Workplace Accessibility: Why It Matters And How To Improve It

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An accessible workplace — one that eliminates barriers so people of all abilities can fully access and use the space — plays a crucial role in taking your company from a burnout culture to a wellness culture. When all employees feel included and supported, they’re naturally happier, satisfied, and less stressed — employee retention increased for 89% of employers who prioritized workplace accessibility, 72% saw an increase in productivity, and 46% saw enhancements in employee safety. Almost 50% of workplace modifications also cost employers $0, yet they improve the employee experience tenfold. So, by fulfilling your legal obligations, asking employees for their recommendations, and providing company-wide disability inclusion education, you can successfully reap the rewards of workplace accessibility. 

Fulfill your legal obligations. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that employers provide “reasonable accommodations” to employees or qualified job candidates, and this is a great area to focus your accessibility efforts on initially. Covering your legal obligations ensures the most critical disability modifications are implemented immediately and breaks up your ultimate goal of 100% workplace inclusion into smaller, easier-to-manage steps. Reasonable accommodations describe any necessary change to a role or work environment that allows employees with disabilities to do their jobs unencumbered. So, for instance, if you’re hiring a new employee with a visual impairment, provide a screen magnifier for their workstation — this is an assistive technology that magnifies computer screen content to prevent eye strain and fatigue. Laying colorful, textured floor mats can also help employees with visual impairments see and move around different office parts more easily. These slight modifications can genuinely make all the difference for some. Accessible parking spaces are another crucial reasonable modification that should not be forgotten. According to the ADA, the parking spots nearest the building entrance must be designated accessible spaces. Employees with mobility issues, visual impairments, or chronic pain conditions can particularly benefit from close access to the main doors so as not to overexert themselves when entering and exiting the building. 

Consult your employees

Once you’ve fulfilled your legal requirements, ask employees with disabilities for suggestions on other modifications that can take workplace accessibility to the next level. Any recommended changes shouldn’t directly impact their job performance (as your reasonable accommodations should already have this covered) but rather eliminate secondary challenges that stop the work from being as easy as it could be. For example, an employee with a hearing disability may be grateful for the presence of a sign language interpreter during meetings, so they’re able to join in the discussion. But they may now suggest a visual alert (like a vibrating pager) to notify them of important messages. You may also find assistive technologies are a popular recommendation across all employees. For instance, employees who aren’t strong typers can benefit from voice-to-text software that lets them work faster with fewer errors. You could offer financial support to employees for a wide range of mobility aids, as these are often expensive yet an incredibly crucial way for people to be able to interact with the world. Either way, asking employees what else they’d want to see done to improve inclusivity is the best way to access ideas you wouldn’t otherwise think of yourself.

Educate employees on disability inclusion. 

Educating your employees on disability inclusion ensures they understand exactly what they need to do to create an inclusive workplace that supports their colleagues. So, teach best practices like the importance of reserving front-row seats during meetings or talks for employees with hearing impairments who use lipreading to understand what’s being said. It’s also important that everyone receives supporting documents or slides before upcoming meetings; this ensures people have time to read over and digest the information (with the help of a screen magnifier if needed). Also, talk to your employees about the challenges people with disabilities face in the workplace. In turn, they’ll develop empathy and gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the experiences of others. This is an important step that works to erode any stigma surrounding disability and ultimately makes it easier for people to reach out for help.

Workplace accessibility can play a crucial role in your overall burnout-prevention strategy. Creating an environment that welcomes and uplifts employees of all abilities can increase productivity, job satisfaction, and talent retention in the long term.