PurposeThis article aims to find the important factors responsible for developing people with disabilities (PwD) to be successful teleworkers, subsequently identify the interrelationship between the factors, and finally, prioritize the factors.Design/methodology/approachThis study has adopted preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) methodology for systematic literature review. Then nominal group technique (NGT) was used to find out the crucial factors and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) to obtain the cause-and-effect relation of variables.FindingsTrust (TR), Top Management Support (TMS), Organizational Commitment (OC), Training and Education (TE), Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Job Satisfaction (JS), Flexibility and Autonomy (FA) and Job Productivity (JP) found to be the crucial factors responsible for making PwD successful teleworkers.Practical implicationsThis study will benefit both organizations and PwD teleworkers if the factors mentioned in this study are focused. Policymakers in organizations can use this study to focus on prioritized factors to reap the benefit of teleworking by developing PwD.Originality/valueThis study is unique because of its innovative methodology, in-depth interviews with experts, emphasis on inclusivity and use of DEMATEL analysis. Taken as a whole, these elements add significant value to our understanding of teleworking for individuals with disabilities, which is not done in earlier disability inclusion studies.