Disability is a natural part of the human experience, and really, it’s more common than you might have thought. Approximately one in four American adults, or 27% of our population, have some type of disability according to the latest study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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These numbers are trending upward for the first time in years, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of disabled working-age people increasing by 1.7 million since 2020.
However, likely due to the surge of remote work opportunities, people with disabilities are re-entering the labor force in greater numbers, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. In fact, the U.S. has seen 900,000 more disabled working-age people now employed since 2020.
As the country faces a continued labor shortage, employers will be looking to attract and retain more workers, and the disability community is a great, often untapped talent pool.
Understanding disability in the workplace
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a person with a disability is someone who either has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment or is regarded as having such an impairment. The ADA was passed in 1990 to protect people with disabilities from discrimination, just like other civil rights laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion.
While some disabilities are visible, others—including chronic illnesses like diabetes, hearing loss, being immunocompromised or neurodivergent, for example—are not something you can tell by glancing at someone. In the U.S., at least 10% of the country has a medical condition that could be considered an invisible disability. Still, both visible and invisible disabilities are protected under the ADA.
The ADA promises that people with disabilities have the right to the same opportunities as everyone else—particularly when it comes to employment opportunities—and includes specific requirements for employers (with 15+ employees) to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to employment.
“We are seeing huge improvements in the areas of social justice as it applies to workplaces and wellbeing for people with disabilities. But there are still challenges,” said Donna Bungard, senior accessibility program manager for marketing at Indeed.
“Organizations want to include disability in their diversity initiatives, but it’s not always front of mind when discussing biases, even though it’s the largest underrepresented group globally. The key is to keep talking about disability in terms of diversity and intersectionality. Even if we are making progress one conversation at a time, we’re still making progress. Our goal is to normalize this ordinary part of the human condition while including it in our diversity efforts.”
Why workers with disabilities do not disclose their disability
In the workplace, disclosing a disability, particularly an invisible disability, is not commonplace. Research shows that 88% of employees with invisible disabilities choose not to disclose such information at work to avoid stigma and discrimination.
“Disclosure can be hard,” said Bungard. “A candidate is disclosing information that can instantly disqualify them for reasons that have nothing to do with their ability to do a given role. And it’s common for people to be unaware of their biases about disability. That can lead to hiring managers unintentionally making choices based on their own lived experiences with disability, and not the qualifications of the candidate they’re considering.”
An example of discrimination, albeit well-intentioned: a manager passes over an employee with a disability for a project that requires business trip(s) because they assumed the travel would be too challenging for them.
This denies the employee opportunities that a non-disabled counterpart would have. Avoiding this, like most disability considerations, not only benefits people with disabilities. In this example, it may also benefit people without disabilities who are new parents or live rurally.
It may feel daunting to make workplaces more welcoming to disabled workers if you don’t understand their needs. Bungard says the first step is to encourage employees to disclose by creating a safe space to do so.
7 ways to a workplace more disability inclusive
There are simple yet effective ways to support colleagues with disabilities, whether through employee resource groups, building accommodations into standard operating procedures or even seeing people with disabilities in senior management positions. Here are some suggestions on how you might be able to assist in making your workplace more inclusive:
1. Do ask everyone what their access needs are
Whether you’re a manager or just leading a project, one of the easiest ways to be welcoming to colleagues with disabilities is to ask everyone what their access needs are.
“The most important aspect of this is that this shows that your organization sees disability needs as normal. It also takes away some of the pressure to disclose a disability to get specific needs met,” Bungard explained. “Adopting this as a regular practice helps build an inclusive workplace for all employees. Access needs are human needs.”
Meeting the needs of coworkers with disabilities often costs nothing at all. Recent findings released by the U.S. Department of Labor show that nearly half of workplace accommodations for people with disabilities can be implemented at no cost to employers. Of those that incur a one-time cost, the average amount is $300.
