Employment equity targets: How a state-owned enterprise recruits people with disabilities

Abstract

Orientation: There remains a gap in the employment of people with disabilities globally. With its well-defined legislative framework, South Africa’s compliance with legislation still appears to have failed to ensure that employment targets are met across sectors.

Research purpose: The aim of this study was to identify and explore factors which enabled a state-owned enterprise (SOE) in the Western Cape to meet their employment equity targets for recruiting persons with disabilities.

Motivation for the study: We are of the view that there is much to learn from such inclusive companies to inform the challenges experienced by other companies that have not met their employment equity targets.

Research approach/design and method: This was a qualitative single-embedded case study of an SOE in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Two sources of data used in this study included interviews with human resource employees (HREs) and employees with disabilities as well as document review of selected company policies.

Main findings: Findings show factors which helped this SOE to meet its employment equity targets. These include specific recruitment and orientation practices as well as involvement of employees with disabilities in shaping the various processes of ensuring an inclusive environment.

Practical/managerial implications: These factors may help other organisations in ensuring a more diverse workforce and ultimately meeting their employment equity targets.

Contribution/value-add: The study provides practical strategies, which other employers could learn and benefit from implementing in order to improve disability representation in the workplace.