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Your Inclusive Workforce

Trillium partners with businesses across Washington to create more inclusive workplaces. We connect companies with motivated job seekers who bring unique talents to their teams. By working with Trillium, you’ll gain access to a dedicated workforce and benefit from our no-cost recruitment, training, and ongoing support services.

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What is an Inclusive Workforce?

What is Supported Employment?

Employer Survey Report

FAQ

How We Can Help Your Business:

  • Diverse Talent Pool: We match you with qualified candidates who fit your specific job requirements.
  • No-Cost Services: Our recruitment, training, and support services are provided at no charge to employers.
  • Onboarding & Training: We assist with onboarding new hires and provide any necessary job training.
  • Ongoing Support: Our team is here to ensure long-term success by offering continuous support to both you and your new employee.

What to Expect:

  1. Employer Consultation: We’ll learn about your business and job openings to find the right candidates for you.
  2. Candidate Matching: We’ll match job seekers to roles that align with your company’s needs.
  3. Hiring & Training: We provide onboarding support and training to ensure smooth transitions.
  4. Ongoing Support: We’re available for follow-up and any additional support your team may need.

What is an Inclusive Workforce?

Why an Inclusive Workforce Matters

An inclusive workforce isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a competitive advantage. Employers who intentionally include people from many backgrounds, identities, ages, and abilities tap into a wider talent pool and create teams that think more creatively and solve problems faster.
 

What Inclusion Is

An inclusive workplace values each person’s strengths and ensures everyone can contribute. That includes people with disabilities and other underrepresented groups who are often overlooked in hiring. When organizations broaden their definition of diversity, they expand their capacity to innovate and grow.
 

What Inclusion Delivers

Research continues to show the payoff:

Business Benefits:

  • Inclusive employers report:
    • Access to a broader talent pipeline
    • Stronger customer connections
    • Higher creativity and innovation
    • Improved morale and engagement
    • Stronger community reputation
    Inclusion creates a culture where people bring forward new ideas, feel safe taking risks, and benefit from feedback rooted in many perspectives. When employers intentionally include people with disabilities as part of their overall diversity strategy, they strengthen both their workforce and their business outcomes.

What is Supported Employment?

Supported employment is for persons

  • Who have disabilities,
  • Who need ongoing job support or coaching,
  • Whose work has been interrupted or intermittent due to their disabilities.

Supported employment provides ongoing individualized support services that enable them to work a job and become successful members of the workforce. Supported employment gives individuals with barriers to employment opportunities to work side-by-side with co-workers and experience the same benefits as other employees.

Supported employment refers to helping to tailor tasks to the individuals strengths, facilitates learning, and assists the individual to work toward independently carrying out a chosen job. It applies on-site training in real-life jobs in their communities.

An employment consultant will work with the individual to identify their strengths, find areas of interest and help individuals with disabilities expand skills and experience that will help propel them into their chosen career field. This can often be accomplished with vocational assessments, training, and coaching that can serve as a springboard to independent competitive employment. Employment consultants will provide ongoing support to ensure that employer and employee needs are met.

Job coaching provides the opportunity for individuals to:

  • Learn the job,
  • Help with onboarding/training,
  • Ensure that performance standards are consistently met,
  • Ensure safety.

Supported employment is an evidence-based practice that has displayed positive results for businesses. Trillium began supported employment in 1983 and has had numerous success in job placements throughout King, Pierce, Kitsap and Clark Counties. Researchers across the country have collected far-reaching statistics over the past 15 years that prove the approach has a demonstrated effect in improving outcomes for people with disabilities.

Employers FAQ

What support will my company get?
When you partner with Trillium, you receive the following state-funded services, so they are at no cost to your company:
  • Recruiting/Screening: we help identify candidates who match your job requirements and fit your culture
  • Interviewing: assistance with interview strategies to ensure effective and comfortable experiences for all parties
  • Onboarding: support new hires and their team to successfully transition into your company
  • Training: hands-on support of your training process, ensuring the manager and new employee are equipped with strategies that promote learning and performance
  • Performance: offer options for performance reviews, brainstorm solutions to challenges, support career advancement opportunities.
  • Change in duties/managers: we can provide more intense support to smooth transitions in staff or changes in job duties.
As your employee gains proficiency, our job coach will gradually reduce their presence, transitioning to a supportive resource role with monthly check-ins.

