Did you know that there are more than one billion people worldwide—around 15% of the population—living with a disability?
In 1987, President Reagan recognized March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to “increase public awareness of the needs and the potential of Americans with developmental disabilities” and to provide the “encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.”
At Kantola, we believe that for a culture to be healthy, all employees should feel like their work is important, that they are being treated fairly, are well supported and have what they need to progress within the organization—and not regardless of who they are, but because of who they are.
That’s why we’ve sifted through the latest content on the importance of disability inclusion and what that means for your organization this month, and all year long.
- Key insight: This article offers five steps that organizations can take to make disabilities feel so safe and included that employees will be more willing to disclose their conditions. And that’s important: The research found that employees who do disclose their disability at work are 30% more engaged—in terms of career satisfaction and aspirations, confidence, and a sense of belonging—than those who don’t.
- Key insight: In this excerpt from Kantola’s DEI course, Aubrie shares her experience in the workplace as someone who identifies as disabled. At Kantola, we believe that storytelling can reveal issues facing underrepresented employees in a way that is relatable and understandable for everyone. It can make visible, what is sometimes invisible—how people feel when they are marginalized, overlooked or ridiculed. Most importantly, the listener can make a connection to their own life in a very personal way, which can lead to their own self-discoveries.
- Key insight: This article specifically offers steps that organizations can take to directly affect system-wide changes and transform the way in which we do business. Among them are collaborative innovation, adaptive products, examining our hiring practices, and corporate accessibility features. It’s one thing to understand the importance of disability inclusion, but it’s another to get resources that offer practical and actionable takeaways.
- Key insight: In this piece, Author Caroline Casey, Founder and Director of The Valuable 500, shares her story, while making the case for business growth and the disabled community. Her approach recognizes there is no single action or solution for hiring and retaining people with disabilities. Rather, leveraging the most effective practices, products and services around talent within your journey of inclusion can improve your workforce, increase trust, and lead to stronger results overall.
