Disability Inclusion in organizations, often referred to as the disability inclusion, refers to procedures dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. These policies are geared specifically toward individuals with disabilities.
What is a Disability?
As per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016, a person with a disability refers to an individual with long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairment that, in interaction with barriers, hinders their full and effective participation in society equally with others.
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016 specifies what constitutes a disability and what an organization should do to be more inclusive of employees with disabilities. In India, any individual with a disability of more than 40% in a specified category is eligible for a disability certificate.
What is Disability Inclusion?
Disability inclusion ensures that individuals with disabilities have equal access to opportunities, resources, and services as their non-disabled peers. It involves creating an environment that is physically, socially, and economically accessible to people with disabilities, allowing them to participate fully in all aspects of life. Disability inclusion is essential for promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
The importance of disability inclusion cannot be overstated. People with disabilities make up approximately 15% of the world’s population, or one billion people. Despite this, they continue to face significant barriers to inclusion, including inaccessible physical environments, lack of access to education and employment opportunities, and discriminatory attitudes.
By promoting disability inclusion, we can help to break down these barriers and create a more equitable society for all.
Legal Disability Inclusion Requirements
In India, each organization is bound to the mandates dictated in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016 and similar laws designed to encourage the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Accessible Workplace
Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016, companies must ensure their workplaces are accessible to persons with disabilities in all aspects. Each organization has to provide facilities that enable easy access despite the disabilities in place.
Equal Opportunity Policy
Every company with over 20 employees in India must publish an Equal Opportunity Policy highlighting available positions suitable for individuals with disabilities. The policy should also state the facilities and amenities available for people with disabilities.
Benefits of Inclusion
Why Inclusion Matters
The benefits of disability inclusion are numerous and far-reaching. By including people with disabilities in all aspects of life, we can:
- Promote social justice and equality
- Foster a more diverse and inclusive society
- Improve economic outcomes for people with disabilities
- Enhance the overall quality of life for people with disabilities
- Increase access to education and employment opportunities
- Reduce poverty and inequality
In addition, disability inclusion can also have benefits for businesses and organizations. Companies that prioritize disability inclusion tend to perform better on various metrics, including revenue, productivity, and employee validation. Accenture’s Getting to Equal research highlights the benefits of disability inclusion, showing that companies that focus on disability inclusion show 1.6x more revenue, 2.6x more net income, and 2x more economic profit.
Compliance with Mandated Laws and Regulations
For creating a comprehensive disability inclusion strategy, it is crucial to keep the mandated laws in mind. This ensures legal compliance and provides the affected parties the opportunity to succeed.
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act defines what constitutes a disability in India. It also mandates what accommodations an organization should provide to its workers for proper Disability Inclusion and forbids any form of discrimination toward people with disabilities.
Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan)
Launched by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in 2015, the Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) is a national initiative to create a universally accessible society. This includes universal access to the built environment, transportation, and the information and communication ecosystem.
Leadership Roles and Responsibilities
Inclusive leadership is critical to promoting disability inclusion. Leaders have a key role to play in creating a culture of inclusion and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. This involves:
- Setting a clear vision and strategy for disability inclusion
- Providing training and resources to support disability inclusion
- Encouraging a culture of inclusion and respect
- Holding themselves and others accountable for promoting disability inclusion
- Ensuring that policies and practices are inclusive and accessible
By taking on these leadership roles and responsibilities, organizations can create a more inclusive environment for people with disabilities and promote their rights. As Accenture’s Managing Director and Lead Global HR Operations Parag Pande emphasizes, “Nurturing an inclusive mindset is essential for creating a truly accessible workplace.”
Path Towards Disability Inclusion
India’s working culture still has a long way to go regarding cohesive Disability Inclusion. Recent reports have indicated that less than 19 percent of Indian private companies have dedicated policies for people with disabilities.
On the other hand, reportedly, less than 5% of the public sector organizations have Disability Inclusion policies. As for necessities like accessible toilets and technological accommodations, less than 25% of workplaces provide the facilities.
However, there are a few simple steps that can be taken in order to ensure proper Disability Inclusion in the workplace.
Inclusive Hiring Process
For proper Disability Inclusion, companies should ensure that their recruitment process encourages participation from people with disabilities. The hiring pitch should not contain any discriminatory language and should highlight the accessibility accommodations provided by the organization.
The interview process itself should be accessible and ensure that people with disability are able to express their qualifications without any hindrance. The companies should also ensure that their recruiters have the correct sensitivity training and do not treat any candidate with prejudice.
Reasonable Accommodations
From customized workstations to accessible toilets, companies can provide many facilities for proper Diversity Inclusion, such as ergonomic chairs, screen readers, and adjustable desks. With technological advancements, there is no shortage of accessibility features that can support employees with disabilities.
Providing a flexible work environment and addressing the employees’ specific needs can go a long way towards Disability Inclusion.
Disability Awareness and Sensitivity Training
Apart from physical facilities, companies should also ensure that their employees with disabilities feel comfortable and included in the workplace.
This can be done by conducting disability awareness and sensitivity training, which aims to increase understanding of disabilities, decrease bias, and promote respectful interactions. Employees should also be trained to use respectful and inclusive language to foster a positive work environment.
Disability Inclusive-Culture
Companies must foster a workplace culture that supports people with disabilities. This can include providing employees with disabilities with a platform to share their experiences to increase awareness within the workplace.
For stellar disability inclusion, the organization’s leadership should champion inclusivity and provide every employee with equal opportunities.
Equal Opportunities for Career Growth
Equal Opportunities within a company mean that employees with disabilities are evaluated in a fair manner. They should be provided with equal access to various training and development programs and necessary accessibility accommodations.
Assess and Evaluate
Disability Inclusion does not stop at creating a supporting framework for the first time. Companies should encourage employees to provide feedback on their systems and take the necessary steps. The company should establish and track metrics like hiring rates and retention of employees with disabilities to assess the effectiveness of its policies.
Conducting regular audits also ensures that the accessibility features are functioning correctly and fulfill their purpose. Remaining in touch with the latest updates in the field of Disability Inclusion also ensures that the employees have access to the best facilities possible.
Conclusion
Disability Inclusion focuses on providing accessible accommodations to people with disabilities. This allows companies to create an inclusive workplace culture and a positive brand reputation. Additionally, it provides organizations with fresh perspectives toward various operations and solutions.