Prejudice and ignorance obscure great potential. It just needs a good concept, togetherness and being there for one another,” says Melanie Hofinger, owner of Meritas Holding. Twelve apprentices with disabilities are employed in her seven book and toy shops: “I no longer notice who is with or without impairment is.”
Hofinger was one of several entrepreneurs who recently spoke about their experiences at the “Zero Project Firmendialog” by Caritas OÖ, Neba Betriebsservice, Business Upper Austria and Essl Foundation at Ikea Linz Haid. dm, Denn’s Biomarkt and Ikea were also there – the aim was to present new ways of recruiting.
Creative and efficient
At Ikea, too, the topic of diversity in the teams is a top priority: “This increases creativity and efficiency many times over,” said Nicole Steger, who is responsible for equality and inclusion at Ikea Austria.
“We focus on people’s strengths,” said Claus Jungkunz from Neba Betriebsservice. The service point also supported Ikea in the search for employees with disabilities. “If we succeed in breaking new ground in the search and in job design, previously unused target groups can be addressed.”
According to Barbara Rittberger from Caritas Upper Austria, who herself has a hearing impairment, it is important to look at people holistically: “You should be surprised at the potential that people have. Visual perception is often particularly good in people with hearing impairments.”
Source: Nachrichten
