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Section V. Tallying Business Benefits

Explore the business benefits of investing in accommodation and accessibility in the workplace in this section of the Workplace Accommodation and Accessibility Policy Toolkit.

Learning Center / Workplace Accommodation and Accessibility Policy Toolkit

When employers implement programs to recruit, hire, retain, and promote disabled employees, they soon realize additional benefits beyond hiring a qualified employee. Benefits range from higher revenue to increased overall company morale. With minimal investment, employers can begin reaping the benefits.

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Policy
Assessment
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Policy
Development
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Policy in
Practice

Policy Assessment

1. What are the benefits of integrating disability into policies and practices?

Organizations that intentionally hire people with disabilities create a more positive and supportive work environment for all employees. These qualities contribute to higher retention rates, less turnover, and greater productivity. With 11% of U.S. working-age adults (18–64) having a disability, direct investment in disability employment is a high priority for employers to fill job openings. A recent study (PDF) found that companies identified as disability employment leaders had on average: 60% higher revenue, 2.6 times the net income, and double the economic profit compared to their counterparts.[1] There is also evidence that employees with disabilities stay in jobs longer, in turn reducing costs associated with recruiting, hiring, and training new employees.

2. What are the benefits of frictionless accommodation policies and practices?

Reasonable accommodations are typically low cost and high impact. In a survey by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), employers report that the benefits of providing accommodations far outweigh their associated costs. Most employers (56%) report incurring little to no cost to accommodate employees with disabilities and paying no more than $300 for most accommodations that carried a one-time cost. The JAN survey also asked employers about direct and indirect benefits due to having made an accommodation. Below are the percentages of employers who reported experiencing various benefits.

Direct Benefits

  • Retained a valued employee: 85%
  • Increased the employee’s productivity: 53%
  • Increased the employee’s attendance: 48%
  • Eliminated costs associated with training a new employee: 47%
  • Reduced workers’ compensation or other insurance costs: 23%
  • Hired a qualified person with a disability: 18%
  • Promoted an employee: 7%

Indirect Benefits

  • Improved interactions with coworkers: 35%
  • Increased safety: 29%
  • Increased overall company morale: 29%
  • Improved interactions with customers: 22%
  • Increased overall company productivity: 20%
  • Increased overall company attendance: 18%

3. What are the benefits of policies and practices that reinforce physical and digital accessibility?

When physical and digital accessibility principles are integrated into the design of products, devices, services, activities, and facilities, people with and without disabilities benefit, and in the workplace context, so do their employers. Benefits to employees include increased job satisfaction and reduced fear of injury. Benefits to employers further include access to a broader talent pool, lower workers’ compensation costs, and improved compliance rates.

Typical considerations for workplace physical accessibility include, but are not limited to, parking, entrances and exits, and interior areas (offices, restrooms, meeting and common areas, and elevators). In certain situations, tax incentives can remediate these types of physical barriers.

Many employees also rely on digital accessibility to participate in virtual spaces and engage in everyday tasks. Digital accessibility is critical for high-performing businesses and can result in:

  • Improved and expanded recruitment
  • Increased retention
  • Employee success
  • Cost-effectiveness
  • Corporate image
  • Reduced legal costs

The World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) also highlights the benefits of digital accessibility. WAI develops standards and support materials to help implement digital accessibility initiatives. The organization completed several case studies highlighting the benefits of digital accessibility, which included driving innovation, enhancing a brand, extending market reach, and minimizing legal risk. 

Policy Development

Questions to Ask

Ask your organization the following questions to collect data that measures the impact and performance of disability-focused policies and practices.

  • Sample Policy[2]

    Employers who want to start reaping the benefits of hiring and retaining employees with disabilities do not have to start from scratch. Many organizations have successfully integrated their employees with disabilities into their workplaces and are willing to share their policies and practices. Here are some examples:

Policy in Practice

Investing in accommodation and accessibility results in positive return-on-investment. Studies consistently show that when organizations create policies that strengthen the accommodation experience and accessibility initiatives, employee satisfaction and workplace productivity rise significantly.

Endnotes

  1. Accenture Research assessed 346 leading disability-inclusive companies with select data between 2015 and 2022 and identified 103 of the 346 as disability employment leaders who provide leading-edge disability programs and initiatives. The study compared three measures of financial performance (revenue, net income, profitability) between disability employment leaders relative to other companies in the sample.
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  2. This Sample Policy does not necessarily represent legal obligations, but instead reflects topics that employers and employees may voluntarily choose to address. The Sample Policies do not constitute legal advice by the U.S. Department of Labor and do not reflect the full range of laws that may apply in every situation, including local and state laws that may provide additional protections and requirements. Employers should review local, state, and federal laws to ensure they are in compliance with the law that provides the most protections for employees and should include additional legal requirements as necessary.

    This publication is for general information to provide a voluntary resource for employers and is not considered in the same light as official statements of position. The contents of this Sample Policy do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way.
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Introduction Acing the Basics Developing an Efficient and Responsive Accommodation Process Developing an Effective Accessibility Program Linking Accessibility and Accommodation Policy Tallying Business Benefits Resources

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