The business case for disability inclusion

The reservoir where I walk my dog each day is like the watercooler at work. People from all walks of life—electricians, postal workers, scientists, doctors, and investors—stop to chat about the weather and other things on their mind, then continue on. 

I also often meet people with disabilities who linger a bit longer. They tell me they want to be at work in a role they love, but haven’t found an employer willing to hire them. Their deep talent isn’t being tapped, because companies see only their disability, not the potential value they bring to their workforce. 

I frequently see Samantha, a millennial with the type of writing skills that would be an asset in any communications department. She’s interviewed for numerous writing positions, and surmises she doesn’t get job offers because she was born with Tourette syndrome. 

Rather than see her extensive talent and potential for the value she would bring to the company, interviewers can’t help but focus on her Tourette facial tics. 

Samantha would much rather work than to survive on disability insurance. The world is being deprived of Samantha’s talent; Samantha is being deprived of a career.

By the numbers

There’s a surprisingly high number of people with disabilities around the world. According to the World Health Organization, “an estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16% of the world’s population, or 1 in 6 of us.”

The Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation tells us that “the most frequently mentioned barriers are employers’ (1) expectations that people with disabilities are unproductive, (2) expectations that people with disabilities cost a lot of money, and (3) lack of knowledge about disabilities.” These barriers are problematic for companies and people with disabilities.

Employers that don’t hire people with disabilities are missing out on improved performance metrics: A study by Accenture found that “companies that lead in disability inclusion drive more revenue, net income, and profit.” So there are compelling business reasons to hire talent with disabilities. 

Breaking down barriers

A company that feels there’s too much risk hiring people with disabilities, coupled with mistaken assumptions about how a disabled person will fit in, closes off that organization to an extensive pipeline of talented individuals who would make their workforce more dynamic and vibrant.

One of the aims of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was to break down barriers to employment and inclusion in the workplace. The law mandates equal treatment and reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. It ensures the physical workplace is accessible to individuals with different types of disabilities (think ramps, elevators, accessible work spaces and bathrooms). Another accommodation is remote work, depending on the position. Unfortunately, the law doesn’t—and can’t—address biases, such as concerns whether a person with disabilities will fit in.

Disabilities are often invisible. When a disability doesn’t present external signals that visibly announce a person is disabled, it often remains invisible. 

Invisible disabilities include chronic migraine headaches, stomach issues, bipolar disorder, and other medical conditions we can’t see. People with these kinds of disabilities have similar stellar talent qualities as those whose disabilities are visible. They too need the opportunity to shine by being hired and given accommodation.

Lifting stigmas and changing lives

While leading a growth-stage startup, I hired two talented individuals for leadership roles, each with bipolar disorder. Like most people with an invisible disability, neither disclosed theirs in the interview process—they worried that if they did, they wouldn’t be hired. 

In his New York Times article What Happens When You’re Disabled but Nobody Can Tell, Andrew Solomon says, “Disclosure remains the exception rather than the rule.” He quotes Norwegian scholar Susan Lingsom who tells us, “Social conventions support silence.” I found out about the two hires’ respective disabilities after they had been on the job for a considerable period of time.

Joel led international sales. Not just any sales leader, Joel spoke 11 languages fluently. His talent took our firm from doing business in a handful of countries to more than 100. He would travel for six weeks at a time, conducting and generating business across a range of countries in which he’d developed deep relationships.

The talented creative Ann led corporate communications. The consummate professional, Ann’s insights helped drive sales growth and racked up international design awards for our business. She built a global brand and marketing presence in the countries Joel had opened up for the company. She targeted the brand and marketing precisely to the market and culture. 

Joel and Ann would each engage in monthslong bursts of extraordinary productivity, followed by a short performance drop. We accommodated them by modifying our expectations when their respective performances were lower. 

A shining inspiration

I met swim coach Peter at the local YMCA. At 15 years, 118 pounds, and 5-foot-3, I had one overriding goal: to be recruited as a Division One swimmer. My small stature, coupled with being slower than some of the other competitive swimmers, would appear to have been a handicap. 

Peter wanted me to embrace a different mindset. He was an expert swimmer despite having been struck with polio in both legs. He used crutches to walk. 

He taught me how to optimize my strokes, and pushed back on my excuses about why I’d never be faster. His logic: if he could be a fast swimmer despite his compromised legs, I could overcome my physical challenges.

He focused me on the 200-yard butterfly as a way into Division One, because there would be fewer swimmers for me to compete against. Peter’s strategy worked. I became a D1 swimmer in the 200-yard fly.  

The forward-thinking ethos of that YMCA about hiring Peter so many years ago contributed to the success of many Division One swimmers. Peter inspired generations of young swimmers. 

The remote-work revolution

Now that work from home is acceptable, people with disabilities can perform their work remotely. This development is a relief for Individuals with disabilities who are continually adapting to a world that hasn’t been designed with their needs in mind. They have the grit and fortitude to overcome physical and mental barriers, traits that serve them well in a workplace that’s always changing, and full of seemingly intractable problems, setbacks, and uncertainties.

Seeking a position at the start of the pandemic, world GPS expert George interviewed virtually on Zoom. He self-accommodated by seeking out employers who wouldn’t require him to go into the office, because all his work could be performed remotely. This meant his limited mobility wouldn’t be an issue, nor would it interfere with his work. 

With his meetings on Zoom, George could be fully engaged. Virtual work eliminated the challenge of physically getting himself from one far-flung building to another to attend the many back-to-back meetings. 

A culture of diversity and inclusion must come from the top. Inclusion means that you include people with disabilities because often this talent pool may not have access to senior or mid-level roles they’d like to advance to. Ensure that within your organization, individuals with disabilities have equal opportunities for professional and career development.

You can model this within top leadership by hiring exceptional people for your teams who also have a disability. Find ways to offer remote work or flexible hours that accommodate a person with a disability, if the position allows for it. Never penalize those who perform exceptionally well but don’t have face time in the office due to accommodations. 

To create an inclusive and accessible environment, see the whole person who has certain needs. Work to understand individuals with both visible and invisible disabilities so that together you can determine the accommodation they need. Be a champion whose actions contribute to fostering a more inclusive and supportive society for everyone. The big benefit to your business will be even better results.