Showing how he/she made something negative into a positive is the whole trick to answering these questions. This is what employers are looking for

KEEP IT SHORT – Provide coaching and practice to stay on point and not ramble, follow STAR to keep answers brief and relevant

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Phone Interviews

Remember they can’t see the job seeker, so make sure they have everything in front of them.

Resume ready and know his/her work history

Prepare why he/she left each company and explain gaps in history if applicable

Coach to not provide interviewers with more information than they need

Notes/research on the company

Encourage job seekers to write down responses to common interview questions


Interview Etiquette

Make sure that the jobseeker;

Dresses appropriately and professionally

Acts appropriately and professionally

Arrives 20-30 minutes early

Has 3-5 printed resumes available

Has any paperwork requested

Prepares 3-5 questions to ask


Interview Follow Up

Email vs. card

Email is the fastest way to say thank you after a job interview and it's perfectly acceptable to send a thank you email message

Encourage the sending of a handwritten thank you note

Encourage prompt follow-up

Coach on how to promote his/her candidacy

Have them include why he/she is qualified for the job

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Career Center

Visit for job postings Set up Alerts Sign up for a free account Stay anonymous during your

search if you prefer

Monthly Traffic: 500,000+

Average Job Count: 70,000+ Postings

Website: www.disabilitysolutionstalent.org


Most Importantly Oxygen for you First!


Wrap Up!

11-8-18

Resources

Social Media Influencers Debra Ruh

Emily Ladau

DiversAbility

RespectAbility

Elaine Katz, Kessler Foundation

Kessler Foundation

Rooted in Rights

Web Resources Rich Donovan, The Return on Disability Group http://www.rod-group.com/

Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) https://www.dol.gov/odep/

Disability Owned Business Enterprise Certification https://disabilityin.org/what-we-do/supplier-diversity/get-certified/dobe-v-dobe-sdv-dobe-certification-application-form/

DS Career Center www.disabilitysolutionstalent.org

Books Unleash Different, Rich Donovan

My Contact Information

Kristine Foss, MA SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Managing Director, Disability Solutions @Ability Beyond 4 Berkshire Blvd. Bethel, CT 06801 m 203.948.2338 Changing Minds, Changing Lives - www.disabilitytalent.org Jobseeker or Talent Partner? Visit our Career Center: www.disabilitysolutionstalent.org Find us on Social Media

@dstalentatwork @dsrecruitsPWD @krisEfoss

http://www.rod-group.com/

https://www.dol.gov/odep/

https://disabilityin.org/what-we-do/supplier-diversity/get-certified/dobe-v-dobe-sdv-dobe-certification-application-form/

https://disabilityin.org/what-we-do/supplier-diversity/get-certified/dobe-v-dobe-sdv-dobe-certification-application-form/

http://www.disabilitysolutionstalent.org/

http://www.disabilitytalent.org/

http://www.disabilitysolutionstalent.org/

Kristine Foss, MA, SPHR

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