Your Disability Inclusive Employer
Self-Assessment Results
Congratulations!
You have completed your self-assessment. Understanding your organization’s current state will help you identify areas where your workplace can become more inclusive of employees with disabilities.You can use this report to start a conversation with your team or to generate an accessibility action plan for your organization. For each question in your self-assessment, you’ll find a quick read to help you get the big picture and a deep dive resource if you’re ready to take some action. If you would like to take action, but aren’t sure where to start, you may qualify for free support from an Open Door Group disability inclusion consultant. You’ll have the option to request support at the end of the report.
Results Summary
- Areas to improve: 23
- Already completed: 11
- To investigate further: 1
Category: Accessibility
1. Have you reviewed your physical workspace to assess if it is accessible to people with disabilities?
Making the physical workspace accessible can include removing clutter, setting a scent-free policy, ensuring employees can have access to quiet spaces or natural light or conducting a physical accessibility audit.
Your response: Underway
Take Action
This quick read from the Rick Hansen Foundation provides accessible design considerations for the “built environment”.
To dig deeper, review this detailed guide to obtaining Rick Hansen Foundation certification for your facilities.
2. Does your workplace emergency plan include specific accommodations and instructions for staff who may require assistance?
Ensuring there is a plan for all employees to evacuate during an emergency may include some edits to your general safety plan or individualized plans for some employees.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
This quick read article by the Ontario government explains the basics of a workplace emergency plan that addresses the needs of workers with disabilities.
The Job Accommodation Network offers this deeper dive, a step by step instruction for developing an emergency evacuation plan that includes employees with disabilities.
3. Have you reviewed your computer systems (Information and Communication Technologies) to assess where disabled people may encounter barriers?
Qualified candidates or current employees with vision-related or cognitive disabilities, as well as persons who navigate your website mouse-free, may have trouble using your website, intranet, or company software.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
Here’s a quick read from the US organization Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN), which offers an introduction to the concept of ICT.
To dig deeper, review EARN’s 15 minute e-learning course Be Tech Savvy: Accessible Information & Communication Technology about the development, procurement, lease, maintenance and use of information and communication technology (ICT).
Category: Accommodations
4. Do you offer flexible work arrangements as an accommodation for employees?
Flexible work arrangements are a top request from employees with disabilities. From choice in work location to flexibility in work schedules, employers can assess what degree of flexibility they can offer while supporting employees to tap into their work potential.
Your response: Underway
Take Action
For a quick read, download this pdf report from Mercer, The New Shape of Work is Flexibility for All, which is broader than disability, but very timely.
If you want to dig deeper, Mercer offers this free tool to test your company’s flexibility. Once complete, you’ll receive a Flexibility Diagnostic Report.
5. Have you developed an accommodations policy for employees with disabilities?
Research shows that employers with a proactive approach to accommodations are more successful at hiring and retaining employees with disabilities.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
For a quick read, visit the Job Accommodation Network’s website for many examples of accommodations policies, process, and forms.
To dig deeper, this 7 minute video from Canadian Association for Supported Employment is a great primer on accommodations. It could be used to introduce the concept to people managers.
6. Do you have an accommodations budget or dedicated line item to fund requests?
Even a small budget signals to managers that accommodations are a normal, expected part of the business.
Your response: Don’t know
Take Action
For a quick read, download this pdf, a short white paper from the US organization Disability:IN describes the benefits of a centralized fund for accommodations.
To dig deeper, download this pdf Centralized Accommodation Programs (CAP) in Practice Checklist from Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN), which includes key considerations when setting up a centralized accommodations fund.
Category: Hiring
7. Have you reviewed your recruitment process to ensure it is accessible to candidates with disabilities?
From reviewing your job descriptions for plain language to letting all candidates know that accommodations are available in the interview process or offering working interviews, there are many steps you can take to make your recruitment more accessible.
Your response: Underway
Take Action
For a quick read, Hire for Talent’s How to Write Inclusive Job Descriptions will guide you through reviewing the job description to ensure you’re being inclusive in your language and offering a clear picture of what the job really requires.
To dig deeper, the Accessible Employers e-learning course Create an Accessible Workplace is a 5 part course that covers how to develop inclusive recruitment practices.
8. Do staff who are involved in recruitment have training on recruitment practices that are disability inclusive?
From understanding what accommodations can be made in an interview setting, to feeling comfortable talking about disabilities with candidates, there are many examples of how those recruiting can adjust their practices.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, this Training Journal article highlights the crucial role of training in recruiting more people with disabilities.
To dig deeper, consider registering your recruitment staff for the Accessible Employers Create an Accessible Workplace, a 5 part e-learning course.
9. Do you have a tailored recruitment strategy that supports candidates with disabilities?
You can improve your efforts towards inclusive hiring by planning out how and where you will access this underutilized talent pool.
Your response: Underway
Take Action
For a quick read, CCRW’s Disability Confidence toolkit contains a chapter on strategies for recruiting people with disabilities.
To dig deeper, this B2B Untapped Talent Guide excerpt highlights innovative ways for employers to adapt recruitment practices, including candidate sourcing, interviews, and the selection process, to gain access to a wider talent pool.
