Workforce diversity includes people with disabilities

For 20 years, Marcell Bassett has worked full-time job in the Recovery Department at IKEA in Orange County.  IKEA, the world’s largest home furnishing company, was founded more than 60 years ago in Sweden. It may not seem remarkable to hold a job for two decades; however, for a person with a disability, it is quite an accomplishment for both the employer and the employee.

To encourage employers to include people with disabilities in the workforce, October has been designated as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Established in 1945 as National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week, with a name change in 1962 dropping the words “physically handicapped” and in 1988 expanded to a month observance, it is a reminder to employers that a disability does not mean a person lacks the ability to be a valuable contributor to a company’s bottom line.

At the age of 4, Bassett was diagnosed with autism, a brain disorder. His parents seeking a better way to handle the complex challenges of an autistic child moved from Missouri to Southern California. Bassett’s path to learning to thrive on the autistic spectrum and eventually live independently began when his parents enrolled him in the Regional Center of Orange County.

us-disability

Bassett was one of the first children to take advantage of the various programs and services offered, which prepared him, now that as an adult, to be gainfully employed and live an independent life.

 

“The Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC) is one of 21 private, nonprofit organizations contracted by the State of California to coordinate lifelong services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families,” said Larry Landauer, RCOC Executive Director.  “RCOC is the first stop for those seeking to obtain local services and supports to help them live safely and with dignity in the community.”

Currently, RCOC serves over 19,000 Orange County residents with developmental disabilities – including autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and intellectual cognitive disabilities – and their families.

“Our experience has been that, like those without disabilities, many of the adults we serve gain both self-confidence and a sense of purpose from the work they do,” said Landauer.

“I grew up working with many supporters at the Regional Center,” said Bassett. “I never felt that my autism held me back because of the way my family, friends and the program’s service providers helped me.”  Bassett receives job coaching support and independent living services from Costa Mesa-based Project Independence funded by RCOC.

“Marcell brings so much more to his job than just his attention to detail and his love of order,” said Debra Marsteller, President/CEO of Project Independence. “He takes pride in the fact that his work really contributes to the company’s bottom line.

His success, positive influence, and willingness to help others, led Bassett to join RCOC’s Board of Directors in July of 2015. The RCOC Board provides policy direction for the agency and consists of 15 unpaid, volunteer residents of Orange County – five adults served by RCOC, five family members, four community members and one Vendor Advisory Committee Liaison

disability-awareness-day-infographic

Living independently in Costa Mesa, Bassett earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, is active at his church and enjoys running marathons, playing guitar, and swimming.

“My other passion is numbers,” said Bassett who is a gifted mathematician.  “My goal is to use my degree as a math tutor for people who are challenged with solving and understanding math.”  In his free time, Bassett works on creating artwork made from recycled magazines.  “It helps me with my high interest with numbers,” he says.

Bassett is known around IKEA as a guy with a smile, positive attitude, and a friendly word to share.  “I met and interacted with Marcell when I worked in the Returns Department about nine years ago,” said Alex, a long-time employee of IKEA who started as a cashier.  “I don’t see a disability when I talk to Marcell or work alongside him.”

After working in several departments, Alex, now works in the same department with Bassett. “His work ethic is amazing,” said Alex. “When he wraps items and returns it back to the store inventory, his attention to detail makes the item look brand new.”

Members of the Recovery Department handle products that may have been damaged during shipping or have a defect.

“I especially enjoy my work, stabilizing the store’s bottom line, and talking with my co-workers,” said Bassett.  “Making money for IKEA is my priority.”

Lauded as “one of the best companies to work for,” the IKEA Group lives up to an inclusive workforce. The company raised its own minimum wage twice in two years.  IKEA has 328 IKEA Group stores in 28 countries. Forty IKEA store are run by franchises. There are 41 IKEA stores in the U.S.


Discover more from News4usonline

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Discover more from News4usonline

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading