January 8, 2024
When looking for a job, most would likely say they value good pay and benefits over anything else, but what if you had a disability? For the one in four Americans with a disability, finding a place to work is far more complicated than simply looking at the numbers. They need to know if it's a place where they will be accepted, valued, and where they will be given respect and not treated differently from others. In other words, individuals with disabilities need to evaluate a company's DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) initiatives before making their decision.
SourceAmerica conducted an Employment Inclusion Survey to help better understand how American workers with and without disabilities view inclusion factors within a workplace. This survey included 1,000 workers with a disability and 1,000 without, and here is what they found:
Discrimination or judgment based on a person’s disability, also known as ableism, is a topic that is rarely discussed, but it can play a big role in the hiring process whether or not a recruiter is aware of this bias. The survey found that 57% of disabled workers believe that their disability has limited their opportunities, and 43% of all respondents believe those with disabilities are not given equal opportunities in terms of employment and workplace advancement.
The study also revealed troubling numbers when it came to workplace discrimination. 68% of disabled respondents reported seeing acts of discrimination against those with disabilities in the workplace. Unfortunately, only 32% of the surveyed respondents without a disability claimed to have seen an act of discrimination. Fifty-eight percent of disabled respondents experienced workplace discrimination as early as their interview, compared to twenty-six percent of those without a disability.
Perhaps the most troubling figure however, is that over half (59%) of respondents with disabilities left a job due to a case of discrimination. In contrast, only 26% of the non-disabled respondents claimed to have left a job due to discrimination.
As mentioned earlier, workplace DEIA initiatives play a huge role in employment decisions for disabled Americans. Of the 2,000 surveyed individuals who were familiar with DEIA, 70% believed that these initiatives need to place a greater emphasis on people with disabilities. Also of note, 67% believed that these DEIA initiatives are essential for those with barriers to employment, including the disabled population.
Workplace DEIA initiatives can be a difficult project to begin, especially the accessibility aspect. It is recommended that organizations work with outside experts to implement an effective DEIA campaign that produces real results within a business.
A near unanimous share (93%) were in favor of government and private/public sectors actively supporting employment opportunities for the disabled community, and 37% were in favor of the government working with employers to set goals in terms of disability employment and inclusion. While government intervention within a business may be scary, the primary objective is goal setting to ensure strong disability representation in the workforce.
Certain ways in which the government can support disability inclusion and employment include: collaboration with disability focused groups, promoting stories of successful individuals with disabilities in the workforce, ensuring workplaces are up to standards and accommodations, and many more.
Some of the many discriminatory acts that those with disabilities in the workplace have faced are: jokes, inequality, information and resources withheld, excluded and ignored, not taken seriously, and negative attitudes. Imagine yourself being in a position where you had to deal with these acts every time you went to work, wouldn’t you want someone to do something about it?
The majority of people will experience a disability in their life at one point or another. It can happen at any time and can be temporary or permanent. It is in the best interest of all human beings to understand the lives of people with disabilities and fight for their inclusion, not only because they may end up in their shoes one day, but because it is morally and ethically the right thing to do.
The survey included certain suggestions on what employers can do to start promoting inclusion. Some of these included: Flexible work arrangements and reasonable accommodations, educating all employees through proper training, increased representation, and equal hiring and promotion practices. The survey also listed certain DEIA initiatives that had the greatest impact on disabled workers, including: Diversity training, flexible work accommodations, resource groups, inclusive policies, and accessibility initiatives.
As an organization, taking DEIA more seriously is excellent for your brand, but finding where to start can be a real challenge. At Wandke Accessibility, our disability inclusion trainings can help educate employees and employers alike on how to be an advocate and create a workplace that promotes inclusion, equity, diversity, and accessibility.
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