How Life Styles Benefits Employers

For a list of companies that currently employ Life Styles Supported Employment participants, click here!

The national workforce is aging and shrinking. According to the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, by the year 2014, 36 million people are expected to leave their jobs and will need to be replaced. George Bouthilet, research director at the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, points out that 90% of adults with intellectual disabilities are unemployed, representing a large but untapped labor force. According to the Office of Disability Employment Policy, "Even though Americans with disabilities represent one-eighth of all working age Americans, they are much less likely to be employed." Data from the Office of Disability Employment Policy indicates that most people with disabilities want to work but are afforded fewer opportunities to do so than the general population.

With the labor force shrinking, Life Styles can provide businesses and industries with access to this largely untapped labor pool. This year alone, Life Styles has connected 31 different companies with well trained, reliable workers, and over the years approximately 2,000 employers have relied on Life Styles to help meet their labor needs.

Jim Runyon, program coordinator for the Central Illinois Business Leadership Network, emphasizes that in addition to ethical arguments for hiring individuals with disabilities, there is also a financial benefit to employers. With careful matches and usually minor accommodations in the workplace, he says the businesses in his network have reported high attendance and retention as well as no increase in accident rates among employees with intellectual disabilities. Moreover, the companies have employees who are excited about coming to work every day.

Life Styles' results certainly support Runyon's findings. 32 of our current participants have held their job for 1-5 years, 12 have been on the job for up to 10 years, and 3 participants have been in their position for over a decade! Charles, an employee at Chartwell Foods, says, "It is not easy working, it is hard, but I love working." Steven, a seven-year employee of the Jones Center For Families, says of his job: "I like to work here… I like to do a good job." Their employers are just as happy. Steven's supervisor describes him as a "good worker" who is a "self-starter." Charles' supervisor says, "I wish all of my employees could be as productive as Charles. He is one of our best employees. He's a rock star!" Similar comments come from employers all over Northwest Arkansas.