10. Does your organization offer trial employment opportunities like internships, job shadows and working interviews?
Hands-on trial employment opportunities like internships and working interviews give both parties a chance to gauge fit and can reduce anxiety around fit or performance for both parties.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, view this case study of the Port of Vancouver’s internship program for candidates with disabilities.
To dig deeper, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum provides an Employer Guide for Hiring, Training, and Retaining Apprentices with Disabilities.
11. Do your hiring managers use disability employment service organizations to source qualified candidates or receive coaching for new employees?
A direct connection between managers and disability employment service organizations can give your manager and the new hire access to more support as they onboard with your organization.
Your response: Underway
Take Action
For a quick read, Hire for Talent’s pdf tip sheet Types of Services Available to Employers explains what such partnerships can offer.
To dig deeper, Accessible Employers offers guidance on Selecting a Disability Employment Service Organization to support your recruitment of people with disabilities.
Category: Benefits
12. Have you reviewed your extended health benefits to ensure coverage of hearing aids, vision care and other disability related equipment?
Benefits plans that help cover the costs of auditory processors, vision aids and mobility devices support health equity for employees with disabilities.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, download this pdf report by Mercer. On pages 7-8 you’ll find examples of inclusive benefit provisions employers can strategically implement.
To dig deeper, review this resource we developed to help you design a more disability inclusive benefits plan.
13. Do you offer short term disability insurance as part of your benefits package?
Addressing gaps between your sick day policy and the waiting period for medical EI reduces stress for employees experiencing an illness or injury.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
For a quick read, this blog post by Benefits By Design offers some good general information on Short Term Disability Insurance and why employers may want to consider providing to their employees.
If you’d like to dig deeper, we’ve developed this resource to help you build the case for adding short term disability insurance to your benefits package.
Category: Culture
14. Are managers actively encouraged to create disability inclusive teams and promote an inclusive culture?
Managers have an important role in setting the tone for inclusion in your company culture and on their team. Establishing a clear expectation helps everyone do their best.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, download the Untapped Talent Guide and review Section 3, which has great tips on developing an inclusive culture.
To dig deeper, register your people managers for the Create an Accessible Workplace e-learning course created by Accessible Employers.
15. Are you checking in with staff to ensure they are supportive of employing people with disabilities?
Every team member has a role to play in creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace. If an organization is not checking in with all staff to gauge support, there may be unexamined bias or misconceptions impacting hiring decisions or retention rates.
Your response: Underway
Take Action
For a quick read, the American Bar Association created this resource to increase awareness of Implicit Biases & People with Disabilities which offer techniques to help mitigate these biases.
To dig deeper, move beyond just recognizing bias to preventing it from influencing culture and decisions. This article from Harvard Business Review digs into How the Best Bosses Interrupt Bias on Their Teams.
16. Do you offer disability inclusion training to staff on a regular basis?
Making discussions about disability a regular event will help keep the issue alive in your culture.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, review the Hire for Talent Employer Toolkit, which includes downloadable tipsheets about key concepts behind disability inclusion.
To dig deeper, register your team for Create an Accessible Workplace, an e-learning course created by Accessible Employers.
Category: Retention
17. Do you arrange mentorship opportunities for all new employees, including those with disabilities?
Whether a formal program or informal arrangement, mentorship is proven to be an effective way to increase retention and it may be particularly beneficial for employees with disabilities.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, view Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN)’s resource page regarding providing mentorship for disabled employees.
If you’re ready to dig deeper, consider participating in MentorAbility Canada, a national initiative that coordinates short-term mentoring opportunities between employers and people experiencing a disability.
18. Do you have a plan for supporting all employees, including those with disabilities, in their career development?
From offering professional development funds to assigning projects that allow an employee to add new skills, or mapping out a career path, all employees benefit from career development support.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
For a quick read, download the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) authored brief on the topic of Professional Development and Advancement of Employees with Disabilities.
To dig deeper, review this Manager’s Guide to Supporting Career Development in employees with disabilities form the New South Wales Public Service Commission.
19. Is disability awareness part of the onboarding training for new employees?
Getting new staff thinking about inclusion from day one will ensure your inclusive culture is maintained even with turnover.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, Ontario Disability Employment Network published this blog post about the value of inclusive onboarding.
To help you dig deeper, we developed this resource about infusing disability awareness into your onboarding process.
Category: Disability Representation
20. Do you have an employee committee or employee resource group focused on disability or inclusion?
Creating space for employees to come together to discuss inclusion can lead to better awareness of disability inclusion across all departments while contributing to better retention and more authentic recruitment.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
For a quick read, download this toolkit created by Disability:IN which helps organizations develop employee resource groups.
To dig deeper, LinkedIn Learning offers the course A Guide to ERGs: An Introduction to ERGs to guide your efforts setting up any type of affinity group.
21. Are employees with disabilities asked to give feedback about your products, services, or company culture?
People with disabilities are uniquely qualified to give feedback on your inclusion efforts which will result in a better product or service.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) wrote a blog post about involving users with disabilities in the design process, but many of the principles could be applied to any stakeholder engagement.
