This Gujarat company’s 60 percent workforce is disabled

28.02.2016, RAJKOT: If you come enter into Bhavnagar based Microsign Product's newly made factory unit on outskirts of Bhavnagar, you may surprise when you come across workers with various disabilities-physically handicapped, mentally challenged and deaf and damn with seamless work.

No one could believe as how disabled people who are considered 'liability' for society, have been made economic viability for Nisheeth Mehta, founder of Microsign, which designs and develops products like clips, clamps, ties, tie mount, markers out of engineering plastics.

Founded in 1978, an engineer Mehta started employing disabled people from 1988 with sheer sensitivity towards disabled persons and experimented with employing in mainstream business.

"I was in search of committed workers and I decided to experiment by employing them and assigned the work according to their need and capabilities and found remarkable results. Now, out of total 50 employees at Microsign, 34 workers are disabled people, which accounts 60 per cent of the workforce. They are our assets. Our experience suggests that employing differently abled people makes business sense'' explains Mehta.

The disabled people includes physically challenged, mentally challenged and deaf and damn workers.

"I did not do it for charity but gave them an opportunity to establish that they are differently abled and can do everything just fit them into your need'' Mehta said.

Microsign product has become a model with an industry with a difference. His human engineering at his industry inspired many to follow suit. In fact, Microsignhas become case study for management gurus. Currently Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad is preparing a case study on Mehta's business model which able the disabled.

"We want a work with a dignity and here with get it with a pride. We never felt like employee-employer relations here but it is like a family'' says Mukesh Patel, 47. Mukesh and his wife Ranjan Patel, both physically challenged, works here since last two decades.

"I enjoy working here as I could see various disabled people are working in their best capacity and it motivates me to work'' says 23-year-old Alpesh Khasiya, a physically challenged worker.

"Everything is possible but you need to look at with great sensitivity and human approach'' says Mehta.