Disability Inclusion: Attract and Retain More Diverse Talent for a Thriving Workforce

Here’s how to build more inclusive workplaces and hiring processes that support better work and your business objectives.

Key Takeaways

• Embedding disability inclusion in organisational culture can take many forms, from skills-based hiring to the images, fonts and language your company uses.
• Leveraging technology, including AI, can increase accessibility and address hidden biases.
• Leadership must reflect employees' diverse backgrounds, including those with disabilities — promote this with a focus on upskilling and internal promotions.

Building a disability-inclusive future of work requires rethinking and challenging what we currently accept as “normal” business practices. However, that does not mean it has to be disruptive or costly. With a mindful, holistic approach to dismantling systemic barriers, it is possible to make small but impactful changes that drive greater accessibility and equity in the workplace and also align with your business goals.

“We must push for systemic change in a world often driven by trends and conformity,” says Keely Cat-Wells, founder and CEO of Making Space, a talent acquisition and learning platform that creates new pathways to employment and career advancement for disabled people. “It is challenging, but success is attainable if we dare to step outside the norm and listen to disabled people.” 

While ensuring all individuals can fully participate in the workforce will take sustained societal action, organizations can lead the way. Here’s how to close the disability employment gap and cultivate a more inclusive culture to shape a better future of work for all.

What Is the Disability Employment Gap?

The disability employment gap is the difference in employment rates between people with and without disabilities around the world. . The United Nations shows that, in developing countries, more than 80% of people who identify as having a disability are unemployed.

What drives this disparity? Barriers and biases often exclude people with disabilities from the workforce. Many children with disabilities face unmet needs in school and may even be discouraged from pursuing higher education. As a result, they often enter adulthood with valuable skills but without a college degree, leading to exclusion from hiring processes that overly rely on educational credentials.

Another significant barrier is the widespread misconception that accommodations are costly and challenging to implement.. 

“By breaking down these barriers, we can create a work environment that is more equitable, resilient and adaptable to change,” Cat-Wells says.

Suggestions for Embedding Disability Inclusion in the Workplace and Hiring

Closing the disability employment gap and supporting better work for people with disabilities requires meaningful action. Here are six strategies to help support and empower applicants and employees with disabilities so you can strengthen your workforce, widen your talent pool and help ensure these workers thrive within your organisation.

1. Normalise disability inclusion

Integrating disability education at every level of your organisation is essential for creating an inclusive workplace. Make it a standard part of the onboarding training process to help establish disability inclusion as a cultural norm. Provide general knowledge and inclusive etiquette training to all employees to help facilitate more respectful interactions with coworkers with disabilities. 

Elevate your Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) so they have a voice in the business and can lead cultural adoptions that will drive long-term change.  For example, Cat-Wells says, “Disabled people have long led the fight for remote work opportunities, yet it was only widely accepted when a global pandemic forced the issue. This shows the deep-seated biases and underrepresentation of disabled voices in decision-making roles.”

2. Embrace skills-first hiring practices

If you have not yet, consider pivoting to a skills-first hiring approach. Prioritizing the skills and experiences candidates bring to the table will enable you to move beyond biases related to educational backgrounds or perceived capabilities and focus on the value these individuals contribute.

3. Integrate AI-driven inclusion efforts

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly important for employers aiming to create a more inclusive and diverse workplace. AI-driven technologies such as Apple’s Personal Voice, Microsoft’s Copilot and Be My Eyes’ Be My AI are advancing workplace accessibility and integrating assistive technology into everyday operations. In addition, applying AI in the workplace and hiring can help promote disability inclusion through:

• Bias reduction: AI may help mitigate the influence of unconscious bias during candidate selection by focusing on skills and qualifications rather than assumptions about disabilities, which could lead to a more equitable hiring process.
• Preinterview support: AI tools that share automated interview reminders and questions in advance can help all candidates better prepare while supporting greater equity and access for neurodivergent candidates in particular.
• Accessibility features: AI-powered platforms can include accessibility features such as captioning and voice-to-text, improving the day-to-day work experience for employees with diverse needs.
• AI-enabled manager training: AI-based training tools can help managers learn to use diverse communication methods and tools and engage more effectively with team members who use assistive technologies.

It’s important to remember that, while AI offers significant potential to enhance inclusivity, it also risks perpetuating existing biases, especially if historical data that reflects societal prejudices informs the algorithms. Humans must stay at the heart of all people-related issues, using AI as a tool, not a replacement for direct interaction, to drive responsible AI adoption.

4. Offer universal accommodations

Making accommodations a standard part of your workplace infrastructure reduces duplicative efforts and eases the pressure on individuals to disclose disabilities. As a result, many employees may struggle to reach their full potential due to fears of discrimination. 

Universal accommodations like captioned video meetings, meeting-free periods, mandatory agendas, noise-cancelling headphones and voice-to-text technologies provide essential support to all employees as their needs evolve. By highlighting these in job postings, hiring processes and internal communications, companies can reduce the need for disability disclosure, remove barriers to inclusion and broaden their talent pool — creating a more inclusive, productive workplace for everyone.

5. Provide accessible upskilling opportunities

Implement accessible training programs that cater to various learning styles and needs for all areas of your organisation. Flexible learning options, including online courses and self-paced modules, allow employees to upskill at their own pace and according to their schedules. 

Fostering a culture of continuous learning through mentorship and coaching ensures that every employee, regardless of disability identification, has the support needed to grow with your organisation and keep up to date with valuable skills.

6. Elevate disability leadership in the workplace

Including people with disabilities in leadership roles, from management to development and product ideation, ensures that the lived experiences of employees and clients with disabilities are represented and addressed. Their insights are crucial for identifying and rectifying areas that need improvement. This includes promoting mentorship and upskilling programs for employees with disabilities who may have experienced barriers to leadership opportunities.

Indeed collaborates with Making Space to upskill individuals with disabilities in AI prompt engineering, ensuring that underrepresented voices contribute to the growth and ethical application of emerging technologies.

“We must champion, fund and uplift disabled leaders,” Cat-Wells says. “It' i crucial to make space for flexibility and innovation, allowing disabled people and their non-disabled colleagues to truly thrive in their work, as opposed to just trying to make it through another day at work or another day searching for work.”