Kerryn Stannard had been looking for work for three years. Photo / Supplied
Kerryn Stannard had been looking for work for three years. Photo / Supplied
A "halo effect of empathy" is one of the many benefits a New Zealand energy solutions business sees in employing someone with a disability.
But like working from home has become, they hope to make a diverse workplace so normal that we eventually don't even talk about it.
Vector's Meteringand OnGas chief operating officer, Brenda Talacek, says her company hires more than 1200 people across the country – many of whom have a disability.
"This morning I was trying to make a list but it's something that just doesn't even become part of your consciousness after a while," she said.
"It's like how once upon a time in an engineering business you'd be trying to count the women, now we're everywhere."
"She probably has the best attention to detail of anyone in the office, so a lot of her tasks are focused around that."
Kerryn, 43, was hired as part of the administration team at Vector OnGas, after being out of work for the past three years.
Kerryn Stannard works for Vector in an administration role. Photo / Supplied
"When the invoices come in from the gas customers I enter those details into the system and then I file them in ring binders," she said.
"It takes me a bit longer to learn new things, unless it's on the computer and then I'm pretty quick at picking it up."
Kerryn had been employed previously but had struggled to find long-term work.
"I've had a not-so-good workplace, so I know the difference," she said.
"I'm really enjoying my job, the people are good – they basically give me the invoices and let me get on with it. And if I've got questions I can pipe up."
Although nearly a quarter of New Zealanders live with a disability or ongoing health condition, it can be a group often under-represented in the workforce.
Brenda Talacek said she had hired people with disabilities in various workplaces over the past 15 years.
Brenda Talacek (right) says hiring people with disabilities is mutually beneficial. Photo / Supplied
In 2019 Vector won the Supreme Award for diversity and in 2018 was the first employer to receive the Accessibility Tick.
Talacek said employers could be resistant to diversifying their workforce because there was a perception it was "too much work".
"Sometimes it's a little more work but actually in counter to that, that's actually your job," she said.
"Regardless of whether your team member has a disability or not, you have to provide additional support for people.
"People used to be resistant to people working from home and then we all did it. We went 'oh, it is a bit more work for me but actually there are all of these other benefits as well'."
The benefits of hiring someone with a disability had flow-on effects to the rest of the team.
"If you can see someone who has clearly made a huge effort to be present and be a committed member of the team - not withstanding if they have other challenges - that's very inspiring for the team."
Kerryn had found work through independent Waikato-based disability employment facilitator Selwyn Cook.
Having worked with hundreds of people with disabilities – both as an employer, and then as an employment facilitator – Cook said the most important thing was to get the job match right.
"Part of what is working so well for Kerryn and why Kerryn is such a good fit here is that they're all supporting each other," he said.
"These employers really understand Kerryn as a person.
"They've really embraced Kerryn as part of the team and given her the confidence and encouragement and ability to get on and do the stellar job that she's doing.
Cook had found his way into the work of disability employment following his own experience first hiring someone with a disability nearly 20 years ago.
"A jobseeker came to our business with significant health and disability issues and wanted a job," he said.
"I tried to send him on his way because I defaulted to thinking that this wasn't the right workplace for them.
"But he insisted on wanting five minutes of my time to convince me otherwise, and that turned into eight years.
"He became one of the most successful staff members we had over our 27 years."
Cook employed many people across the Waikato – at one time more than 200 across 18 service stations – and began to see the value in hiring people with disabilities.
"In the last three years we employed 70 people through Workbridge alone and many of them are still there.
"That is quite unique for an industry like ours where the turnover is quite high."
Now working independently to help jobseekers with a disability, he has 10 – 15 clients across Waikato.
He believed employers were ready to diversify their workforces, but perhaps hesitant simply about getting it wrong.
"I think their hearts are open, but it's their minds," he said.
"They just think it's going to create challenges or they're going to step on someone's toes in the wrong way, or say the wrong thing and offend someone, so many tend to just shy away."
But Cook had seen a "change in the tide", particularly since the pandemic.
"There's been a number of unintended positive outcomes that have come from Covid ... I think we do look after our own a bit more because we're not so global now.
"I think there is an elevation in kindness ... I feel a more rounded attitude towards the people of New Zealand and wanting to do the right thing by them."
