Diversity: A key ingredient for delivering exceptional care

Most companies today have worked out the benefits of employing a diverse workforce, which include increased creativity and innovation, better customer service and consumer understanding, improved team performance, stronger collaboration and enhanced reputation.

The reality is that diversity and inclusion are no longer a ‘nice to have,’ but a necessity which makes good business sense.

Statistics support the philosophy that ‘diversity is good for business’ with indisputable evidence showing companies with a strong diversity and inclusion agenda having increased performance and revenue growth against companies of comparative size and industry.

We have certainly found this to be the case with Drake Medox, the healthcare recruitment division of Drake International and have developed and implemented a number of key policies and procedures concerning equality, dignity at work, employee welfare to ensure we have an inclusive work environment.

As a staffing provider in healthcare, home care and disability care with a diverse client base, we believe it is imperative for Drake Medox to embrace best practice when it comes to attracting, selecting and retaining our workforce.

As such, our recruitment process is non-discriminatory and mitigates against unconscious bias ensuring all potential applicants, regardless of cultural background, disability, religion, gender or age are treated equally throughout the recruitment and procurement process. Included in our valued workforce is Gavin Rolton (pictured above), a recruitment consultant employed by Drake Medox. Gavin is also a C5 tetraplegic, paralysed from the waist down since a diving accident when he was a teenager.

Gavin had been unemployed since his accident but we recognised a number of transferable skills he possessed which we knew would stand him in good stead as a Homecare Recruitment Consultant. He just needed some training and someone to give him a chance. A significant part of the business done by Drake Medox is providing homecare services with significant and often complex care needs. To be able to most effectively source and retain the right talent, it is paramount for us to understand each persons’ individual care requirements.

This includes understanding how an impairment impacts on a day-to-day life, what kind of care services do we need to provide to improve their quality of life and how can we help our clients reach their own unique goals and aspirations?

Having been a recipient of complex care services after his accident, Gavin was in a position to provide insight and knowledge from a client’s perspective which we have found invaluable.

Gavin is now one of Drake Medox’s ‘top performers’ and was recently promoted to a Customer Service Consultant role. Gavin also attended the Drake 100% Club (our global awards program for high achievers) in Toronto, Canada in 2017 and in Monaco in 2018. Gavin’s success is no surprise. Research shows staff with a disability have productivity rates comparable to other employees but typically rate higher in terms of loyalty and retention.

A jobmeans a great deal for any individual, but this can be especially true for a person with a disability. Sadly, the reality is that people with a disability can face more barriers associated with job searching. However, this can often translate into equal or higher job performance rates for those with a disability.

The recruitment of people with disabilities may still raise uncertainty for some hiring managers. The truth is some adjustments do need to be made in the workplace to ensure everyone has the same opportunity to perform at their best.

Our inclusive practices have helped further educate staff to see more than a ‘disability’, with a stronger focus on the ‘ability’ of everyone. This is not only on an employee level but also on a client level.

A direct outcome of Drake Medox’s inclusive practice has been significant growth in client satisfaction levels and an increase in our homecare services business. We have found one of the greatest benefits of diversity is the creation of a culture of empathy and understanding, which has been pivotal in delivering a high quality and person-centered care service from Drake Medox.