Do you know about Workplace in Action? It’s a worldwide initiative focused on assisting corporations in establishing sustainable and holistic diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. From training, to assessments and surveys, to certification and maturity analysis – this robust and comprehensive program is like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
And the best part? I’m one of their executive trainers! I’m thrilled to be the team’s expert on accessibility and disability inclusion.
Recently, I was invited to host a webinar on Accessibility & Disability Inclusive Workplaces. We packed so much great information into one short hour, and I wanted to share this recap to provide some additional resources.
Disability Statistics
We started off the webinar by examining the disability landscape. According to recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 6, or 1.3 billion total people worldwide are living with a disability. Only 17% of disabled people were born with their disabilities – but disabilities become more prevalent with age.
Since my audience for this webinar was global, we included some statistics from European countries for reference.
- WHO Disability Fact Sheet
- Institute for Public Policy Research: Work for Disabled People
- EU Agency for Fundamental Human Rights: People with Disabilities
Looking for more statistics on Accessibility & Disability Inclusive Workplaces? I linked to several in the recap of my DisruptHR Las Vegas talk.
Disability Laws
We had so many different countries in attendance for the webinar, and I covered some of the most well-known and applicable laws in Europe and around the world. A great reference I found for specifics on each country was this Global Directory from Disability:IN.
Another great resource was a blog post from Level Access on Navigating International Accessibility Laws. These resources together let us share with our participants the most up-to-date and applicable accessibility and disability inclusion laws that apply to their location.
Accessibility & Disability Inclusive Workplaces: Accessibility At Work
Remember that discussion about Accessible Presentation Software? I had promised to give Poll Everywhere a try, and it was a lifesaver for this webinar! The meeting chat was useful for asking and answering questions, but I wanted to grab tangible data on the areas of discussion that were most relevant to the participants. We asked, “Which of these areas present the most accessibility challenges for you?”
Benefits of Disability Inclusion
Some of the benefits of accessibility and disability inclusion are obvious, while other benefits might surprise you.
- Stronger Talent Pool: Businesses that embrace disability inclusion gain access to a wider range of qualified candidates.
- Employee Engagement and Retention: Studies show a positive correlation between disability inclusion and employee retention rates.
- Access for Everyone: Disability inclusion benefits everyone. It creates a more equitable society where all individuals, regardless of ability, can participate fully in education, employment, and community life.
- Innovation and Problem-Solving: People with disabilities bring unique experiences and approaches to the table, fostering creativity and innovation in tackling problems.
- Financial Gain: Companies that prioritize disability inclusion often see higher revenue, net income, and profit margins.
- Improved Reputation: Disability inclusion demonstrates a commitment to diversity and equality, leading to a more positive public image.
Case Studies
Sharing success stories from companies that are doing disability inclusion right is one of my favorite parts of presenting this topic! There are some wonderful organizations making a different for their employees with disabilities.
In this webinar, we highlighted case studies from Aetna, Meta (Facebook), Delta, and P&G.
Accessibility & Disability Inclusive Workplaces: Creating an Inclusive Culture
So many more resources to share! There’s never enough time to discuss them all, but here are a few of our favorites we shared in the webinar.
Reading Material
Our recommended reading list includes Disability Visibility by Alice Wong and Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau. I’m especially excited about the upcoming ABC Disability children’s book from three-time Paralympian swimmer, medal-winner and disability advocate Sarah Rose.
Looking for more books about Accessibility & Disability Inclusive Workplaces? I shared several in this NDEAM post last year.
Videos
Disability inclusion is a popular topic for TED Talks. We shared a couple of our favorites during the webinar.
There are several more great TED Talks out there about Disability Inclusive Workplaces. Check out this post from NDEAM last year for more!
Accessibility & Disability Inclusive Workplaces: Q&A
We ended the session with a robust question and answer session, covering everything from disability awareness to disclosure in the workplace to accessible physical spaces.
Some common themes in the answers were around changing attitudes and perspectives about people with disabilities, and thinking creatively about solutions for accommodations and inclusive events.
Want to learn more about Workplace in Action, and how your company can benefit from DEI services designed to support organizations in their efforts to create more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces? Get in touch!
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