Companies report that working with individuals with developmental disabilities enhances teamwork and enriches their work culture. To address any initial uncertainty, Trillium offers:

  •  Staff Consultations:  An employment consultant can address questions and concerns your team may have before the new employee starts.
  • Disability Communication and Inclusion Training: To assist your team to work with and support coworkers and customers with disabilities confidently.
Hiring individuals with developmental disabilities does not increase your liability. Your existing safety protocols and insurance are sufficient. We conduct Safety Audits for all job placements to assess any safety risks and develop a plan.
We strive for optimal job matches by considering both duties and company culture. Should performance issues arise, we assist in troubleshooting and follow your corrective action processes. If the role is not a fit, we support an amicable separation and can help find a suitable replacement. Since 1983, we’ve never had a termination result in a lawsuit. Our hope is that we can find you a better fit the next time.

Our candidates possess a wide range of skills applicable across various industries. They can fill existing roles or customized positions designed to address backlog tasks, peak hours, or to support seasoned employees. We can help identify tasks that could be converted into productive roles aligned with your company goals. We conduct a job analysis, so we understand the specific tasks and can best screen candidates. Position might be part-time and full-time.

We recommend asking your operations leaders: what work is backlogged? If you had an extra person here, what would you want them to focus on?  What are some tasks that are holding back your best performers?

Trillium provides job coaching as the primary accommodation at no cost to the employer. As part of our support, we create tools and strategies that help with performance. Occasionally, we may suggest low-cost tools that enhance productivity, often benefiting the entire team. Examples: a cordless vacuum, organizers/visual markers, digital clocks.
When you hire through Trillium, it’s a direct hire and your new employee will earn prevailing wages for their position.
Finding reliable, long-term entry-level employees can be challenging. Individuals with developmental disabilities represent an underutilized labor source. Many businesses report that hiring from this group is cost-effective and beneficial for the community and their bottom line. In 2023, 77% of our job placements remained employed after one year.

We believe that this partnership can significantly enhance your workforce and business performance. We look forward to the opportunity to support your hiring needs.

Ready to Hire?

Let’s find you a great employee!

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Employer Survey Report 2024

The 2024 survey by Trillium Employment Services showcases the positive impact of including individuals with developmental disabilities in the workforce. Employers report enhanced workplace atmosphere, improved customer satisfaction, and strengthened team dynamics due to these employees’ positive influence. Key Benefits:
  • Positive Workplace Energy: Employees bring uplifting energy and contribute to a positive atmosphere. They are recognized for their positive influence on both staff and customers.
  • Customer Experience: The inclusion of employees with developmental disabilities enhances customer interactions, increasing satisfaction and loyalty.
  • Diversity and Inclusion: Employers appreciate the strengthened workplace diversity and positive community reception, highlighting the importance of representation.
  • Operational Contributions: Employees are valued for their reliability and efficiency, fulfilling specific roles that boost operational productivity.
  • Ethical Values: Businesses take pride in promoting inclusivity, reflecting positively on their ethical values and encouraging similar practices in other organizations.
Trillium’s Role and Feedback: Employers express high satisfaction with Trillium’s services, praising the support and education provided by staff. Suggestions for improvement include better job analysis, managing caseloads, and addressing staff turnover. Notably, 98% of employers are satisfied with Trillium’s communication and responsiveness.
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Interested in learning more about how Trillium can support your business?

Contact Us and a member of our team will contact you to discuss how we can meet your hiring needs!

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Trillium’s goal is to help your business build an inclusive workforce that serves your company goals. Hiring individuals with developmental disabilities through Trillium offers extensive support and significant benefits to your company. Since 1983 we have been connecting businesses and job seekers and currently support nearly 500 companies across Washington.