Most companies report that 4 to 7% of their employees have a disability.
Odds are, it’s more than that.
Businesses are dramatically underestimating the reality of disabilities in the workplace, according to a 2023 Boston Consulting Group (BCG) survey of 28,000 employees across 16 countries. It found that a staggering 25% of employees have a disability or health condition.
Disclosure can be difficult for people with disabilities, who may feel they risk stigma and discrimination. Too often, they work without the necessary accommodations, resulting in high turnover and low engagement.
Businesses must be proactive about the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace. Complacency isn’t just bad for employees—it’s also bad for business.
An Accenture study found companies that actively improve workplace inclusion earn 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income—and double the profit. They also outperform peers by 25% in productivity measures.
In this article, we’ll lay out how your company can foster a culture that supports all employees.
Understand how people with disabilities make a positive impact in the workplace:
People with physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities in the workplace bring diverse skill sets to the table—like problem-solving, creativity, and resilience—as well as new ideas and viewpoints. Their perspectives can help you reach new markets and develop untapped revenue streams.
And, importantly, inclusivity benefits all employees. At some point, we all face circumstances outside of our control that affect how we show up at work. Support measures bolster employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention. That kind of collective sense of belonging breeds innovation.
So, what disability inclusion strategies could your company benefit from? Here are some possibilities:
Rethink hiring and recruitment:
- Ensure hiring panels reflect the diversity of your company and prioritize inclusion. Trial interview approaches that consider a diverse range of disabilities.
- Encourage the use of inclusive language, including in job descriptions.
- Work with local, state, or educational organizations, such as the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion or PEAT, to identify and recruit talented individuals with disabilities.
- Educate yourself and your team on the unique skills and perspectives people with disabilities bring to the table.
Accommodate disabilities in the workplace:
Foster an inclusive culture:
- Implement organizational learning and training that highlights the experiences of people with disabilities in the workplace. Consider investing in a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultant to drive sustainable culture change.
- Develop formalized mentorship programs tied to onboarding to support career advancement.
- Prioritize accessibility across the workplace, from physical spaces to technology.
- Celebrate the achievements and contributions of all employees, including those with disabilities.
- Co-create your company values with employees, and use those values to drive connection and belonging.
- Run retrospectives. Too many companies run DEI programs that don’t drive results. Check in on your efforts the same way you would with major projects: set objectives, track results, benchmark against industry standards, and adjust as necessary. Be transparent with the company’s DEI metrics and progression.
Ensure equal rights and opportunities
In 2023, 22.5% of people with a disability in the US were employed—the highest number ever recorded. But major disparities persist: The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is still nearly twice that of the rest of the population. And Black adults with physical and mental disabilities in the workplace face unemployment disproportionately.
To create an inclusive workspace, you must first understand the laws that protect the rights of people with disabilities. Here’s what you need to know about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the workplace.
The Americans with Disabilities Act in the workplace
The ADA is a federal law that protects people from disability discrimination in the workplace and in other areas of public life. Under the ADA, employers must provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities who can perform the essential functions of the job. Accommodating disabilities in the workplace can mean anything from providing interpreters and reserved parking spaces to modifying work schedules.
Alongside the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 provides protections for employees against disability discrimination in the workplace. Employers should actively counter discrimination by employing people with disabilities, talking openly about disabilities, and making their workplaces accessible.
Prevent disability discrimination in the workplace
Integrate the Americans with Disabilities Act in the workplace with the following recommendations:
- Foster a culture where disability discrimination in the workplace is unacceptable and promote the benefits of diversity.
- Provide regular DEI training for all employees and promote the use of inclusive language.
- Establish employee resource groups (ERGs)—employee-led networks aligned to a company’s mission and values—for people with physical and mental disabilities in the workplace and allies.
- Make the workplace accessible by removing barriers and ensuring people with disabilities in the workplace can participate fully in working life, including when working from home.
- Appoint disability champions committed to promoting equality and tackling disability discrimination.
- Set up a disability network where employees can share experiences, support each other, and raise issues.
- Ensure managers understand their responsibility to support people with disabilities in the workplace and act as role models for inclusive behavior.
Promote an inclusive and supportive work culture
Building an inclusive workplace goes beyond legal compliance—it’s about making an authentic commitment to accommodating disabilities in the workplace.
In the following sections, we’ll discuss how you can foster a culture of inclusivity in your office.
Prevent disability discrimination in the workplace
To help prevent disability discrimination in the workplace and create a more inclusive culture, you should:
- Recruit and employ people with disabilities.
- Provide reasonable accommodations promptly and without bias.
- Ensure that all policies are inclusive and nondiscriminatory and that managers understand and apply them appropriately.
