A disconnect still exists between employees with disabilities and their employers

The rise of remote work has been met with mixed feelings in recent years, but for people who have disabilities, it's been a lifeline. Since the start of the pandemic, employers have seen a significant increase in employees with disabilities joining the workforce, and much of this increase can be credited to remote work. In fact, in our recent Employees with Disabilities in the Workplace survey, we polled just over 400 full-time employees who identify as having a disability or chronic condition and found that the vast majority — 60% — reported that having the ability to work remotely enabled them to find employment. 

A disconnect between employees with disabilities and their employers
While the shift to increased remote work marks great progress towards helping individuals with disabilities to participate more fully in the workforce, there's still work to be done. Our survey uncovered a stark disconnect between employees and employers: Employees with disabilities reported that they are still lacking the support they need at work, even though many employers may think they have the right support in place.

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What employees think
Our survey found that employees with disabilities are still facing challenges at work, revealing a range of factors hindering their productivity and sense of belonging. Key findings include:  

• Reduced productivity: Nearly one-third (32%) of employees with disabilities reported that their work productivity has been affected in the past year due to their disability. More than a quarter (28%) reported feeling uncomfortable voicing their concerns to their company about the challenges they face due to their disability, potentially hindering their ability to seek support. 
• Lingering stigma: Half of employees (50%) with disabilities have felt passed over for promotions, judged, excluded from teams, or unable to complete tasks due to lacking accommodations, highlighting the ongoing stigma and challenges they face.
• Barriers to using benefits: Even when resources exist, they often go unused. While 57% of those surveyed agreed that they wish their employer would offer more benefits and resources that could help employees with disabilities, 54% said they face barriers to using those benefits. The leading barrier was feeling embarrassed about asking for help or using the available benefits. 

Read more:  Disability inclusion means moving beyond meeting accommodation requests

What employers think
In addition to surveying employees with disabilities, we also surveyed 500 executives responsible for HR and benefits decision-making at their companies. We found that employers may not always be aware of the support that their employees with disabilities require. Specifically, our survey data showed that many employers may be overestimating how they are showing up for employees with disabilities in the workplace: 

• Awareness gap: More than half (55%) of employers were unaware of the percentage of their workforce identifying as having a disability. This lack of awareness can lead to underestimating the need for disability-specific resources and could contribute to the embarrassment that some employees could feel by speaking up. 
• Misplaced confidence: A large majority (83%) of employers believe their employees with disabilities feel supported by the organization, in contrast to the 50% of employees with disabilities who report feeling stigmatized or excluded.
• Benefits disconnect: Nearly 80% of employers expressed confidence that their employees were satisfied with disability benefits provided by the company. This contrasts to the 57% of employees who would appreciate more benefits with a similar majority expressing barriers to using existing benefits. 

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How employers can reduce the disconnect
The good news is that — despite the disconnect we found between employers and employees with disabilities — there is a silver lining. Employers are highly aware of the value that inclusive support brings. Our survey showed a vast majority (85%) see room for improvement in their company's understanding of their employees with disabilities. Large majorities also recognize that offering robust benefits and resources for these employees is crucial for boosting satisfaction (68%), productivity (67%), growth and development (66%), and employee retention (64%).

To further turn this awareness into action and meaningful change, employers can take the following steps:

1. Aim to create an inclusive work environment: Employers can focus on creating a workplace that reduces stigma, supports open communication, and encourages employees with disabilities to voice their needs and concerns. 
2. Offer comprehensive disability benefits: Employers should consider providing a range of benefits and resources that cater to the specific needs of employees with disabilities, including flexible hours, workplace flexibility, mental health resources, and ADA accommodation support. 
3. Educate employees, with focus on managers: Ensure that all employees, including managers and supervisors, are educated about disability accommodations, ADA requirements, and the importance of recognizing and supporting the needs of employees with disabilities.
4. Employers should communicate often and use multiple channels: An annual enrollment event is typically not sufficient to raise awareness for benefits, yet nearly half of employees report open enrollment is the only time they hear about their benefits. With at least five generations of workers, culturally diverse talent, and an increasing population of remote or hybrid employees, benefits communication should be a year-round exercise by employers to promote the value and accessibility of benefits they offer.

By taking these proactive steps, employers can begin to get more coordinated with ALL their employees. By making efforts to create a culture of awareness, understanding, and ultimately, a workplace where those with disabilities feel empowered to speak up, employers can make strides in helping employees with disabilities feel more included and supported, and ultimately unleash the full power of their workforce.