Ability Enterprises is a work-integrated social enterprise based in Toowoomba, which provides meaningful employment to disadvantaged jobseekers in regional Queensland. Since beginning operations in 2012, Ability Enterprises has helped over 400 people overcome barriers to employment and now operates seven social enterprise ventures which collectively employ 89 people.

Through strategic partnerships with local organisations, like Toowoomba Regional Council, Department of Transport and Main Roads and St Vincent’s Hospital, the organisation secures commercial contracts in hospitality, waste management, administration, maintenance and cleaning. CQUniversity’s Office of Social Innovation sat down with Ability Enterprises’ CEO, Claire Torkington, to discuss the organisation’s success in employing, retaining and supporting its highly diverse workforce.

Workforce Diversity at Ability Enterprises

As a social enterprise providing meaningful employment to disadvantaged jobseekers, including those with a disability, those with a mental illness, refugees and First Nations people, Ability Enterprises employs a highly diverse workforce.

“We have a very diverse workforce, people with lived experience of mental health, people with physical disabilities, people whose first language isn’t English…”, said Claire. The organisation values and prides itself on this diversity and has created a supportive culture, in which employees of all abilities feel welcome to discover and develop their skills

During our interview with Claire, numerous themes emerged which shed light on how Ability Enterprises is able to successfully attract, recruit and retain large numbers of diverse employees.

Diverse Recruitment and Intake Strategies

Ability Enterprises leverages a diverse range of recruitment strategies in order to reach and attract disadvantaged jobseekers. Throughout our discussion with Claire, she spoke about using social media, building trust through word of mouth in the community and partnering with specialist recruitment agencies. Claire said, “People find us in various ways. We work with specialist recruitment agencies, but we also use socials a lot, and people find us through them, and we do a lot of word of mouth.”

We also spoke with one of Ability Enterprises’ cleaning employees, Rhee, who explained that she was hired through a job network a few years ago. “My name’s Rhee, and I’m a cleaner here. I got this job through a job network about three years ago.”, said Rhee. Claire went on to explain that recruiting and retaining diverse employees begins with Ability Enterprises’ intake process. She highlighted that the organisation uses a behaviour-based interviewing process and does not prioritise polished resumes, previous employment experience or qualifications. “Attracting and retaining diverse employees starts right at the beginning with our intake program. We don’t insist on shiny resumes. We have a very behavioural-based interview process.”, said Claire.

The diverse recruitment strategies and the welcoming, supportive intake processes at Ability Enterprises are essential to its success in attracting and retaining its diverse workforce.

Diverse Roles and Tasks

Ability Enterprises’ employment opportunities span across seven social enterprise ventures, including cleaning services, garden maintenance, gatehouse services for local councils, plastics processing, car washing and waste management services. In our interview with Claire, she explained that this means there is also a diverse range of roles and tasks for Ability Enterprises employees.

“Ability Enterprises has both a diverse range of tasks and a very diverse workforce. We do cleaning, we do garden maintenance, we do gatehouse services for local councils, and we’ve just started doing some plastics processing.”, explained Claire.

The wide range of entry-level opportunities also opens doors for disadvantaged jobseekers, giving them multiple pathways to meaningful employment while catering to different skill sets and abilities.

Claire spoke about Paddy, her longest working employee, who is now in his eighties. “Paddy, for example, who’s our both longest serving and most mature employee, is in his 80s and still going strong.”, said Claire.

Making employees aware that they are welcome at Ability Enterprises long-term creates more meaningful employment for workers, who feel they are able to grow and develop with a company they trust.

Personalised Work Schedules

During our interview with Claire, she revealed that Ability Enterprises is highly flexible and creates personalised work schedules for each of its employees. Claire explained this has been highly beneficial and has allowed previously long-term unemployed workers to maintain long-term employment.

Claire said, “A personalised work schedule that helps them stay in the workforce where they previously haven’t been able to.” Claire added this is a simple way for any organisation to improve employment opportunities for disadvantaged jobseekers, who often face unique life circumstances. “Approaches that anyone could adapt are just to slightly personalise people’s work schedules. That’s how we do it, and it’s enormously beneficial.”, said Claire.

