Fostering Accessible In-Person and Remote Workplaces
As we navigate the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic, workplaces are continuing to grapple with policies on returning to the office. For so many–especially disabled people–the shift to remote work has been a boon, enabling them to work productively in safe environments that best meet their access needs. And yet, working from home has also brought to light a “digital divide,” including a lack of internet access and inaccessibility in a virtual world.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to creating a workplace that works for everyone. We must recognize that ideal working environments are different for each person, and that the best way to support employee success is to prioritize accessibility and flexible policies. In doing so, employers and human resource departments can foster a culture of inclusion and ensure a more equitable work experience for all employees.
For insights on how best to move forward, consider the following perspectives:
Creating Inclusive Working Environments
- Shifting Toward Inclusion: Accessible Workplaces in a World Recovering from COVID-19, by Yomi S. Wrong for the Disability & Philanthropy Forum
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Space Considerations Checklist, Open Society Foundations
- Disability in the new workplace: What companies need to know and do, Project Include (Executive Summary)
- Disability in the new workplace: What companies need to know and do, Project Include (Full Report)
- People with disabilities still face barriers finding work during the pandemic—here’s how companies can help, CNBC
- Creating an Inclusive Workplace: Lessons From the Pandemic, G3ict
Disability Perspectives
- Post-Pandemic Work Must Prioritize Disabled People, Bitch Media
- Remote work made life easier for many people with disabilities. They want the option to stay, CNN
- Working from Bed Isn’t Lazy. It’s Accessible., Rooted in Rights
- As offices reopen, ill and disabled workers are returning to a painful old habit: ‘masking’ their symptoms, Insider
- 77% of workers with disabilities say their employer has done a better job supporting them since the pandemic started, CNBC
- COVID-19 Likely Resulted in 1.2 Million More Disabled People by the End of 2021—Workplaces and Policy Will Need to Adapt, Center for American Progress Disability Justice Initiative
Providing Disability Accommodations
- Guidance on “Long COVID” as a Disability Under the ADA, Section 504, and Section 1557, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Accommodation and Compliance for COVID-19, Job Accommodation Network