Removing barriers and creating accessible workplaces and access to services allows everyone to fully participate and thrive because they feel included and have what they need to succeed. As an employer, service provider or business, you may also have a legal obligation to ensure accessibility or provide reasonable accommodation.
Consider the diverse needs of people who:
- Do not look like the majority in your workplace
- Have physical disabilities, including invisible ones
- Experience chronic pain
- Are neurodivergent, such as people with Autism, attention deficit disorder, or intellectual or learning disabilities
- Experience mental health concerns or illness, including social anxiety
- Are new to Canada or who are learning English as a second language (ESL)
- Are caring for sick or dying loved ones
- Are experiencing trauma or loss
- Practice different religions
- Identify as 2SLGBTQIA+
- May be socioeconomically disadvantaged, or
- Have other differences
Remember, differences are not always obvious or easily seen – you may not be aware of what’s going on with an employee or client, and you also don’t want to jump to conclusions. Some people choose not to disclose their condition, or they don’t feel comfortable asking for adjustments or accommodations. Instead, they’ll opt to work, do business, or access services somewhere else, if they can.
Proactively removing barriers makes business sense
Research1,2 shows that diversity, inclusion and accessibility helps:
- Address labour shortages and the skills gap
- Foster innovation, creativity and diverse thought
- Appeal to diverse customers, stakeholders, investors and potential talent
- Mitigate legal and reputational costs
Organizations report that diversity and inclusion improve morale, enhance connectedness, and enrich leadership and management skills.
A 2020 report by AccessibleEmployers.ca showed that diverse and inclusive workplaces were:
- 2x more likely to meet or exceed financial targets
- 6x more likely to be innovative
- 6x more likely to effectively anticipate change
1. Holmes IV, Oscar & Jiang, Kaifeng & Avery, Derek & McKay, Patrick & Justice, C. (2020). A Meta-Analysis Integrating 25 Years of Diversity Climate Research. Journal of Management. 47. 10.1177/0149206320934547.
2. Hunt, V., Prince, S., Dixon-Fyle, S., & Dolan, K. (2020). Diversity wins. McKinsey. Retrieved from: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/featured%20insights/diversity%20and%20inclusion/diversity%20wins%20how%20inclusion%20matters/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters-vf.pdf
Embedding inclusion into business as usual
While it’s important to have policies in place that support accessibility and inclusion, it’s the tangible actions you take to proactively address barriers and level the playing field that can have the biggest impact.
Removing barriers before they get in the way is the best approach to accessibility and inclusion. Review the following to consider ways to remove barriers in your workplace:
- The built environment – are people able to physically access your spaces?
- Can someone with a physical disability or vision or hearing impairment access and move around your space easily?
- For example, people in wheelchairs or using a guide cane can find it difficult – or even impossible – to navigate stairs or a “step up,” or to find their way around when pathways are obstructed or there is renovation or construction happening that creates detours.
- Does the placement of workspaces, stations or equipment mean there is a lot of activity, distraction, or close physical contact?
- For example, people with developmental disabilities or from other cultures may be uncomfortable in spaces where they are “touched” or where unexpected touch happens.
- Is the height of your counters or workspaces usable for people in wheelchairs, or adjustable?
- Can someone with a physical disability or vision or hearing impairment access and move around your space easily?
- Physical and sensory environment – how does the space impact people?
- What’s the volume of noise in the space?
- For example, people who are neurodivergent can struggle with sounds that are too loud or with processing information when there are a lot of different noises at once.
- Are the lights bright, low, or on a dimmer?
- For example, people with visual impairment may be sensitive to bright or low light, while people with developmental disabilities or who are neurodivergent can have difficulty with bright lights causing severe discomfort.
- Are there private and/or quiet places for reflection, prayer or to get work done?
- For example, most people can benefit from a quiet space, particularly if you have an open-concept office. Some people, for example those on the autism spectrum or with attention deficit hyper activity disorder, can get overwhelmed or easily distracted in open-concept or very busy spaces.
- What’s the volume of noise in the space?
- Communication – is information given in a way that everyone can understand it?
- Do you provide multiple formats and/or visual instructions or signage?
- For example, people with visual impairment or learning disabilities may benefit from voice-to-text apps, and people who are ESL or who have a developmental disability may benefit from visual instructions – and so can everyone else!)
- Are the standards or expectations around how people communicate explicit and inclusive of individual communication styles?
- For example, people on the autism spectrum may have a direct speaking style or prefer to not make eye contact, while a newcomer may come from a culture where norms in meetings are different from your own.
- Is communication clear and concise?
- For example, most people find being given too much information or instructions that aren’t organized difficult to process, but this is especially difficult for people with disabilities, who are ESL or even for people who struggle with mental health issues that may be impacting their cognitive ability.
- Do you provide multiple formats and/or visual instructions or signage?
- Culture and belonging – do all people feel like they are included?
- Is it clear how the organizational hierarchy and chain of command actually operates?
- For example, people from other cultures can benefit from an explanation of “how things work around here” in terms of authority and culture. It can also help people with autism spectrum disorder to specifically understand where they fit in the larger context.
- Is everyone included in work-related social activities at work and outside of work?
