2024 Outlook: Advancements in Disability Employment and Workplace Inclusion
2024 is here. And many companies are still falling short in creating a workplace that’s inclusive of people with disabilities.
Unfortunately, workers with disabilities remain one of the most under-employed global populations and are missing out on job opportunities due to no fault of their own.
An inclusive workplace goes beyond providing reasonable accommodations and flexible work arrangements. It’s about creating an environment where conversations about disabilities and inclusivity are normalized and encouraged.
This article suggests five key areas for companies to review as they enter the new year.
What is disability inclusion?
Before jumping into the strategies, companies need to understand disability inclusion clearly.
Disability inclusion covers all actions and policies designed to promote accessibility, equal rights, and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities–hidden or not.
Essentially, it’s providing anything needed to ensure a staff member can perform their role effectively.
Beyond actions constituting disability inclusion is the dire need for an attitudinal change.
Attitudinal changes are about shifting the mindset of the non-disabled people in the organization, particularly hiring managers. It’s to train them to think with disability inclusion in mind–the same way they would about race, religion, gender, and other protected characteristics.
In the US, the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities is nearly twice the national rate, indicating how people with disabilities aren’t given the necessary flexibility at work to thrive.
To achieve disability inclusion in the workplace, organizations need to implement specific strategies and practices.
Implement inclusive recruitment and hiring practices
Disability inclusion starts with improving the candidate recruitment experience to attract and make applicants with disabilities feel welcome when advertising job openings and writing job listings.
Consider using inclusive visuals, such as a diverse workforce corporate headshot, to convey an inclusive workplace environment in your recruitment materials.
It’s about asking the obvious questions. Starting with the job application, can someone hard of seeing or hearing access it? If job ads aren’t in braille or can’t be read aloud, 10.9% of the US population is already ruled out for the job.
Job adverts should also clarify that you’re open to applications from individuals with disabilities. One way this can be reflected is through an inclusive benefits package.
Interview processes should be adaptable, offering options like sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired or flexible interview formats for anyone with physical disabilities, such as telephone or video interviews.
Such accommodations are the right thing to do to create opportunities for people with disabilities. Any organization wants to attract qualified individuals exclusively. Inclusivity helps them cast their nets far and wide.
Create an accessible physical environment
The physical environment should accommodate people with diverse needs and reduce undue hardship for people with disabilities.
Key considerations include:
Bathrooms that are equipped with grab bars, lowered sinks, and enough room for maneuvering.
Spacious corridors and doorways for easy navigation.
Adjustable furniture and sufficient lighting.
Tactile indicators and Braille signage.
Clearly marked emergency exits.
Wheelchair-friendly entrances.
It’s not enough to have these and other accessibility measures in place as a tick-box exercise. Organizations need to robustly check that their accommodations serve the required purpose.
Workplaces should regularly conduct professional accessibility audits against established standards like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Involving employees with disabilities in these audits provides critical insights into practical needs.
Using detailed checklists, the workplace should regularly record, evaluate, and test entrances, corridors, restrooms, workstations, and emergency procedures for inclusivity.
Know the essential workplace accommodations
The Unmet Needs for Workplace Accommodation study found that up to 58% of the workforce who’d benefit from some type of workplace accommodation don’t receive it.
Such accommodations would have enabled them to find and retain employment.
These figures need to change in 2024.
Examples of workplace accommodations are too numerous to name because everyone has different needs. Some of the most common types of adjustments include:
Employees with hearing impairments benefit from sign language interpreters and assistive listening devices during meetings and events.
Accessible technologies, such as speech-to-text software, aid people with speech or mobility impairments in communication.
Adjustable desks and ergonomic equipment to improve comfort at work.
Visually impaired employees could benefit from screen-reading software.
As long as employers regularly consult with employees, they can identify and implement their specific needs because some will have more severe disabilities than others, so a one-size-fits-all doesn’t work.
Allow flexible working arrangements
COVID-19 compelled organizations to update or produce a flexible working policy — yet this is something people with disabilities have needed for a long time.
Flexible working allows employees to break away from the traditional 9–5 hours and work when and where they excel. This could be:
Working around regular medical or therapy appointments that fall during core work hours.
Having dedicated remote work days to reduce the exhaustion of commuting.
Modifying work duties to eliminate tasks that are difficult to fulfill.
A flexible break schedule.
Allowing employees to work when and where they feel most productive and prioritizing their well-being is a win-win for everyone involved.
Prioritize training opportunities and awareness programs
Regular disability awareness training fosters trust and support for employees with disabilities at work and allows non-disabled staff to recognize and support their disabled employees.
It can feel lonely for an employee with disabilities not to feel acknowledged and catered for at work. Such programs should:
Teach topics like respectful communication, accessibility requirements, and how to provide appropriate support and accommodations.
Include interactive sessions, workshops, and seminars led by disability experts or individuals with personal experiences who can offer deeper insights.
Educate employees about different types of disabilities, both visible and invisible.
Challenge misconceptions about disabled job seekers.
Any training shouldn’t be a one-off. Regular updates and refreshers on this training ensure that new and existing staff are kept aware of best practices.
Wrapping up
People with disabilities deserve the privileges of employment without undue hardship — yet we’re quite far away from the road to a fully inclusive workplace.
While this article has highlighted crucial disability-inclusive actions all employers must take, from the moment they need to hire for a vacant position to ensuring hired employees are supported for the long term, the underlying message is one of constant reevaluation and adaptability.
It’s time for employers to think beyond mere compliance and regulation. Making the workplace disability friendly isn’t a chore. It’s a culture that recognizes and actively embraces the particular capabilities and demands of people with disabilities.
In 2024, we encourage organizations to prioritize disability inclusion continuously and remove unnecessary barriers to employment. It’s only fair that we create a society where individuals with disabilities have equal opportunities and access to a career as their non-disabled colleagues.
Author bio
Kelly Moser is the co-founder and editor at Home & Jet, a digital magazine for the modern era. She's also the content manager at Login Lockdown, covering the latest trends in tech, business and security. Kelly is an expert in freelance writing and content marketing for SaaS, Fintech, and ecommerce startups.