You would think that when a company hires somebody who has a disability, it’s usually for positive reasons. However, a recent Broadway play that started in the UK has shown us that not every hiring practice is ethical.
The play, called “It’s a Motherf**king pleasure”, is an uncomfortable mirror held up to the corporate world, as it picks apart some of the choices frequently made by businesses when it comes to hiring people with a disability. Rather than try to disguise the often sinister reality behind hiring practices, this play instead highlights the uncomfortable truth that many companies hire someone with a disability purely to further their own agenda.
The idea that businesses hire people for the sake of virtue signalling or to justify having a diverse workplace is very uncomfortable. However, it’s also an unmistakable part of modern reality. The corporate world is evolving to be more inclusive, but progress is slow. However, people are clamouring for inclusive hiring practices and having a diverse workforce. And unfortunately, with the threat of public damnation nipping at their heels, many companies make the decision to hire someone with a disability purely to tick a box.
As disability support workers Gold Coast, we are always disappointed to discover that somebody has been hired for the sake of ticking a box. We think it’s a very shameful practice, and one points to a real lack of understanding regarding people who have disabilities and full-time careers. The aim is to improve the relationship between companies and people with disabilities, not just to get them into roles.
Unfortunately, it’s a pervasive issue which continues to be a problem all across the world. There is a real lack of understanding when it comes to people and the way that we view disabilities in the corporate world. They are something which should be accepted and catered to rather than used as a way to earn positive comments from the public.
However, the issue will persist until such a time as companies start hiring for the right reasons. It is never acceptable to hire someone with a disability for the sake of meeting a quota. This play in the UK is a good example of people putting an honest mirror up to companies and forcing them to look at themselves in a way that they may not have done before.
Ultimately, we appreciate that this may be more difficult to try and change than people might think. Obviously, it’s going to take a lot of time and effort to change the way that people look at the world. However, with a proper focus on diverse hiring practices, it’s possible that we can accomplish a lot of amazing things. We need to hire disabled people on the strength that they bring to the workplace rather than doing so to tick a box. It’s a long road but change is possible!