How to Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month and “See All People as People”

October, by National Disability Employment Awareness Monthis a time to commemorate the contributions of people with disabilities to the American workplace and economy.

And these contributions are significant: According to the US Bureau of Labor Statisticsthe employment rate of disabled people reached a record high in 2023, and the employment rate of working-age men and women with disabilities was 38.2% and 36.1%, respectively.

However, working-age adults with disabilities still have lower employment rates than their non-disabled counterparts.

Disabled and neurodiverse workers can feel more welcome in the workforce, and employers can help fill this employment gap if they are valued for all they bring to work, experts say.

Hiring workers with physical disabilities or neurodiverse workers is “an opportunity to learn more about each other and share experiences — and really just welcome all of us as adults and as humans,” said Joseph Pancari, president and CEO CP Unlimited.

Grow your workforce by hiring and welcoming all types of people

Making disabled and neurodiverse workers feel welcome at work starts with education, Pancari said. “It’s about seeing people – all people – as people,” he said.

Part of celebrating differences in skills will require bridging the gap in understanding. According to the March report by Eagle Hill Consulting68% of U.S. workers say they are unfamiliar with the term “neurodiverse,” and only 22% know they work with a neurodiverse co-worker.

According to labor experts, employers must communicate openly and frequently about how they are trying to support employees from different backgrounds, especially those with disabilities.

This work should be done in the same way that something like security, collaboration, teamwork or innovation can already be done, said Stephen Paskoff, CEO of human capital consulting firm ELI. “This requires organizational commitment from leaders who realize that bringing out the best talent and driving the best results and performance is a business priority,” he said.

This work involves making employees feel safe by disclosing their condition rather than exposing themselves to potential backlash or trying to work in conditions that are less than ideal for them. Employers can make it clear to their leaders and employees that they “will not tolerate discrimination,” Paskoff said – including consequences and possible dismissal if someone repeats jokes, comments or insults, Paskoff added.

Such attitudes also have no place in the recruitment process, which may push away good candidates and potentially expose the company to legal liability.

If an employee discloses his or her condition, it is also the employer’s responsibility to ensure that he or she learns as much as possible about it and what accommodations the employee needs – regardless of whether it is a change of workplace or a change of role in the company. “The employer should have procedures in place that are communicated and understood that if… you think you need special assistance or what we call permanent accommodations, let us know and we will work with you,” Paskoff said.

Making accommodation

A company may know of accommodations that help employees with physical disabilities, but it can also make changes to help neurodiverse employees feel like they can work to the best of their ability.

For example, some neurodiverse employees may feel more comfortable working in different lighting than standard office lighting or sensory rooms, Pancari said. Some employees may work best in a quieter environment and may possibly shift their working hours to earlier or later in the day when the work environment is less crowded and busy.

Employers can also hire job coaches who “provide a little more support and tracking of employees at the beginning,” Pancari said. The goal is that the coach will eventually no longer be needed, but his help “helps give the person the opportunity to work with everyone else if they are seen for their abilities rather than their differences.”

Employees also shouldn’t be viewed in terms of how different they are, as if that were something negative, Paskoff added. Instead of viewing neurodiversity as a disadvantage, employers should work with employees to see how it will make them better at other things – and not working with employees or creating an environment where they feel free to show who they really are means that ​”We may not even realize” the talents our employees have.