- Create accessible work environments by, for example, considering office access, the tools and technologies used by employees, and flexible work.
- Encourage allyship and support among all employees by talking openly about disabilities. Consider appointing disability champions or setting up staff disability networks.
Promote diversity and inclusion from the top
Leadership plays a crucial role in accommodating disabilities in the workplace. When executives and managers actively support and advocate for employees with disabilities, it sends a powerful message that trickles down through the entire organization.
Encourage your company leadership to:
- Regularly communicate the importance of accommodating disabilities in the workplace
- Model inclusive behavior and language
- Hold themselves and others accountable for creating an equitable workplace
- Visibly participate in groups, events, and initiatives aimed at driving inclusion
Provide training and resources for employees
Ongoing education and support are essential to maintaining an inclusive work environment.
Your company should provide employees with:
- Regular DEI and disability awareness training
- Access to resources—from assistive technology to ergonomic equipment
- Opportunities to learn about disability culture and history
- Spaces for open dialogue and learning
Create a disability network or an ERG
ERGs and networks provide a platform for people with disabilities in the workplace and their allies to connect, share experiences, and advocate for change.
These groups can:
- Offer mentorship and professional development opportunities
- Raise awareness about physical and mental disabilities in the workplace and celebrate achievements
- Collaborate with leadership to identify areas for improvement
- Foster a sense of community and belonging for all employees
Designate someone in management to be a disability champion
Appointing a designated disability champion can help hold teams accountable to DEI policies. The champion should be a leader who is committed to driving systemic change.
The designated disability champion:
- Develops and implements inclusion initiatives
- Advocates for accommodating disabilities in the workplace
- Ensures that disability inclusion remains a top priority in decision-making processes
- Serves as a voice for people with disabilities in the C-suite and acts as a liaison on sensitive topics
- Builds out internal communications on policies and procedures
Hire and support people with disabilities in the workplace
Managers play a direct role in recruiting, hiring, and supporting employees with disabilities. They must ensure that hiring practices are fair and inclusive. Managers must also identify and implement accommodations, maintain open lines of communication, ensure evaluations are unbiased, and advocate for the professional development of people with disabilities in the workplace.
Consider all types of disabilities
Disabilities come in many forms. Your employees may be contending with physical or cognitive disabilities in the workplace. They may be neurodivergent, contending with chronic illness, or have sensory disabilities.
Some disabilities are not apparent, and that doesn’t make them any less important. By acknowledging the wide range of disabilities in the workplace, you’ll build a stronger culture of inclusion.
Accommodating disabilities in the workplace
Accommodating disabilities in the workplace is both a legal requirement and a key component of inclusion.
When accommodating disabilities in the workplace, you should:
- Work collaboratively with employees to identify their unique needs and find customized solutions—accommodations aren’t one-size-fits-all
- Invest in assistive technologies that bolster accessibility
- Foster a culture where requesting accommodations is seen as a positive, proactive step
- Create a centralized budget specifically for accomodations
Implement DEI analytics
Data is a powerful tool for measuring and advancing DEI efforts. Regularly and transparently reporting on DEI metrics fosters accountability and allows leadership to make data-driven decisions.
Organizations should track representation across various dimensions of diversity at different levels of seniority—including pay, promotion rates, employee engagement, and retention. Leveraging AI for analysis can help HR teams identify areas for improvement.
A metrics-focused approach helps leadership surface issues, measure progress, and demonstrate commitment to inclusion.
Understand industry standards and averages
Benchmarking against industry averages can contextualize your DEI initiatives and ensure that you’re keeping pace with progress.
Comparing representation to peer organizations and the wider labor market will highlight gaps and crystallize your goals. Review external benchmarks regularly to improve your decision-making on inclusion policies and programs.
Consider DEI consulting
While internal champions are crucial, working with a DEI consultant can fast-track your inclusion efforts. Consultants conduct assessments to identify the root causes of workplace inequity, such as biased hiring practices or promotion criteria.
They can suggest tried-and-tested strategies and guide the implementation of new policies, programs, and training sessions. Consultants’ credibility and expertise can help secure buy-in from senior leadership and keep initiatives on track.
Creating an inclusive workplace
There’s a misconception that DEI is all about compliance. But making your office more inclusive will create a supportive, positive work environment for all employees—which can bolster engagement, retention, and revenue. It’s a win-win.
However, inclusion requires an ongoing, intentional effort. As outlined in this article, key strategies involve accommodating disabilities in the workplace, implementing targeted training, making hiring fairer, and regularly monitoring progress.
At Intuit, we’re committed to authentic, systemic change. We’ve made inclusion central to our company culture by investing in refined hiring and promotion policies, ERGs, mentorship programs, and strategic partnerships. For more on our progress, check out our 2023 DEI Report.