"There would be many more jobs for people with disabilities"

The company RGB Consulting in Degersheim and Gossau offers, in addition to the classic fiduciary activity, services in the consulting and social sector, such as, for example, Springer assignments for vacancies in all municipal departments. Co-owner Reto Gnägi (see interview below) will be a panelist at the Forum.Integration in the Pfalzkeller on March 12, 2018, an event organized by Dreischiibe, Procap, Profil - Arbeit & Handicap and Obvita, and Suva for the tenth time. The forum aims to raise awareness among employers about the integration of people with disabilities and to show best practice examples of how to create and maintain jobs for employees with physical and mental disabilities. The forum is supported by Migros Kulturprozent, Die Post, SVA St. Gallen, Gewerbe St.Gallen, Wirtschaft Region St.Gallen, Bühler Group, Raiffeisen, Schweizerischer Arbeitgeberverband, and IHK St.Gallen-Appenzell.

Reto Gnägi, how did you come to hire your employee with a handicap?

Reto Gnägi: Obvita, the organization of the East Swiss Association for the Blind, approached us. Michael Binkert had completed a commercial apprenticeship there. The young man had originally studied mechanical engineering, was operated on for a brain tumor and had to undergo chemotherapy. After the operation, he only has a visual test of ten percent. After the retraining, the aim was to assess his performance in the primary labor market.

Why did you finally hire him permanently?

After the internship with us, he applied without success. We thought it would be a good idea for us to try integration. We are active in the social sector ourselves, for example by working at social welfare offices and taking care of individual cases there (see below). Michael Binkert has been with us on a permanent basis for a little over a year now. He is paid within the limits of his capacity. The IV finances this.

Otherwise, the IV clarifies the capability.

Correct. But we are closer to the realities on the first labor market and have been able to objectify the performance better. The IV would like to institutionalize this procedure. A new, practice-oriented procedure emerged.

They were coached by Obvita.

Yes, Obvita provided the tools - such as the device that reads the documents to our employee. We received glasses that allow us to visualize how our employee perceives the environment. It is important to provide support in terms of care - how to deal with a person with a handicap when things are not going so well. For this purpose, location discussions took place in each case.

There were stumbling blocks?

Our employee had to undergo another operation and further radiation treatments, which set him back. He is very tired at times and suffers from migraines, so he cannot work. The team needs empathy, some patience and social skills. These are the things I ask of employees in other ways as well.

Can you paraphrase your employee's job description?

He handles all the mail, is in charge of accounting, and writes work reports and correspondence. His portfolio corresponds to that of a normal KV employee. The only difference is in terms of performance.

Did any areas stand out where he is particularly good?

We expected that going to the post office would be much more difficult. He also copes very well with using the digital equipment, such as the copier, even though he is almost blind. And he finds his way around our offices very well, even though they are spread over three floors.

How do you assess the situation today?

Michael Binkert has a high level of satisfaction. Until the IV had decided, our employee did not know where he stood financially. This was very stressful. The fact that he was initially set back in his career goals and then experienced that no one needed him when he was looking for a job was something we were able to absorb with appreciation. He blossomed and regained his self-confidence. Today, our employee is fully integrated into the team and is perceived as such.

What about your satisfaction?

We can work with a person who has gone through this on a one-to-one scale. In the social sector, we are always confronted with people with such fates. We can now pass on our experience there. We are more authentic.

Goodwill is needed for professional integration.

Our attitude does not require special admiration. Others carry out team building for such experiences. These are things that cannot be measured materially. We have the feeling that we also fulfill a social task.

Nevertheless, there is still too little professional integration.

The need is greater than the offers. In some cases, integration is abandoned because of prejudices. There is a fear of having to dismiss someone if it does not work. We look at it differently. If you integrate people with disabilities more, you give them a lot in return, and they give you a lot in return. It is then really a win-win situation.

How could employers be motivated to increase vocational integration?

In the beginning, it needs the coaching and support of a professional organization to discuss and clear up open questions and difficulties. Then many more such jobs would be available and feasible than one would think.

Without industry differences?

Where someone can work depends on the disability. Not all industries are the same, and not all are suitable for people with all handicaps. But there are opportunities in every industry - just not for the same people with disabilities.

More information:

Forum.Integration at the Pfalzkeller, "Entering the workforce - practical examples show hurdles and success factors for people with impairments," Monday, March 12, 2018, 6 to 8 p.m. Registration: www.forumimpfalzkeller.ch or info@forumimpfalzkeller.ch

At the forum, four current film portraits provide an insight into the situation of people with disabilities at their workplace. The Eastern Switzerland Integration Prize will also be awarded for the second time. The nominees are Alterssiedlung Kantengut, Chur, Alterszentrum Am Schäflisberg, St.Gallen, Bäckerei-Konditorei Beck Beck, Wittenbach, the municipality of Herisau (technical services, fire department), Genossenschaft Migros Ostschweiz, Hotel Wolfensberg, Degersheim, Kliniken Valens, Valens, Reha Seewis, Seewis Dorf, and Werkhalle Schmid, AG, Schwellbrunn, with Martin Klöti, member of the cantonal government, as laudator. The event will be moderated by long-time SRF Federal House editor Hanspeter Trütsch. mw.

To the author:

Michael Walther is a journalist in Wattwil SG.