Disability inclusion at work is about more than hiring people with disabilities. An inclusive workplace offers employees with disabilities an equal opportunity to succeed, to learn, to be compensated fairly, and to advance.

“Disabled people should not bear the burden of responsibility for ensuring that work environments are inclusive and accessible,” write Ashley Harris Whaley and Kelly Dawson in a "Voices of Disability" article for Refinery29. “We need allies to assist in making jobs open to and welcoming toward the millions of disabled people who want them.”

Here are three ways to help: 

• Advocate for workplace flexibility. Remote and flexible work schedules allow disabled people to start or support families, return to school, or plan medical appointments, as well as it make it easier to manage some aspects of a disability (like fatigue or chronic pain) from home, Harris Whaley and Dawson explain.
• Ensure digital accessibility. “While there are many ways to be digitally inclusive, closed-captioned Zoom meetings for those who are Deaf or hearing impaired, alt-text and image descriptions for coworkers who are blind or visually impaired, or emailed summaries of a project’s progress and next steps are often the most crucially important,” Harris Whaley and Dawson write. “Digital accessibility means increased access and better communication all around, making it likely that everyone can feel more empowered to collaborate.”
• Listen to the needs of your colleagues. Simple actions show your support, such as asking a physically disabled coworker if you can carry their laptop to a meeting. “As you build a relationship, keep in mind that your help deserves nothing more than a simple ‘thank you’,” Harris Whaley and Dawson emphasize. “Access is the bare minimum and doing your part to ensure it doesn’t call for excessive praise.”

For more suggestions, read Harris Whaley and Dawson’s article “5 Simple Ways To Make The Workplace Better For Disabled Employees.”