As Maine’s population grows older, employers will have to come to terms with ever-increasing shortages of talent. Some hold the opinion that our state has an abundant pool of labor. It would seem to me that those people aren’t paying attention to demographic trends, or the data coming from various staffing firms, or HR organizations.
This issue will continue to be debated. As I’ve written about before, the challenge becomes, for those of us in workforce development, as well as the employer community, where are we going to find our future workforce, especially when baby boomers retire?
There are a number of groups around the state that are trying to raise awareness about the benefits offered by Maine’s disability community. Recently, I became aware of a group that is championing those benefits. Working Together is coalition of Maine businesses seeking to expand the employment of people with disabilities. Their belief is that this expansion benefits Maine's business community, as well as promoting a positive economic future for the state.
I’ve long held the belief that doing the right thing benefits businesses and their bottom line. This particular group recognizes that more and more, Americans prefer socially responsible businesses.
A 2006 study, compiled by the University of Massachusetts/Center for Social Development & Education found that 92 percent of consumers surveyed felt more favorable toward companies that hire individuals with disabilities and 87 percent said they would prefer to give their business to such companies. Among those surveyed, hiring people with disabilities ranked third behind offering health insurance to all employees and protecting the environment as an indicator of a company’s commitment to social justice.
For more information about the many benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities, I encourage you to visit Working Together’s informative website.
This issue will continue to be debated. As I’ve written about before, the challenge becomes, for those of us in workforce development, as well as the employer community, where are we going to find our future workforce, especially when baby boomers retire?
There are a number of groups around the state that are trying to raise awareness about the benefits offered by Maine’s disability community. Recently, I became aware of a group that is championing those benefits. Working Together is coalition of Maine businesses seeking to expand the employment of people with disabilities. Their belief is that this expansion benefits Maine's business community, as well as promoting a positive economic future for the state.
I’ve long held the belief that doing the right thing benefits businesses and their bottom line. This particular group recognizes that more and more, Americans prefer socially responsible businesses.
A 2006 study, compiled by the University of Massachusetts/Center for Social Development & Education found that 92 percent of consumers surveyed felt more favorable toward companies that hire individuals with disabilities and 87 percent said they would prefer to give their business to such companies. Among those surveyed, hiring people with disabilities ranked third behind offering health insurance to all employees and protecting the environment as an indicator of a company’s commitment to social justice.
For more information about the many benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities, I encourage you to visit Working Together’s informative website.