Supports

A range of supports are available to all employees at Ability Enterprises to ensure workers are able to enjoy and fulfill their roles to the best of their ability. Claire highlighted the importance of tailoring supports to each individual and spoke about training, personalised work schedules, supportive managers and the strong team environment at Ability Enterprises. “They benefit from training, support, and a personalised work schedule…Everyone benefits from working together by actually working together…and being supported by all of the team. We also make sure that we support everybody with what they individually need.”, Claire explained.

Claire went on to explain how these supports and the strong team culture at Ability Enterprises nurture employee confidence, leading to personal growth and skill development. “This helps them grow in confidence and transition through various roles and move then into the wider workforce….”, said Claire.

Another strategy Ability Enterprises takes to ensure all employees are appropriately supported is having all managers formally trained in mental health first-aid. “All our managers are trained in mental health first aid and supporting staff from day one.”, Claire said.

Ability Enterprises cleaning employee, Rhee, discussed the support she has been provided through her struggles with depression which allowed her to maintain employment. “They’re pretty good people to work for. If you’ve got a problem, they’ll help you. You know, I suffer sometimes with a bit of depression, and Claire’s the best person to talk to.”, Rhee.

One of the challenges Ability Enterprises has faced in creating jobs for disadvantaged workers has been some clients’ misconceptions. Claire explained that sometimes clients assume social enterprises, like Ability Enterprises, deliver lower quality services compared with other service providers in the sector.

Claire revealed, “People have a tendency to think that the services we deliver might not be up to a high commercial standard.”

However, Ability Enterprises has overcome this challenge by consistently providing services which exceed client expectations and competitors’ services. Claire noted that Ability Enterprises’ has received feedback from a government department, saying their level of service is something all providers should aspire to.

“We have to overcome that barrier, and we usually do it by being better than other organisations delivering the same services. One government department actually emailed us saying that we’re providing a level of service that they want all their service providers to aspire to, which is really gratifying because it proves that our services are really top quality.”, explained Claire.

We have to overcome that barrier, and we usually do it by being better than other organisations delivering the same services. One government department actually emailed us saying that we’re providing a level of service that they want all their service providers to aspire to, which is really gratifying because it proves that our services are really top quality.”

Claire Torkington, CEO, Ability Enterprises

Unique Talents, Increased Loyalty

Claire shared that one of the most impactful decisions Ability Enterprises has made is its commitment to hiring a diverse workforce. She highlighted the benefits of having a broad mix of talents, skills, and personalities that contribute positively to the organization. “I think one of the best decisions has been to not have a narrow cohort that we work with, because that gives us a lot of different skills, talents, and personalities.”, said Claire. Claire also highlighted that often, due to previous lack of opportunity, employees from disadvantaged demographics find deeper meaning in their work, resulting in increased loyalty, commitment and pride in their roles.

“When you hire a diverse workforce, you also get loyalty, commitment, a sense of pride in their work that you don’t always get from other team members.”, revealed Claire.

Gratification Watching Lives Transform

Furthermore, Claire finds personal gratification in providing sustainable, meaningful employment to disadvantaged jobseekers and watching their skills and confidence develop over time. She discussed the joy she receives from regularly hearing about how employment at Ability Enterprises has positively impacted her employees’ lives. Claire said, “Unexpected benefits are really the gratification you get every single day from working with a really diverse team. Watching them grow, watching their confidence develop, and having them say things to you like, I’ve never had a job for more than three months in my whole life, and I’ve now been at Ability for four years.”

Cleaning employee, Rhee, also highlighted the value in the opportunity which Ability Enterprises had provided her. “What I like about Ability is the stability, and I just love going to work. Ability means everything to me. It’s my life, really. I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t working here.”, said Rhee.

• • • Diverse recruitment strategies and tasks for employees helps create increased opportunities for workforce diversity.
    • Personalised work schedules are an easily adoptable way to improve employment opportunities for diverse workers.
    • Barriers can become strengths.
    • Workforce diversity adds value through unique talents and increased loyalty.
    • Employment transforms lives.