Rethinking Workplace Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities Through Multiple Levels and Lenses

Abstract

Including persons with a disability within workplaces serves as an important return on investment for organizations as well as societies. The Valuable 500 initiative which originated from the World Economic Forum’s New Economy and Society Platform in 2019 is focused on building prosperous as well as inclusive economies and societies. Their work suggests that employing persons with a disability can increase revenue by 28%, double organizational net income, and propel profit margins by 30%. Alternatively, the cost of excluding persons with disabilities can represent up to 7% of GDP within some countries (World Economic Forum, 2021). Recognizing the importance of such inclusion, several governments have enacted legislations, and numerous organizations have attempted to nudge employment as well as promote positive treatment of employees with disabilities. Joining this global conversation, the papers in this symposium showcase how state intervention may help workplace entry of persons with a disability (Kruse et al; Nittrouer et al), how organizational support systems may increase employee well-being (Keating et al), how organizational diversity statements may influence disability discrimination lawsuits (Chalise et al), and yet how employees continue to face barriers within workplaces (Samosh et al), attesting to much work that is needed in this area of inclusion. Our discussants (Bruyere and Colella) will bring together these ideas to suggest directions for future research a well as takeaways for managers, organizations, and policymakers. Paid Leave Mandates and Employment of People with Disabilities Presenter: Douglas Kruse; Rutgers U. Presenter: Lisa Schur; Rutgers U. Presenter: Mason Ameri; Rutgers Business School Presenter: Lauren Gilbert; Rutgers U. Day-to-day Identity Management Among Workers with Hearing Loss Presenter: Robert Keating; Northern Illinois U. Presenter: Jesus Martinez; Northern Illinois U. Presenter: Alecia Marie Santuzzi; Northern Illinois U. Presenter: Lisa M Finkelstein; Northern Illinois U. Presenter: Larissa K. Barber; San Diego State U. Presenter: Deborah Elizabeth Rupp; George Mason U. Inclusion of ‘Disability’ in Corporate Diversity Statements: A Review of Fortune 500 Companies Presenter: Shasanka Chalise; PhD Candidate, Memorial U., NL, Canada Presenter: Silvia Bonaccio; Telfer School of Management, U. of Ottawa Presenter: Catherine Connelly; McMaster U. Presenter: Sandra Fisher; Münster U. of Applied Sciences and U. of Twente Presenter: Abigal Leah Kogan; McMaster U. Reducing Discrimination against Individuals with Mental Impairments Presenter: Christine Nittrouer; Texas Tech U. Presenter: Michelle Hebl; Rice U. Presenter: Naomi Fa-Kaji; Rice U. Presenter: Roshni Janakiraman; Florida State U. Presenter: Peter Rutigliano; Mercer-Sirota Consulting An Empirical Investigation of Career Advancement “Glass Barriers” and Disability Presenter: Daniel S. Samosh; Queen's U. Presenter: Anna Brzykcy; Technical U. of Munich Presenter: David Baldridge; Oregon State U. Presenter: Brent John Lyons; Schulich School of Business, York U.