Finding the right talent is a challenge for companies everywhere, but many employers in the private and public sectors are increasingly recognizing there’s a largely untapped source of qualified applicants among individuals with disabilities.

Even so, employers need more information and strategies to successfully recruit, retain and engage this segment of the workforce. In response Ithaca, NY-based Cornell University has developed an online tool for companies to quickly identify best practices.

BenchmarkABILITY.org was developed by Cornell’s Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability as a self-assessment tool for businesses and agencies that want to track progress toward implementing human resources policies and practices to maximize disability inclusion.

The tool includes six 15-question surveys about recruitment and hiring; career development and retention; accessibility and accommodation; compensation and benefits; diversity and inclusion; and metrics and analytics.

The tool covers 90 recommended practices, many of them empirically derived from Cornell employer practices research. It also provides downloadable reports so employers can assess their company’s implementation level.

A comparative report feature allows units in an organization to compare survey results, which can help ensure practices are being implemented consistently across the firm.

Reports include tips and resources for policies, practices and transactional and strategic efforts to include people with disabilities in the workforce.

BenchmarkABILITY.org was funded via a grant to Cornell from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research for the Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Employer Practices Related to Employment Outcomes Among Individuals with Disabilities. Access to the tool and related reports is available at no cost to early adaptors for a limited time, according to the university.