More people with a disability at work in Belgium

People with disabilities are increasingly finding their way into the Belgian regular labour market. This is the conclusion of an analysis by Acerta, an HR services company.
Acerta's analysis is based on data from 30,000 employers in the Belgian private sector, including both SMEs and large companies. Customised companies were not included in the analysis. The figures show that in five years time (2016-2021) ten percent more people with a disability - physical or mental - are employed in the regular labour market. The figures show that 1 out of 409 employees in the regular labour market has a disability.
That more people with a disability find their way to the regular labour market is a good thing, says Acerta. "An inclusive society also requires an inclusive labour market. And for companies it is an opportunity to win the war for talent," argues the HR company.
Especially the service sector, the hospitality industry and the social profit sector employ the most people with a disability. The front runner is the service sector, where 0.27% of the employees have a disability. The largest increase over the past five years took place in the hospitality industry (+33%).
In Belgium, smaller companies generally employ more people with disabilities than larger companies. Companies with 5 to 9 employees have on average the highest percentage of employees with disabilities (0.37%).
(TOM)
© BELGA/AFP