“When I took over the business from my father, I already had an employee with a disability. He was the son of a family friend, and my father gave him a job to help out the family. The son was visually impaired and worked on the production line, packaging large items and doing some light tidying. He did very well, and because of this positive experience, I decided to employ more people with disabilities. In my spare time, I am committed to helping disabled people, so this was an opportunity for me to offer them a professional chance as well.”

“It has long been a tradition in our company to hire people with disabilities. Sixteen years ago, my first employee with a disability started working in my company. Since then, I have hired more staff, and colleagues with and without disabilities now work side by side. They celebrate holidays and attend sports events together. For them, it’s an everyday occurrence.”

“Let me pick one of my employees: Mr Schmidt. I’ll explain how it works. First, I contact the local integration specialist service that supports the participation of disabled people in the open labour market. I explain my needs and requirements to the specialist, discuss the ins and outs of the work with them, and then they recommend suitable candidates. This is also how it worked when we were looking for someone to work in assembly and packaging. We chose Mr Schmidt from the proposed candidates and organised an internship for him lasting several weeks. This worked out quite well, and then we offered him a contract.”

“In the beginning, we really relied on the support of the integration specialist. They guided and trained him on how to work, and found the best way to do so. Of course, his supervisor also helped, as he knew all about the work processes and the tasks to be done. Together, they quickly found a solution. Mr Schmidt did not need any special work instructions. We already use pictures in our instructions, which Mr Schmidt understood well. I heard about the possibility of receiving a grant to cover the additional time and personnel required for a more extensive induction process. However, it became clear that there was no need for this grant.”

“Sixteen years ago, at the very beginning, it took time to convince supervisors to employ people with disabilities. There was a lot of uncertainty about whether people with mental or physical disabilities would be able to carry out the tasks. However, it worked well with our first colleague who was visually impaired. Now it is no longer an issue. The supervisors ensure that the tasks match the person’s abilities; in this case, Mr Schmidt started with tasks he was already familiar with. If new tasks arise, he receives training. We can again count on the support of the integration specialist services for this. They practise memorising the new tasks and procedures with him, with the support of the supervisors, who need to ensure that Mr Schmidt masters the new tasks. Compared to his colleagues without a disability, the supervisors pay more attention to his work processes. However, nobody notices, and it is not an issue for me. Mr Schmidt works according to strict, rehearsed procedures and follows them exactly. As a result, his work is of excellent quality. He works at a slower pace, but the quality of his work justifies this completely.”

‘I would like to emphasise the importance of working with an integration specialist service that has experience in guiding disabled people. For example, I know they have expertise in applying for compensatory allowance if an employee with a disability works slowly and produces less. This was not necessary in the case of Mr Schmidt, but it might encourage my fellow entrepreneurs to hire someone with a disability without worrying about production quantity. They also help with legal issues, especially when things don’t work out. Many of my entrepreneurial colleagues think that if they hire a person with a disability (PWD) and it does not work out, they will find it difficult to terminate the employment contract. This is not the case; integration specialist services help with this and look for opportunities at other companies. This is good for both the employee and the company, as the employee knows they will not be left alone and will have a new chance. This legal security provides real support.

“I didn’t use all these services in relation to Mr Schmidt, but I must say that these options alleviate a lot of concerns. I did make use of some of their mentoring and training services, as well as their assistance in recruiting Mr Schmidt. The mentoring was intensive at first, as Mr Schmidt had to adjust to his work tasks, as well as the daily routines and communication within our company. This mentoring is ongoing, but at much greater intervals.”

“Mr Schmidt knows the procedures and does the work very well. He makes fewer mistakes than a colleague without a disability because he strictly adheres to these procedures. His presence also makes the company atmosphere warmer, friendlier and more tolerant. My colleagues know that they are making the world a better place through their positive behaviour and willingness to help. We once won the Inclusion Prize, which was good for my staff and me. It also meant additional publicity for us as a company.”

“I am open to contacting my fellow entrepreneurs in person and convincing them to give people with disabilities a chance in the workplace. I know there are many fears and uncertainties, but if you get to know people with disabilities, many prejudices will disappear. It feels good to know that you are supporting people and experiencing their gratitude. However, it is also a responsibility, and I recommend working closely with integration specialist services.”