2. Do offer flexible work arrangements, like remote work
We already know that flexible work arrangements can offer an array of advantages to company leaders, including higher retention and productivity rates. This benefit for all employees helps people with disabilities manage their self-care while being productive.
Workplaces that are flexible and do not require employees to get “permission” to leave for an appointment, for example, empower workers who are disabled to manage their workload around their needs however they see fit.
Remote work may be particularly beneficial to employees with disabilities who might find a commute to the office challenging. The same can be said for those with chronic illnesses, like those who are immunocompromised and are still at higher risk of COVID-19.
Offering the ability to work from home allows some colleagues with disabilities a greater opportunity to focus on the work at hand rather than wasting time getting to an office or worrying about peer assumptions and biases in an in-office setting. These playing field leveling options are believed to be why the U.S. has seen nearly 1 million more people with disabilities join the workforce since the start of the pandemic.
3. Do create internal support systems
Another way to be inclusive is to create employee resource groups (ERGs) and mentorship programs that encourage people with disabilities.
ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups that promote a sense of belonging and support inclusivity within the workplace. Companies often create dedicated ERGs for people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans or employees with disabilities. ERGs build community, provide a safe space to talk about shared experiences and challenges and help drive change within the company.
Also, encourage coworkers to participate in mentorship programs! People with disabilities are valuable contributors to this program as mentors and mentees.
“Fostering this connection is a great way to communicate to your team that they’re accepted for who they are and are encouraged to grow with your organization,” said Bungard.
4. Do have flexible processes as part of the application process
Flexibility is key when attracting diverse talent. Having a rigid set of requirements during the hiring process does not tend to support inclusivity. For example, a mandatory phone screening may inadvertently disqualify deaf or hard-of-hearing applicants who otherwise would be a great fit for your team.
In general, Bungard recommends workplaces allow for two different ways of communicating to give candidates and team members the best opportunity to shine.
5. Do respect coworkers’ privacy
People with disabilities are often asked very personal questions about their health, their assistive technologies, or even ‘what happened to you’ type questions. Respect team members’ right to only share what they are comfortable with, from why they are taking a day off to why they may prefer different communication methods.
And this helps everyone. For example, suppose someone is taking the day off to undergo a medical procedure like a colonoscopy. In that case, it may have nothing to do with a disability, but assumptions could be made. A coworker might not feel comfortable disclosing this—disability or not.
6. Do use the right terminology
People who have limited exposure to a given type of disability might feel intimidated talking about it or may not know the right words to use. If you are in a position where something needs to be mentioned, the best rule of thumb is to ask a person how they would like their disability identified.
Never use words like “differently-abled” as they create otherness. When you avoid using the word “disabled,” it may support the bias people with disabilities face daily. Disabled is not a bad word, so feel free to use it!
7. Do remember, no two people experience disability in the same way
If your family member, for example, has cerebral palsy (CP), you may feel like you understand what your coworker with CP experiences. However, be mindful that even people who have the same diagnosis can have vastly different experiences.
It’s also important to acknowledge that Black people with disabilities are more likely to face struggles that white disabled people do not—for instance, disabled Black people often have to work harder to get their disability diagnosed, and educators are more likely to dismiss disability symptoms as behavioral issues in Black children than in white children.
Even when a diagnosis has been given, Black, Latino, and Hispanic children are more likely to be diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder than Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, preventing them from getting the correct treatments—sometimes into adulthood. As it relates to the workplace, avoid making assumptions about what someone with a disability is capable of, and if you’re ever unsure, just ask.
Supporting colleagues with disabilities isn’t complicated. It simply boils down to showing all of your coworkers respect.
“With more than a quarter of adults in North America self-identifying as disabled, it’s probably safe to assume that everyone already has coworkers with disabilities,” Bungard said. “You don’t need to know about it to accept your coworkers as they are and to create a culture of mutual aid and support.”
I hope you find this article helpful.
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