Why Disability Inclusion Is Great for Business

Disability inclusion in the workplace not only creates a more diverse and inclusive environment, but it also infuses an organization with a broader range of talents and perspectives that can help boost business success.

“It is not just skills and time that disabled people can contribute to business, but their key attributes of resilience, tenacity, and optimism, built up through lived experience,” Caroline Casey writes in an article for the World Economic Forum.¹ Casey is the founder of The Valuable 500, a worldwide coalition of 500 partners and companies aligned to end disability exclusion.

Many studies reinforce the benefits of fostering inclusivity. Here are five key takeaways:

1. A Vast Talent Pool
In 2023, there were 17 million people with disabilities between the ages of 16 and 64. Yet just 6.3 million—or 37%—of people were employed. Among people without disabilities, 76% of people between the ages of 16 and 64 were employed.²

“It is unacceptable for CEOs, board members, and other key decision-makers to continue to ignore 20% of the population,” Casey writes. “Whilst I may be legally blind, having limited sight does not stop me from having vision, and I truly believe in the power of the collective.”¹

2. High-Performing Employees
In a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey, 97% of HR managers polled said the work performance of employees with disabilities was equal to or better than their counterparts without disabilities.³

3. A Productive Workforce
Companies with a strong tradition of disability inclusion leadership report higher productivity than other less-inclusive organizations. Measured as revenue per employee, disability inclusive businesses reported $845 in revenue per employee vs. $781 in other companies.²    

4. Better Engagement and Retention
Fostering inclusivity helps create a supportive and uplifting workplace that can lead to deeper engagement and higher retention rates, “The Disability Inclusion Imperative” found. This 2023 report is a collaboration between Accenture Research, Disability:IN, and the American Association of People With Disabilities (AAPD).²

5. Stronger Financial Results
That same study found there are substantial financial benefits of disability inclusion. According to “The Disability Inclusion Imperative,” companies with a strong tradition of disability inclusivity reported 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income, and 2 times more economic profit than other companies.² 

Building Disability Inclusion

With so much research confirming the benefits of disability inclusion, companies that don’t make disability a part of their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs may get left behind. “Getting to Equal: The Disability Inclusion Advantage” offers these recommendations for becoming a more disability-inclusive organization:⁴

• Employ: Make it a priority to recruit and hire people with disabilities for positions throughout the company, including top executive roles. Make sure employees with disabilities have ample opportunities for advancement.
• Enable: Provide assistive tools, technology, and necessary accommodations so that people with disabilities can perform their jobs with ease. “Consider cultivating greater awareness through formal training programs for those without disabilities to learn about the tools and accommodations available for better integration across teams,” the report says. 
• Engage: Building awareness is key. The report recommends recruitment, educational programs, events, and “grassroots-led efforts,” like an employee resource group, for example.
• Empower: Coaching, mentoring, and providing opportunities for continuous learning and skill-building all go a long way to fostering inclusivity.

“In the turbulence of today’s global economy, businesses that fail to recognize the merits of disabled talent and insights will lose out on a competitive edge and damage their long-term success,” Casey writes in her article for World Economic Forum. “Inclusion is for everyone; you do not get to pick and mix inclusion—it’s either in its entirety or not at all.”¹

Innovate the Workplace With an MBA Degree

If you’re ready to refresh your business and leadership skills, consider earning an online Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Walden University. An MBA is a credential people can apply to careers in healthcare and the public and private sectors, in jobs that include human resource manager, top executive, and more.⁵⁶

In Walden’s online MBA program you can choose the General Program or one of three specializations: Human Resource Management, Healthcare Management, or a Self-Designed option that lets you tailor some of your online MBA classes to your business career goals.

When you enroll in the MBA degree program, you can also choose a completion option. Earn your MBA in a course-based learning format, where you pay by the course and have preset deadlines, or choose Tempo Learning®, Walden’s competency-based learning format. The competency-based model lets you move at your own pace and pay in three-month, all-you-can learn subscription periods.

As a working professional, you may find that online education gives you the flexibility you need to earn an MBA while balancing your job and personal activities. With online MBA classes online, you can log in and study on your own schedule. And with a laptop and internet connection, you can choose where you study.

Walden, a Higher Learning Commission-accredited university, offers an online MBA without a GMAT or GRE, and its MBA program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).You can request information when you’re ready to learn more. Let the the knowledge and skills you gain from an MBA program help develop your potential and open doors to new opportunities.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering an online Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program. Expand your career options and earn your degree using a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

¹Source: www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/12/disability-inclusion-is-not-discretionary/
²Source: www.accenture.com/content/dam/accenture/final/accenture-com/document-2/Disability-Inclusion-Report-Business-Imperative.pdf
³Source: https://production-askearn-org.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/EARN_SEED_Business_Benefits_051f3a9547.pdf
⁴Source: www.accenture.com/content/dam/accenture/final/a-com-migration/pdf/pdf-89/accenture-disability-inclusion-research-report.pdf
⁵Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/management/top-executives.htm#tab-4
⁶Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.

Walden’s BS in Business Administration (BSBA), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), and PhD in Management programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.