October is National Disability Employee Awareness Month and a perfect time to create a more inclusive workplace for people with disabilities. This year for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Relay Resources is sharing even more tips for how to make a workplace more inclusive. Our Workplace Inclusion Toolkit contains actions any workplace can take to make the physical environment and company culture inclusive for people with a variety of disabilities. Because disabled people belong–everywhere!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions, nearly 27% of people in the US have a disability. That’s 1 in 4 people or more than 90 million Americans!
Many people tend to associate the disabled community only with those who have visible disabilities, such as individuals who are blind or use wheelchairs; many people have non-apparent disabilities like neuro-divergence or Autism, auto-immune disorders like Multiple Sclerosis or Crohn's, or debilitating mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder. Many employees with non-apparent disabilities do not disclose their disability for fear of harassment or discrimination.
Yet disability is not a bad word. Anyone can be permanently or temporarily disabled regardless of sex, gender, race, age, or ethnic background. Disability is a natural part of the human experience.
We've assembled a list of resources, toolkits, and blogs for those looking to improve their workplace accessibility and inclusivity. You can also Read Relay Resources CEO Dr. Jennifer Camota Luebke's recent article for Forbe's on Three Easy Ways to Include People with Disabilities in Your Workplace. Disability inclusion does not have to be challenging, expensive, or cumbersome for employers. In fact, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) notes that companies that champion people with disabilities outperform others. JAN also notes the average cost of accommodations is only around $300.
Also, there are already people in your workplace with disabilities:
“When someone tells me their company wants to start hiring people with disabilities, I usually tell them: “First, how many people with disabilities currently work at your company? There might be more than you know!” Many people, especially those with non-apparent disabilities, are fearful of disclosing their disability and requesting accommodations because they are afraid of losing their jobs.”
-Relay Resources CEO Dr. Jennifer Camota Luebke
Here are a few simple ways to create a more accessible workplace for people with disabilities. They include physically accessible spaces, but also best hiring practices, creating an inclusive company culture, and benefits of hiring people from the disabled community.
Creating a physically accessible place is often what people think of first when it comes to disability. But beyond basic American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements like ramps and elevators, there are many ways to improve your space for disabled and nondisabled alike. Consider implementing diffused lighting and noise reduction panels for those who might be sensitive to loud noise or bright lights. Check to make sure outlets and screens are easy to access and that tables and counters are at the right height for wheelchair users.
Your company can also enable technology to be used in an inclusive way. Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Zoom all offer accessibility options for virtual meetings, including live captions, closed captions, screen enlargement or magnification, live video transcriptions, “focus” option that only show presenters screen, and braille devices, some of which read the text out loud automatically so that blind readers can hear it. Designating someone to transcribe virtual meetings can also be helpful, or turning on an AI transcription to automatically transcribe the meeting for all users.
Image descriptions, also known as alt-text descriptions, are another way to include those with visual disabilities. Simply write a quick sentence or two describing the image in your post, such as, “A person is drinking a latte at a cafe outside.” Writing such a simple description allows people with visual disabilities to understand the photographs and images you’re using in your social media, blog posts, or articles.
Another important part of disability inclusion in the workplace is making sure the hiring process itself is inclusive. A couple of ways to foster an inclusive hiring process:
Be transparent and communicative about hiring throughout the process. Let candidates know what will be involved in the application process, and in the training and interview stages. Give candidates the interview questions in advance and rephrase the questions to get a more descriptive answer (E.g. instead of asking if someone is proficient in Excel, ask them what projects or assignments they have used Excel for in school or at work).
Having an application process that allows for applications to be done in person or with audio/physical/virtual accommodations in place will expand your candidate pool.
Ask candidates if they need any support or accommodations during the interview process. Make sure the worksite or HR office is physically accessible, but as the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) notes, “Remember that accessibility pertains not only to a physical environment. Application forms and other relevant information should be available in alternative formats for people with visual or cognitive disabilities.” For many people these days, the ability to work remotely, or to work remotely at least partially, is also a major benefit. The onus of asking for accommodations shouldn’t be on the individual, but on the company. Make potential hiring candidates feel comfortable and accepted in disclosing a disability. Candidates will feel more comfortable disclosing their disability if they see the word “disability” in a diversity statement, or if there are pictures of workers who have disabilities on a company website. It’s even better if candidates are made aware of positive outcomes or examples of employees who work there with disabilities. Show them what you have to offer!
For an organization to implement progressive equity, diversity, and inclusion goals, leadership has to take the helm (and be held accountable). If those who are leading do not believe in the benefits of an inclusive environment, it will be more challenging to get others on board. Also, DEI programs can help the entire organization; as the Harvard Business Review notes, “In our research, we found organizations that adopted inclusion initiatives, such as those listed above, reported a 26% increase in productivity.”
Rather than person centered planning around a specific person with a disability, companies should build inclusive systems and processes. This means creating a company wide framework and ideology that is a part of the workplace culture. “Disability inclusion can’t be treated like this extra ‘thing’ to do,” says Relay Resources Chief Disability Inclusion Office Willy Tablit, “it needs to be worked into the entire company culture.
Include “A” for accessibility in DEIA efforts.
Disability inclusion does not have to be challenging, expensive, or cumbersome for employers. In fact, the JAN notes that companies that champion people with disabilities outperform others. By making a few simple adjustments to one’s hiring policies and instituting an inclusive workplace culture, we can ensure equal access to employment. Because disabled people belong—everywhere.
This coming year, what steps can your organization take to ensure access to good jobs for all? If you’re looking for more assistance, Relay Resources can help with disability inclusivity training and assistance.
“Inclusion is now the bare minimum, our thinking eventually needs to shift from integration, to inclusion and belonging.”
-Relay Resources Chief Disability Inclusion Officer Wally Tablit
Relay Resources CEO Dr. Jennifer Camota Luebke shares with Forbes how to include people with disabilities in your workplace.
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