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Aysun recognises the ‘ability’ in ‘disability’

Puzzle

Turns out, Aysun is not the kind of person who’s likely to take “no” for an answer.

A Human Resources specialist, Aysun has worked for years to promote employment for people with disabilities. It’s become something of a professional and a personal passion—one that stems from her experiences with a family member who has a disability.

While she’s seen first-hand the barriers that the disabled often face, Aysun also knows how much talent they can bring to the workplace when given the opportunity. But not everyone shares that view. In fact, when a previous employer in Germany kept saying “no” to her recommendations for ways to accommodate disabilities, she started looking to join a company that would say “yes.”

That quest led Aysun to Enterprise, where she joined the HR team in November 2015 in our head office in Eschborn. Intrigued by the company’s values and “open door” policy, she’s since moved quickly to become an internal change agent.

Within a month she had made her first hire of an employee with a disability. And there’s been no looking back. A year later, six employees with disabilities had joined the ranks—a number that represents 5% of the Enterprise head office workforce in Germany.

It hasn’t been easy. Government regulations often complicate the hiring process—extending the cycle up to six months or more. To help navigate the complexities, Aysun began networking with various advocacy organisations.

Her efforts have led to a now-proven strategy for hiring: “You have to be ready to build a plan for a person’s unique abilities,” Aysun says. A case in point: The significant investment in special equipment required to help a visually impaired employee work in a call center.

The special funding request quickly garnered support from the local Enterprise leadership team. And as for the new colleague? “He’s doing great—he has an amazing phone voice, and his performance rivals everyone else on the team,” Aysun says.

The business is benefitting in other ways as well. “It’s a real opportunity to create team spirit,” Aysun says. “Even a simple thing like parking spaces—in one office, all the employees volunteered to give up their parking spots without even being asked.”

With a successful track record established, the goal now is to make these hiring practices a normal part of the routine. “In Germany, Enterprise is already becoming known as a disability-friendly employer,” Aysun says. “And that’s opening many additional doors, both internally and with other companies and groups that are just beginning their own processes.”

At Enterprise we’re committed to providing every employee with an inclusive workplace that offers the respect, training and opportunities to succeed – whatever your circumstances. So don’t let them stop you from applying today. You’ll find we’ve got lots of experience in helping our people make the very best of the opportunities on offer, as well as finding the best in themselves.