Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - March/April 2024 - 38

BUILDING A BETTER ORGANIZATION
WITH DEI
SOME MEMBERS OF THE
DISABLED COMMUNITY
cannot tell their own stories,
but we need to include them
in our hiring practices.
that female officers use less excessive
force, are named in fewer complaints
and lawsuits, are perceived by
communities as being more honest
and compassionate, see better
outcomes for crime victims, and make
fewer discretionary arrests. Their goal
is to increase the current 12 percent
of sworn officers and 3 percent of
police leadership nationwide to 30
percent. The 30 percent threshold is
when change begins to happen within
agencies. Osberg shared that she hopes
a new benefit, paid parental leave,
offered to supplement FMLA, will assist
with female officer retention.
The story of my CPM project is an
example that DEI is nothing new.
Diversity recruitment has been and
continues to be an issue. All forms
of diversity recruitment cannot be
addressed in a single article, but I want
to share some strategies that may help
with your staff shortages.
As a gay white man, I can tell my story,
but my DEI training reinforces that I
should not tell stories of women and
people of color, because they should
disclose their own stories. I can be an
ally though. Some members of the
disabled community cannot tell their
own stories, but we need to include
them in our hiring practices.
RECRUITING PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES
Let us consider recruiting people
who are intellectually or physically
disabled for our foodservice
departments. This initiative can be
particularly beneficial to CDM, CFPPs
in long-term care, acute care, assisted
living facilities, and schools.
According to the U.S. Department of
Labor Statistics: " In 2022, 21.3 percent
of persons with a disability were
employed, up from 19.1 percent in
2021. For persons without a disability,
65.4 percent were employed in 2022,
up from 63.7 percent in the prior
year. "
These statistics show us
that roughly two-thirds of
disabled persons who could
be employed are not. Ask
yourself why. Founder and
Director at Project ASCEND,
Ola Ojewumi, an advocate for
disabled persons, says: " The
workforce has preconceived
notions about people with
disabilities, and focuses on
what we're not able to do as
opposed to what we can do. "
Let's concentrate on what
some disabled people could
be doing for your foodservice
operation.
People with intellectual
disabilities can often wash
dishes, bus tables, clean
floors, take out trash, set tables, deliver
water pitchers to rooms, etc. Reach
out to social service agencies in your
community and see if you can recruit
some of the best dishwashers, floor
cleaners, and table setters you could
ever find. Not only will you ease the
workload of your current staff, you
may find yourself with the happiest
dishwasher you've ever had. A disabled
person may thrive with a job and sense
of purpose.
One of my colleagues in Iowa has
several such individuals on staff and
shares that these employees would
work seven days a week if she let them.
In my book, that is a good problem to
have. A bonus is that the social service
agencies often provide a job coach or
trainer free of charge to assist with
the onboarding process. How great
would it be if you not only landed a
loyal employee, but the training was
provided as well?
38 NUTRITION & FOODSERVICE EDGE | MARCH-APRIL 2024
Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - March/April 2024

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