How Toronto Businesses Can Become Inclusive Employers in 2025
Our team at Good Foot is excited to announce the launch of Good Foot Forward: Building Inclusive Workplaces, a year-long initiative for 2025 made possible by funding from the Government of Canada’s Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities.
Our project focuses on reducing stigma, enhancing employer awareness, and fostering inclusivity by sharing best practices and actionable strategies for working with neurodivergent folk. We want to equip employers with the tools, knowledge and confidence to hire, support, and retain individuals with disabilities.
Alongside our information sessions, we will regularly share insights on accessibility and workplace accommodations through our social media channels. So, follow our LinkedIn and Instagram account for practical tips on improving inclusion in your workplace. It’s easier than you may think to be an inclusive employer–minor alterations to work environments can go a long way toward accommodating some and benefiting all.
Why Inclusivity Matters
Many workers hide their neurodivergent identity from employers for fear of stigmatization and discrimination. Individuals in workplaces may need extra support, but stay quiet or do not speak out because they fear backlash. When inclusive practices become the standard, everyone benefits. Take, for example, a recent report conducted by Cardus, a non-partisan think tank with the mission of strengthening the social architecture – how people, institutions, and government bodies work together for the common good.
Cardus’s 2022 report examined the human costs of excluding Canadians with disabilities from the workforce and highlighted the tangible benefits of inclusive hiring. The report drew on findings from the Ready, Willing, and Able (RWA) initiative, led by the Centre for Inclusion and Citizenship and the Ontario Disability Employment Network, which showcased the positive impact of hiring a diverse workforce.
RWA surveyed employers who had hired qualified candidates with disabilities and found that 95% of respondents rated these employees as performing on par with or better than their average employee. Additionally, two-thirds of participants expressed intent to hire more employees with disabilities in the coming year, reinforcing the business case for workplace inclusivity.
On top of this positive reception, participating businesses also benefited from:
- Decreased turnover and absenteeism
- Increased retention and punctuality
- Increased adherence to workplace safety procedures and policies
- Positive outlook toward work
- Improvement in workplace morale
- Outstanding relationships between co-workers, management, and clients
- Positive feedback and perceptions from customers
Improving transparency in the accommodation process, introducing company-wide neurodiversity awareness training, and providing flexible working arrangements can create better workplace experiences and safe work environments for not just neurodivergent staff, but all employees.
Barriers to Employment
There are three main barriers that neurodivergent individuals and workers with disabilities face when searching for employment: discrimination, stigma, and lack of accommodation. These issues originate from the undervaluing of skills and the bias against the way individuals with disabilities may present during the interview and hiring process, as well as within the work environment.
To highlight the importance of building awareness and training for employers and employees alike to dispel these barriers, one need only refer to the findings of the 2022 report by the Conference Board of Canada and Future Skills Centre. In collaboration, the two organizations conducted a comprehensive survey, gathering insights from 171 neurodivergent Canadian employees and 139 managers—54 of whom also identified as neurodivergent. The findings revealed a concerning reality: half of all neurodivergent employees surveyed feared that disclosing their neurodivergence to their employers could hinder or halt their career progression and even lead to negative repercussions.
At the same time, over 90% of respondents recognized that managers would greatly benefit from training, tools, and support to enhance their communication and management of neurodivergent employees. Yet, more than 80% responded with either no or unsure when asked if such resources were available within their organizations.This stark contrast between recognizing the need for change, having the resources required and taking action underscores a critical gap in workplace inclusivity. Good Foot Forward: Building Inclusive Workplaces is dedicated to closing this gap by focusing on three key pillars: reducing stigma, increasing employer awareness, and fostering inclusive practices that create meaningful change.
Advancing Workplace Inclusivity: Our Goals
Reduce Stigma
Highlighting the value that employees with disabilities bring to the workplace is key to changing perceptions and reducing stigma. By shifting the narrative from perceived limitations to the strengths and talents of this community, we can challenge common misconceptions about hiring individuals with disabilities and foster a more inclusive mindset. This perspective shift enables employers to focus on individuals’ capabilities and the meaningful contributions they offer.
When these principles are applied in practice, workplaces can cultivate a culture that celebrates diverse strengths rather than undervaluing skills that may differ from traditional expectations. To reinforce this, we will showcase the lived experiences of Good Foot Delivery employees, sharing their success stories alongside others to illustrate the real-world impact of inclusive hiring practices.
Improve Employer Awareness
Good Foot is committed to equipping business owners, employers, and managers in the Toronto area with the knowledge and tools needed to create meaningful change. The first step toward inclusivity is understanding the barriers neurodivergent individuals face when entering the workforce. By recognizing and addressing these challenges, employers can identify outdated or exclusionary practices and take proactive steps toward building a more inclusive workplace.
Our program goes beyond theory, offering practical guidance that empowers employers with the confidence to integrate inclusive practices into their recruitment, onboarding, and workplace culture. Through education and actionable strategies, we help businesses foster environments where neurodivergent employees can thrive.
Foster Inclusivity
There are many real-world benefits of inclusivity for employees and businesses. By creating a more inclusive environment for some, it becomes more inclusive for all. Implementing compassionate and understanding work practices is just good form.
This project is close to the hearts of Good Foot’s staff as it is grounded in our workers’ lived experiences. As a company that champions inclusivity and neurodiversity in the workplace, we can speak first-hand about the challenges and immense benefits of creating an inclusive and accessible work environment.
We will examine current statistics and data showcasing the positive impact on productivity, morale, and innovation in an organization when people with disabilities are given the chance to thrive in an accommodating work environment.
Good Foot is eager to provide the tools and knowledge to unlock untapped potential. So, how will we do this?
Our Approach: Empowering Employers Through Education
Information Sessions
We will offer four practical information sessions in 2025, focusing on the above goals and mission. Not only will the information sessions provide insight into hiring, retaining, and supporting neurodivergent individuals, but they will also discuss intersectionality, mental health, and substance abuse.
Each session will cover the same core content, so as an employer, attending just one will equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to implement positive, progressive changes within your business. Participants will gain foundational insights into the requirements for creating inclusive workplaces while also learning about our Good Foot Forward Employment & Training program, which offers employers the opportunity to hire trained and work-ready neurodivergent talent.
Actionable Tips for Inclusivity
This initiative isn’t just about informing; it’s also about educating and providing tools that businesses can readily adapt to their work environments. Engaging with this project will provide you with step-by-step guidance and actionable tips to help you develop your own inclusive hiring practices.
Small business owners and managers can leave the session with practical ideas that can easily be implemented in the company’s ethos, including what makes an accessible job posting, how to create an inclusive hiring process, onboarding and training best practices, and ongoing support focused on retention.
By implementing these steps, businesses will benefit all of your employees, not just those you first set out to support.