How technology has become a game-changer towards making workplaces more inclusive

When Ankit, a Human Resource personnel with visual impairment, joined a service provider company, they used software which was incompatible with his needs. Unable to fix it, they transferred him to a team that used internally engineered software. The new team fixed their software for Ankit and customized it further for better compatibility with his screen reader. Looking at how the organization had used technology to make him feel included at work, Ankit said, “I was more productive than a regular person would be on software. For the first time, I had proper support in many, many years.” 

People with disabilities form 2.21% of the Indian population or almost 30 million, according to the last census data available. Yet, a recent study revealed that only 3.5 million or around 11% of them are employed in any form.

It is time for industry leaders to realize – what limits people with disabilities are not intent or ability but, in fact, opportunity. Due to a lack of intention, policy, and enablement, we lose out on the immense talent that is hidden among people who have never been given the opportunity to bring their skills to the workplace.

This scenario is in fact changing, as organizations wake up to the fact that when human intent is combined with the right technology, there are no barriers for people who wish to succeed.

Observing the evolution of workplaces over the last decade, it is fascinating to see how technology is enabling us to accommodate more people with disabilities in the workplace. High-quality assistive technology that we now have access to, is creating more possibilities for a truly inclusive workplace.

‘Embracing All Abilities: Including People with Disabilities at Work’, a recent study conducted by Randstad India in association with Women’s Web, revealed that 20% of the respondents work in organizations that already provide access to assistive technology. This number will grow in the coming years as more organizations invest in such technology.

Assistive technologies can impact every stage of the employee experience

When we look at how technology can benefit people with disabilities, it’s not restricted to one aspect of the employee experience at work. Instead, assistive technology can level the playing field pre-employment, make training during onboarding significantly easier, help employees with disabilities to make connections, and also enable them to keep learning.

For instance,

• Interview processes that are sensitive to disabilities, include tests accessible to people with hearing or visual disabilities
• Assistive software and adaptable devices that are compatible with phones and tablets empower employees with disabilities to work seamlessly, including from home
• Specially designed headsets for employees with hearing impairments enable them to communicate with others and also feel part of the team
• Training materials with Braille versions, screen readers, or closed captions help those with disabilities to continue learning and access growth opportunities within the company (a win-win for employers, reducing attrition rates!)

As many employers consider how to manage rising attrition rates, such investments are crucial to building a satisfied workforce.

What is next for the evolution of technology?

Fifteen years ago, it was difficult for most people to imagine how someone with a severe or complicated disability could return to work or even be employed. In our study cited earlier, when asked whether the policies set by their organizations have evolved, more than 67% of business leaders said that policies had visibly evolved. While these figures are encouraging, technological innovations of the future will go further toward more seamless inclusion.

While such technology exists and is accessible, many organizations are yet to invest in assistive technology for several reasons. A big problem is the lack of knowledge about the needs of people with disabilities. Disability advocates both within and outside organizations are crucial in this context. Another reason is the perception that all assistive technology is expensive; however, this is often a mindset issue. Most employees today do need some technology to excel at work, and when we do not balk at sensor-operated doors in warehouses or the latest computers for engineering teams, we should not consider assistive technology an ‘unusual’ requirement either.

The question we need to ask ourselves is, what kind of a workplace do we want to build – one that is focused around a narrow band of talent, or one that harnesses the talent of the most diverse talent imaginable, to create the most innovative outcomes? If the answer is the latter, the big move towards greater inclusion must necessarily include the optimum use of the right technologies for organizations to thrive.