- For example, do activities cost money or unintentionally exclude people with parental or caregiving responsibilities, substance use issues, or other considerations?
- Does the language people use, employee banter or humour, exclude or make anyone uncomfortable?
- For example, it’s important that people are mindful of the language they use. Stereotypes, acronyms that are not known to everyone and humour should never come at the expense of any person or group – and should be immediately addressed and corrected, even if it’s not intentional.
- Is it clear how the organizational hierarchy and chain of command actually operates?
Understanding the lived experience of people from a range of backgrounds and perspectives can help you figure out what you may consider as you think about proactively taking steps that ensure everyone feels included and psychologically safe. Even with all of these accessibility and inclusion strategies, whether an individual feels a sense of belonging in your organization often comes down to their relationship with their leader and co-workers.
There are many tools and resources available to leaders to help address individual employee concerns, become more inclusive leaders and support more inclusive teams.
Make sure you also familiarize yourself with any accessibility or human rights legislation that may apply. These may have specific requirements around accommodating employees and others or removing barriers to accessibility.
At work, consider ways to level the playing field across the employment lifecycle to ensure your workforce is benefiting from diverse perspectives and skill sets.
Why this matters
Each of us has our own points of reference due to our experiences and history, and others may have specific challenges due to life or health challenges. For example, some people feel uncomfortable with eye contact, or aren’t comfortable with people coming into their physical space.
Some people have sensitivities or triggers because of past experiences, or differences in how their brains work. Many people who have been historically marginalized or “othered” have experienced discrimination, harassment, or subtle forms of being made to feel like they don’t belong at work or in the community. However, when we take proactive steps to make everyone feel included, we are supporting them to feel psychologically safe so they can bring their unique and valuable skills to the table.
Removing barriers and taking proactive steps to ensure accessibility doesn’t have to be costly, and it often has the effect of supporting all employees to stay productive and thrive.
The Cambridge dictionary defines othered as “the act of treating someone as though they are not part of a group and are different in some way.”
Removing barriers and taking proactive steps to ensure accessibility doesn’t have to be costly, and it often has the effect of supporting all employees to stay productive and thrive.
Inclusive employment agencies and resources
- Access Employment Services. Employment services for newcomers and employers
- Autism Ontario. E-learning and other resources for building inclusive workplaces
- Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Employment services for people who are visually impaired and employers
- The Inclusive Workplace. Employment services dedicated to inclusive workplaces, for people on the autism spectrum or who have an intellectual disability
- March of Dimes. Employment services for people with physical disabilities and employers
- Ready Willing & Able. Employment services for people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder, and employers
- Mental Health Commission of Canada. A toolkit to help employers build an inclusive workplace
- Ontario Pay Equity Commission | PDF. Provides guidance on how you can ensure job ads aren’t excluding people based on gender
- Alberta Workforce Essential Skills Society | PDF. A workbook you can use to consider how your organization can build an inclusion plan for newcomers
Additional resources
A tool for employee success. A process that engages employees and employers to develop solutions that support productivity and well-being. Supporting employee success is for any employee, including those needing accommodation.
Discrimination prevention and inclusion. Address discrimination and promote inclusivity through your policies and processes. This creates a positive environment and supports all employees to thrive and succeed.
Implicit bias. Learn to identify and understand implicit bias, microaggressions and intersectionality. Whether the bias results in poor morale or discrimination, identifying it is the first step to eliminating it.
Leader support for newcomers. Learn how you can support newcomers on your team and in your organization.
References
Autism Career Connections (2022). Autism Ontario. Retrieved from: https://www.autismontario.com/programs-services/autism-career-connections
Bach, M. (2020). Birds of all feathers: Doing diversity and inclusion right. Page Two Books.
Brouard, Camille. LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace: a guide for employers. June 1, 2022. Retrieved from: https://www.myhrtoolkit.com/blog/lgbt-inclusion-in-the-workplace
Diversity Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University website: https://www.torontomu.ca/diversity/
Heasman, B., Livesey, A., Walker, A., Pellicano, E., Remington, A. (2020). DARE Report on Adjustments. Centre for Research in Autism and Education, Institute of Education, UCL, London, UK.
Holmes IV, Oscar & Jiang, Kaifeng & Avery, Derek & McKay, Patrick & Justice, C. (2020). A Meta-Analysis Integrating 25 Years of Diversity Climate Research. Journal of Management. 47. 10.1177/0149206320934547.
Holmes, P. Alberta Workforce Essential Skills. Retrieved from: https://awes.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/AWES-Working-with-Newcomers-Participant-Workbook-2012.pdf
Hunt, V., Prince, S., Dixon-Fyle, S., & Dolan, K. (2020). Diversity wins. McKinsey. Retrieved from: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/featured%20insights/diversity%20and%20inclusion/diversity%20wins%20how%20inclusion%20matters/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters-vf.pdf
Ready Willing & Able (2019). Inclusive Hiring Works: The business benefits of hiring people with an intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder. Retrieved from: https://readywillingable.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/RWA-Business-Case_EN_October-2019.pdf
Why Hiring People with Disabilities is the New Normal (2022). AccessableEmployers.ca. Retrieved from: https://accessibleemployers.ca/resource/why-hiring-people-with-disabilities-is-good-for-business-now/