There’s some good news when it comes to disability inclusion at work: New research shows that employees today are mostly open to disclosing their condition. But when it comes to requesting accommodation from their bosses, they are still afraid of being judged, rejected, or discriminated against.
About 88% of workers with disabilities disclosed their status to at least one person at work, and 78% said they told HR, according to a new study. reconnaissance From consulting firm Deloitte, which surveyed 10,000 people with disabilities, chronic health conditions or those with neurological differences, between January and April 2024.
A high rate of public disclosure is a good thing, because it means more employees want to be open about their workplace experience. But that doesn’t mean everyone isn’t interested in doing it. Nearly 20% of people with disabilities say they worry about discrimination from their supervisor if they disclose it, and 22% worry about their career advancement being affected if a higher-up or manager doubts their ability to do their job. These feelings are valid. 41% of those surveyed say they have been bullied at work in the past 12 months. This applies to other data as well; Out of 110 lawsuits filed Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) In 2024, nearly half (48 cases) fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
But concerns among employees with disabilities escalate even more when it comes to requesting a workplace accommodation, which can include anything from crafting alternative schedules, to adjusting noise and lighting levels in the office. Of the people who disclosed their disability at work, 75% had not asked their employer to provide them with an accommodation. This may be due to their previous inability to obtain consent. 74% of respondents say they have had at least one application rejected, and nearly 20% say they have had all formal inquiries rejected. Of employees with disabilities whose requests were rejected, 41% were told it was too expensive, 30% were told it would be too inconvenient to implement, and 29% were told it was simply unreasonable.
“Employees may not ask for accommodations because they automatically assume they won’t get them,” says Emma Codd, global head of diversity, equity and inclusion at Deloitte. luck. She points out that this is why it’s important for HR teams to inform people about how the accommodation process works, and to let people know what options are available.
There are of course ways to provide flexibility to workers at no cost to employers, such as offering remote work, alternative schedules, frequent breaks, or private work spaces. These types of requests are often easier to get approved for this reason, Codd says. However, employees with disabilities may worry that if they request a flexible work schedule, their lack of in-person attendance may hold them back professionally.
Loss of professional opportunities ranks first (39%) as the reason these employees choose not to work remotely, and 30% cite concerns about people thinking less of them due to abandoning the office. About 60% of workers with disabilities say they were unable to attend a work event because it was not accessible, according to the study.
“These are really important events, the kind of important moments we talk about,” Codd says. “This level of exclusion cannot be productive. You cannot have an engaged workforce.”
Fortunately, there are ways HR leaders can improve their company’s integration process. When asked for their views on what employers could do better, nearly a quarter of respondents (24%) indicated that the workplace could be more physically accessible, followed by making disability inclusion a key priority discussed at board level (16 %). Participants also say that having a clear role model with disabilities in their company would help foster a more inclusive culture, although the study notes that these are often few and far between.
“It’s very important for leaders to stand up and say, ‘I’m a person with a disability,’” Codd says. “Research shows how important it is for those with similar issues to have access to role models, people with disabilities, chronic health conditions or neurological differences.”
Brett Morse
brett.morse@fortune.com
Today’s edition has been curated by Emma Burley.
Around the table
A summary of the most important human resources titles.
The Biden administration is working to end a law that has allowed companies to pay their disabled employees less than the minimum wage for decades. New York Times
Walmart recently became the largest retailer to withdraw from the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index amid conservative-led pressure against “wokeism.” NBC News
Agricultural giant Cargill plans to lay off 5% of its global workforce, representing about 8,000 employees, as the company faces pressure on crop prices and beef supplies. Wall Street Journal
Some discouraged job seekers on LinkedIn offer cash rewards, use “desperate” profile banners, and become vulnerable to trying to attract new opportunities. The Washington Post
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