{"id":5001,"date":"2024-10-22T15:45:32","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T15:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alsoweb.org\/?p=5001"},"modified":"2024-10-22T15:45:40","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T15:45:40","slug":"employment-for-people-with-disabilities-tips-for-finding-inclusive-workplaces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alsoweb.org\/nonprofit-blog\/employment-for-people-with-disabilities-tips-for-finding-inclusive-workplaces\/","title":{"rendered":"Employment for People with Disabilities: Tips for Finding Inclusive Workplaces"},"content":{"rendered":"

Employment for People with Disabilities: Tips for Finding Inclusive Workplaces<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Are you living with a disability and currently looking for employment opportunities? Do you know someone with a disability who wants to find a fulfilling and well-paying job?<\/p>\n

There’s an excellent chance that you answered yes<\/em> to at least one<\/em> of the above questions.<\/p>\n

The opportunity for individuals with disabilities to attain equal access to competitive employment in a career of choice is a major factor in their health, well-being, and financial independence. On top of that, disability employment is a necessary element of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).<\/p>\n

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).\u00a0At\u00a0 ALSO, we’re proud and strong advocates of equal opportunities in employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.<\/a>\u00a0We’ve seen firsthand how the people we support contribute to the workplace and flourish in their chosen careers. This month, we celebrate NDEAM by bringing you best practices and important tips to help those with disabilities find inclusive workplaces.<\/p>\n

What is Inclusion in the Workplace?<\/h2>\n

\"young-adult-with-intellectual-or-developmental-disabilities-gets-ready-for-work-and-poses-in-front-of-mirror\"<\/p>\n

In order to really understand what’s meant by inclusion in the workplace, let’s talk about how it’s different from another word we often hear about: diversity. Diversity is frequently equated to hiring practices. For example, it’s important to hire employees that reflect diversity in disability, race, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, etc. (Incidentally, hiring people with disabilities is noticeably lagging behind these positive trends.)<\/p>\n

Inclusion, on the other hand, demonstrates a true appreciation of all<\/strong> employees in a company’s diverse workforce. The Indeed Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Team<\/a>1<\/sup>\u00a0defines inclusion as:<\/p>\n

“Actions and behaviors that create a culture where employees feel valued, trusted and authentic\u2014and that their voice is heard so they can contribute fully and thrive.” (paragraph 6). <\/em><\/p>\n

What Does an Inclusive Workplace Look Like?<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/div>\n

In an inclusive workplace, active steps are taken by company leadership to help every employee feel that they are an important part of the organization. An excellent first step is to facilitate training towards a greater understanding of diversity and inclusion (D&I). Additionally, employers should set company-wide goals and support employee resource groups to improve diversity and inclusion practices.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

For people with disabilities, the tangible result<\/em> of these increases in understanding of D&I includes the following:<\/p>\n