Innovation programs at the workplace for workers with an intellectual disability. Two case studies in large Australian organisations
| Published date | 16 October 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-08-2016-0214 |
| Pages | 1381-1396 |
| Date | 16 October 2017 |
| Author | Hannah Meacham,Jillian Cavanagh,Amie Shaw,Timothy Bartram |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Global HRM |
Innovation programs at the
workplace for workers with
an intellectual disability
Two case studies in large
Australian organisations
Hannah Meacham
Department of Management, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Jillian Cavanagh
Department of Management, Sport and Tourism, La Trobe Business School,
College of Arts, Social Sciences and Commerce, La Trobe University,
Melbourne, Australia
Amie Shaw
Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources,
School of Business, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia, and
Timothy Bartram
Department of Management, Sport and Tourism, La Trobe Business School,
College of Arts, Social Sciences and Commerce, La Trobe University,
Melbourne, Australia
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to examine human resource management (HRM) innovation
programs in the early stages of employment for workers with an intellectual disability (WWID).
Design/methodology/approach –The first case study was carried out at a large national courier company
where a film innovation programme was used to enhance the socialisation process of WWID. The second case
study was at a five-star hotel situated in a large city where a buddy system innovation programme was used
in the induction and training process of WWID.
Findings –The overarching “life theme”created through these innovation programs was one of enhanced
and creative opportunities for social inclusion. The participants displayed more confidence and independence
in their ability and exhibited aspirations to advance and succeed in their roles.
Practical implications –The study argues that HR professionals need to be more proactive in finding
innovative ways to engage WWID in the early stages of employment.
Originality/value –The qualitative study is underpinned by socialisation and career construction theory
which provides the framework to discuss the ways in which socialisation and socially inclusive HRM
practices enable participants and other WWID achieve success on their career paths. The key message of our
research is that early vocational socialisation innovation programs can make a positive difference to the work
experiences of WWID.
Keywords Qualitative, Human resource management, Socialization, Intellectual disability, Innovations,
Career construction theory
Paper type Case study
Personnel Review
Vol. 46 No. 7, 2017
pp. 1381-1396
Emerald Publishing Limited
0048-3486
DOI 10.1108/PR-08-2016-0214
Received 24 August 2016
Revised 21 November 2016
Accepted 2 December 2016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0048-3486.htm
© Hannah Meacham, Jillian Cavanagh, Amie Shaw and Timothy Bartram. Published by Emerald
Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence.
Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article ( for both
commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and
authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
1381
Innovation
programs at
the workplace
for WWID
Introduction
This study is about workers with an intellectual disability (WWID) and the behaviours that
create a positive “life theme”or a sense of purpose to encourage them through life, enabled
through early innovation programs. Workplace innovation programs are introduced to
workers in the initial stages of employment and aligned to an organisation’s values and
designed to generate new ideas and methods that better meet the needs of the organisation
and individuals (Walsworth and Verma, 2007). The Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare (2008) explains intellectual disability as difficulty learning, applying knowledge
and making decisions, with individuals having difficulty adjusting to a change and
interacting with unfamiliar people. People with intellectual disabilities are also likely to have
a low intelligence quotient score (Alston et al., 2002; Price and Gerber, 2001). Hernandez et al.
(2000) argued many employers espouse support for WWID but in reality are somewhat
conflicted in their attitudes towards the employment of this cohort of workers. They report
whilst some organisations have supported employment programs for training and
development, they suggest there is an urgent need for more innovative programs to engage
WWID and ensure positive outcomes. This is echoed in a recent paper by Ulrich (2016) on
the future of human resource management (HRM), where he argues that for organisations to
be effective, human resource (HR) needs to play a greater role in creating organisational
values around the importance of respecting differences among organisational participants.
Critical to achieving this is required for HRM to facilitate organisational participants to
connect and care for one another through sharing lived experiences. Moreover, based on a
comprehensive literature review, by Cavanagh et al. (2016) we found there is a dearth of
research on the career issues and vocational workplace innovations that assist WWID to
assimilate into the workplace. Therefore, our study contributes to conceptual and theoretical
understandings of the potential career paths of WWID and the implications for HRM. It is
important to better understand the career process of WWID to improve their workplace
experiences. We conducted two case studies, underpinned by a series of interviews with
managers across different organisational levels and focus groups/interviews with WWID to
examine the impact of two very different HR vocational training innovation programs used
by HR professionals. We applied Van Maanen and Schein’s (1979) socialisation typology
and Savickas’(2011) career construction theory to the HR vocational training innovation
programme to illuminate WWID career adaptabilities and aspirations for the future. Career
construction theory is about constructing meaning and an appropriate approach (Savickas
et al., 2009; Savickas and Porfeli, 2012) that may well respond to the needs of WWID many
of whom may be confused as they negotiate challenging work situations. Career
construction is enabled through advice, coaching, role modelling and emotional support
(Kulkarni, 2012). The rationale of this approach is to advance understandings about
individuals’experiences at the workplace. In the first case study, we examine how WWID
from a national courier company secured the opportunity to be involved in the film
production sector, how these workers adapt to the environment of film-making and what it
means for their future work experiences. This programme involves WWID featuring in a
film where they provide their perspectives on work and their socialisation through work. In
the second case study, we scrutinise a buddy system at a hotel site and how the system
helps WWID adapt to work and influence their aspirations. A WWID is assigned a “buddy”
who is generally a long-term employee and has the skills to train workers. We argue that
HRM needs to take a greater interest in the career paths of WWID much earlier, and through
innovative ways, which may enable these workers to build the coping skills necessary to
navigate difficult changes in the open work environment (Nota et al., 2014; Savickas et al.,
2009). Open employment is defined as doing a job which can be done by any person. A
WWID will do the same job as their co-workers and are paid the same wages (Autism
Spectrum Australia, 2016). Consequently, we argue that WWID should be better situated to
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