“Transforming Human Resources (HR) Through Innovative Disability-Inclusive Policies and Practices” participants identified challenges to inclusive retention and potential solutions to address them.
On July 27, 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and its Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) hosted a virtual Think Tank, “Transforming HR Through Innovative Disability-Inclusive Policies and Practices.”
The Think Tank convened employers, consultants, community-based organizations, and disability advocates to identify innovative strategies for increasing workforce disability inclusion, both across industries and at the individual organization level. Discussion centered on inclusion throughout the employment lifecycle, including a session focused on retention. This report summarizes challenges to inclusive retention identified by participants during that session and potential solutions for addressing them.
Challenges: Retention
Participants were asked to think about common barriers to retaining and advancing employees with disabilities, including those who are also members of other historically underserved communities. The following is a summary of participants’ responses.
The absence of organizational action plans to address employee concerns may be perceived as a lack of interest or awareness of psychological safety. Psychological safety is defined as the sense that employees feel safe to engage in interpersonal exchanges that involve risk-taking, such as voicing concerns and providing honest feedback. [1][2] This can hurt the retention of employees with disabilities, especially those with nonapparent disabilities.
Employees need supportive managers who recognize a diversity of needs, including those of disabled employees, and promote an inclusive approach to performance evaluation. Lack of such support can hinder job satisfaction and, in turn, retention.
Ongoing fear of stigma and discrimination at work can discourage employees from disclosing disabilities or seeking accommodations they may need to perform at their best. This issue highlights the need for continuous open communication to foster inclusion and for expressions of commitment from top leadership.
There is a need to enhance workplace awareness and training on reasonable accommodations processes. In larger organizations, front-line managers may struggle to navigate the accommodation process. Successful accommodation policies and procedures require regular, open communication and collaboration between management and employees. Employers should also broadly enhance their understanding of the needs of employees with disabilities to facilitate more productive conversations and to ensure the right supports. Employers can use other resources, such as the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), to assist.
Employees with disabilities often face difficulties at work because of issues beyond accommodation access, such as physical obstacles, inaccessible technology, and company rules. These can be a bigger challenge in specific contexts. In rural areas, for example, employees may face limited options for transportation or broadband access. At a small business, factors like informal workplace culture, smaller organizational structure, and resource limitations may also deter disability disclosure. In addition, existing wellness programs, while beneficial for many, sometimes fail to consider the diverse needs of employees with disabilities.
Solutions: Retention
To identify solutions that promote the retention of employees with disabilities, Think Tank participants shared ideas regarding policies and practices that would have the most significant impact, especially for people with disabilities from historically underserved communities. The following is a summary of participants’ responses.
Maintaining psychological safety in the workplace requires organizations to be vigilant in supporting and communicating with their employees. To maintain psychological safety, employers can hold regular manager-staff listening sessions, take measures to reduce employee stress, and provide access to mental health services and supports. Workplaces that are psychologically safe for people with disabilities facilitate accommodation requests by establishing clear processes and communicating them regularly to employees through multiple channels. Consistent communication about why and how organizations offer accommodations can help reassure employees who take the risk of disclosing their disability and requesting accommodation that the employer wants to support their continued success.
Think Tank participants suggested that employers can enhance workplace inclusion by:
updating return-to-work policies regularly;
creating individualized stay-at-work or return-to-work plans for employees who experience injury or illness;
shifting perceptions of disability across the organization to include nonapparent and temporary conditions;
establishing a task bank for employees returning to work that includes jobs that those recovering from injuries can do;
providing temporary accommodations while accommodation requests are reviewed; and
embracing flexible policies to support employees’ needs as they change.
Policymakers and employee assistance professionals can promote employee assistance program (EAP) services and establish recognized certifications and organizational standards to ensure consistent and high-quality mental health services and supports for all employees.
Implement policies to assist workers with managing their educational debt and address concerns, such as potential loss of health care and public benefits, which may impact employees’ decisions regarding promotions and job changes because of increased income.
Convene local, county, state, and federal representatives to draft regional workforce development plans that ensure disability-inclusive policies and strategies address local needs and realities and lead to better results and policies.
Leadership buy-in and commitment are crucial for creating psychologically safe work environments for employees with disabilities, fostering interdepartmental collaboration, and allocating time for inclusive initiatives, such as employee resource groups.
To inform the development of retention programs and policies implemented within an organization, employers should:
engage in frequent data collection, and
make data-based decisions using sources such as employee satisfaction surveys, focus groups, exit interviews, and absenteeism data.
Resources
The following resources can help employers implement the solutions above:
Specific strategies on building inclusive business culture, improving retention processes, establishing effective communication processes, collecting data and developing accountability, and measuring effectiveness.
Exploration of how race, gender, sexuality, economic status, education level, and disability status can impact an employee’s point of view and workplace experience.
Includes statistics, strategies, evidence-based best practices, checklists, webinars, and case studies on creating a mentally healthy workplace and supportive culture for all employees, including employees with disabilities and others from historically marginalized communities.
An online training course that reviews general guidelines and best practices for communicating and interacting with applicants, employees, and customers with disabilities in a respectful way.
Endnotes
Newman, A., Donohue, R., & Eva, N. (2017). Psychological safety: A systematic review of the literature. Human Resource Management Review, 27(3), 521-535. Back to Text
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383. Back to Text
Embrace flexible work policies to encourage retention of employees with disabilities.
