An HR leader shares ways that investing in workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities can help organizations reach their key objectives.
By Maggie Mancini
Over 70 million people reported having a disability in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the unemployment rate among people with disabilities is nearly twice as high (7.5%) as for those without disabilities (3.8%). Organizations willing to make accommodations—which often cost little to nothing for the employer—to support employees with disabilities can leverage this underutilized workforce to drive business outcomes, says Amanda King, vice president of human resources at SourceAmerica. HRO Today recently sat down with King to discuss common misconceptions surrounding workplace accommodations for disabled employees and ways that HR leaders can invest in accessibility to drive key objectives.
HRO Today: What are some common misconceptions about workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities?
Amanda King: Often, organizations have the misconception that accommodations are expensive and the process to meet the law’s requirements for full compliance is complicated. When you’re faced with competing priorities, such as pressures from customers or demands from shareholders, sometimes the needs of employees can be overlooked—especially if your organization is under the impression that meeting an accommodation will cost you time and financial resources.
Employees may have the misconception that making an accommodation request could result in retaliation. There may be concerns that making an accommodation request implies that they are a difficult employee, unable to perform job duties, or aren’t dedicated to the fiscal responsibility of the organization.
With these competing pressures, sometimes both parties will avoid having the conversation altogether.
In reality, reasonable accommodations are often inexpensive or even free. According to an employer survey conducted by the Job Accommodation Network, 56% of workplace accommodations cost nothing to implement, and those that do have a median cost of just $300. The right to reasonable accommodations is also protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, so employees should feel empowered to ask their employers for what they need to do their best work—it’s the employer’s responsibility to provide it.
HROT: Why is it important to invest in accessibility for those employees?
King: Providing reasonable accommodations means every employee can perform well and achieve organizational goals. Considering accommodations in that way—as a tool to reach organizational goals—is a positive for all involved.
Many reasonable accommodations are inexpensive and simply involve flexibility to meet the specific needs of the employee and the organization. Even an inexpensive accommodation as simple as making a workstation more comfortable can result in increased productivity. As mentioned, 56% of workplace accommodations cost nothing, and those that do have a median cost of just $300—making accommodations an affordable way to invest in the well-being of employees while achieving organizational goals.
HROT: How can these investments lead to observable business outcomes?
King: The results of investment into productivity improvements are difficult to quantify. Many employers look at the correlation of hard costs of accommodations (time off, equipment, software, etc.), the results of performance measures for employees given accommodations, and the retention rates of those employees compared to peers with no accommodations. These metrics are difficult to directly correlate, but they can give you a general idea of the efficacy of your investment. This is especially the case if your organization partakes in high-risk activities, such as repetitive movements, requiring a high volume of work travel or has high turnover in certain departments.
Employees have noted that an employer’s willingness to implement workplace accommodations often plays a factor in their decision to stay with the company. Employees often credit accommodations as reasons they stay with a company, because it demonstrates that their employer cares and sees their value. Access to accommodations communicates to employees that management is willing to work with them, which in turn makes employees more willing to work with management. For example, granting a temporary accommodation that provides an employee with the flexibility needed to recover from an injury, could result in the employee returning to full-time work in better health than before and with a renewed dedication to their role and organization.
Keep in mind that every workplace is different, and as such, accommodation needs will vary for your employees. Conducting stay interviews or engagement surveys that include questions about workplace accommodations can provide insights into what matters most to your employees.
HROT: What are some actionable ways that HR and business leaders can help make disability inclusion a leadership priority?
King: The language an HR professional uses to describe these practices to business leaders is important to get their buy-in. The use of legal or buzzword phrasing may not resonate well with business leaders and should be avoided when possible. Instead, reframe the conversation to talk about the potential positive impact workplace accommodations can have on productivity, profitability, time on the job, and improved retention. These are measurable outcomes that resonate with any savvy business leader. In my experience, adjusting how you present these employee programs to align with leadership priorities creates a better opportunity to implement and expand them for everyone’s benefit.
HROT: How can HR leaders provide a disability-inclusive culture and address non-inclusive behaviors like microaggressions and harassment?
King: When I’ve led training on microaggressions and harassment, every time, there are audience members who are shocked they conduct themselves in a way that may seem aggressive or harassing to others. This tells me that “holding the mirror” up to your employees can help them understand how their behaviors can be interpreted by others. Often, employees can make minor tweaks to improve their relationships with others and establish a more positive working environment.
When it comes to developing a positive company culture, commitment needs to come from more than just the top. Every person in the organization should understand that everyone’s actions have an influence on the collective tone of the team. Establishing a respectful culture where every employee feels comfortable includes education to help employees see how an equitable workplace culture can benefit them instead of how they will be disciplined if they don’t comply.
Amanda King is the vice president of human resources at SourceAmerica.
