As employers have increasingly recognized the untapped potential of individuals with disabilities, the landscape of the modern workforce is being reshaped, resulting in many advancements in disability employment. Yet, even with the growth of remote work opportunities that has emerged in the past few years, some barriers to employment opportunities for qualified people with disabilities still exist.
A recent national survey focusing on employment inclusion conducted by SourceAmerica® found almost half of respondents believe individuals with disabilities are not given equal opportunities for employment and advancement in the workplace. SourceAmerica connects government customers and other organizations to a national network of nonprofits that creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
More than 16 million working-age Americans have disabilities. Yet only 35% of them have jobs.
More needs to be done to connect people with disabilities to job opportunities.
HR professionals know that building a disability-inclusive workplace culture enables organizations to reach this large demographic of underserved, but also ready and available workers. Creating an inclusive environment also ensures workers with a disability feel comfortable, welcome and engaged, ultimately enabling them to produce their best work and thrive at the organization.
HR managers, business owners, department managers, and others examining their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) hiring and employment practices can begin with small steps that make a big difference in overall company culture.
Educate Your Organization on DEIA and Accessibility
The term “accessibility” as it relates to people with disabilities is a relatively new work buzzword circulating among employers and HR professionals, and many Americans are still learning to fully grasp this concept.
In fact, the SourceAmerica Employment Inclusion survey revealed a national lack of awareness of DEIA initiatives, with only four in 10 of respondents recognizing that the “A” stood for Accessibility in DEIA. Six in 10 respondents indicated they have not heard of DEIA. Of those familiar with DEIA initiatives, 58% believe their employer is not doing enough to promote diversity and inclusivity. Seven in 10 believe more emphasis should be placed on people with disabilities in workplace DEIA initiatives. Additionally, 67% viewed DEIA initiatives as essential for helping individuals facing barriers to employment, which includes people with disabilities.
It is vital for a person with disabilities to have easy access and transportation to their workplace’s physical location and appropriate workplace set-up. However, the concept of accessibility covers more than access to a physical location, and key nuances are important to fully understand.
It Is Okay to Be Vulnerable, and It Is Important to Have Conversations
HR professionals are taught to eliminate risk. Many interpret this as focusing on creating safe work environments or training enhancements to reduce unintentional mistakes.
To create a more inclusive landscape for people with all abilities, however, it is okay to be vulnerable, especially when establishing new practices and policies.
The most important takeaway is to remember it is more effective to ask appropriate questions of the individual in a professional and private setting, rather than to make assumptions. Asking questions ensures that the individual is getting the necessary resources to thrive in their role.
To encourage a culture of inclusivity, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) suggests that employers ask “How can I help?” as a strategic way of indicating support for solutions that enable someone to be successful on the job.
Employers aren’t expected to have the entire scope of positive accommodations within reach to employ people with disabilities. Understanding it is acceptable to ask a question specifically related to the job is a great way to start the conversation.
Hiring Practices that Are Welcoming to People with Disabilities
You can start creating a more inclusive work environment by designing a hiring process accessible to those with disabilities. Begin by auditing the digital recruiting screening systems to determine if qualified applicants with disabilities have equal access.
For example, application timers and AI-assisted screening can introduce bias into the process and adversely affect applicants with disabilities.
Tools to check web accessibility are plentiful and offer resources to businesses seeking to assess systems for potential issues, or when procuring new systems. Testing firms are available to perform detailed accessibility audits and provide usability feedback. These firms can often help guide creation of workarounds for accessibility limitations that cannot be remedied by the software vendor.
You can also audit the current interview process. Does the current procedure work if the interview is with a candidate who may be deaf, blind, neurodivergent, or have any challenges communicating with technology (over the phone or on a Zoom call), or in person? What adjustments can be made to this process?
Additionally, when thinking about job descriptions and position requirements, consider whether the requirements are truly necessary and what purpose they serve. Evaluate the essential requirements of the job and include only those necessities in the description.
For example, if the job description requires employees to stand for four hours, does the job truly need the employee to stand, or can they sit for part of the time and accomplish the same task? Can breaks be permitted at different intervals such as at the end of every hour or every 90 minutes?
As a result of implementing these small changes in the hiring process, companies can find the talent they may have overlooked, and other personnel benefit from effectively integrating people with disabilities into their workforce.
Workplace Accommodations and Accessibility
Workplace accommodations can include assistive technology or adaptive equipment. Additional reasonable accommodations may include flexible work arrangements such as flextime, telework or schedule adjustments for medical appointments or illnesses.
The first step to auditing the current state of workplace accommodations is asking what reasonable accommodations can be made. Are there technologies available to make someone’s job easier? Can an employee do their job just as, if not more, effectively working from home than physically coming into an office?
Accommodations for people with disabilities in the workplace are also not expensive. According to a recent employer survey from JAN, “providing accommodations is not costly. More than half the employers surveyed reported that there was no cost for providing an accommodation and the rest of the employers surveyed reported a typical cost of $500.”
The advancement of technology in the office continues to create a new world of job opportunities for people with disabilities. Technologies allow people who may not be able to type to still be able to dictate and communicate through the computer.
There are many resources to learn about accommodations on practical guidance for workplace accommodation solutions, accommodation process strategy and employment provisions of the ADA and related legislation.
Ask Questions, Communicate, and Continue to Learn
Having open discussions, exploring accommodation outlets and resources, and changing policies to build an inclusive workforce will ultimately help find talented, qualified people in areas where an organization has not previously sought them.
Organizations committed to disability inclusion regularly communicate and educate employees to reinforce their commitment to accessibility. Providing regular training on disability-related issues to all personnel, specifically those involved in recruitment, hiring, promotion and retention processes, is vital to ensuring that the entire organization is committed to inclusion.
Individuals with disabilities are experienced problem solvers who develop creative business solutions, add value to a business and enhance workforce diversity.
Amanda King is the vice president of human resources for SourceAmerica, an AbilityOne® authorized enterprise that connects the federal government and a national network of more than 375 AbilityOne authorized providers who hire a talented and diverse workforce segment — people with disabilities. King holds certifications from SHRM, HRCI, and eCornell. She led a successful HR consulting practice and held human resources leadership roles for companies like Harsco Corporation, Spectris plc and Ahold Delhaize.