To dig deeper, review Learning Directly from Disabled People. This robust publication from Business Disability International offers case studies and detailed guidance on engaging with employees with disabilities as part of your business processes.
22. Does your company have a senior leader or manager who shares their own experience of disability with your team?
When leaders feel comfortable sharing their own experience of disability, it can have a transformative effect on an organization’s culture.
Your response: Underway
Take Action
For a quick read, take a look at Vani Seshadri’s article on the important role leaders can play by disclosing their own disability experience.
To dig deeper, take a look at this article from Pivot Magazine. The Quiet Crisis was written by Denis Trottier, KPMG Canada’s Chief Mental Health Officer in which he shares his own experience with depression and how disclosing it to his partners led to a transformational change for his family and KPMG’s employees.
Category: Mental Health
23. Do you offer an Employee Assistance Program?
Most employee assistance programs offer access to anonymous counselling services, referrals to mental wellness programs and support after a critical incident.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
This quick read from Workplace Strategies for Mental Health explains EAP programs and how to optimize your program.
To dig deeper, Benefits By Design’s annual report on Employee Assistance Programs offers insight into the costs of offering an EAP, and the risks for organizations that choose not to.
24. Are employees provided mental health awareness training?
Mental Health Awareness training can reduce stigma and build awareness for all team members.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, download Mind Share Partners’ Actionable Toolkit For Businesses To Create a Mentally Healthy Workplace.
To dig deeper, consider signing up for Not Myself Today, a unique initiative from the Canadian Mental Health Association which raises awareness and reduces mental health stigma. Participating companies receive employee engagement activities, tools and resources that work for all sized organizations and teams.
25. Have front line staff and relevant managers received mental health first aid training?
Mental Health First Aid training builds confidence and skill for managers and front line staff who may encounter someone in mental health crisis.
Your response: Underway
Take Action
For a quick read, Canadian Mental Health Commission offers answers to the most common questions about Mental Health First Aid training.
To dig deeper, you can register for online training or find an instructor via the Mental Health First Aid Canada website.
26. Does your organization have a mental health employee resource group or other mechanism for connecting with their peers about this topic?
Supporting staff to discuss mental health with their peers can help destigmatize this prevalent issue.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
For a quick read, check out this article by the Canadian Mental Health Association explaining the ins and outs of Peer Support.
To dig deeper, download Mind Share Partners’ comprehensive guide to setting up a Mental Health focused Employee Resource Group.
Category: Metrics
27. Are managers asked about their inclusion efforts during their performance evaluation or in other coaching situations?
Ensuring that performance on disability inclusion is part of regular performance management discussions will help managers to understand it is a priority.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, review this article written by Forbes HR Council member Nish Parikh, about the Six Key Character Traits Of A Disability Inclusion Leader.
To dig deeper, review this resource to help you develop inclusive managers through coaching and performance conversations.
28. Do your staff surveys offer employees an opportunity to identify if they have a disability?
Disabilities may not be disclosed at hire due to fear of discrimination or bias. And some disabilities can be acquired during employment. Asking employees annually will help capture changes in your workforce.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
For a quick read, review these tips to increasing self-ID from employees with disabilities in your organization.
To dig deeper, read the Tools to Make It Count: Develop and Implement a Disability Measurement Initiative and consider committing to ask your employees if they identify as having a disability.
29. Do your staff engagement survey results show that people with disabilities feel as engaged as those without disabilities?
Research shows there is a disparity in experience for employees with disabilities, which impacts retention.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, this Accessibility.com post summarizes the key findings from research by Global Disability Inclusion and Mercer on the subject of Disabled Employee Engagement.
To dig deeper, listen to this podcast interview with the authors of The State of Disability Employee Engagement Study, which expands on their research findings regarding the engagement gap for employees with disabilities.
30. Do your engagement surveys show that your disabled employees feel as safe as nondisabled employees reporting unethical behaviour if they witness it?
Research shows that in many organizations employees with disabilities feel less psychologically safe at work, which impacts retention and innovation.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, review this post explaining how psychological safety empowers neurodivergent inclusion in the workplace.
If you’d like to dig deeper, the Canadian Mental Health Commission developed a national standard on creating psychologically safe workplaces. You can register for their free e-course on implementing the standard.
31. Do you require managers to report on their inclusive hiring progress?
Both organizational and individual accountability is needed to drive inclusion. Tracking progress and celebrating successes will help build momentum.
Your response: Not yet started
Take Action
For a quick read, review this template Diversity Hiring Goals Report which you can use to track hiring manager efforts towards more inclusive recruitment efforts.
To dig deeper, consider setting up regular meetings to discuss and celebrate inclusive hiring progress and achievements. Consider using the Diversity Hiring Goals Report template to guide the discussion.
Category: Organizational Commitment
32. Does your company diversity and inclusion plan mention disability as a dimension of diversity?
Naming disability alongside other priority areas in your diversity and inclusion efforts is a key practice at leading inclusive organizations.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
This Forbes article is a quick read with tips and what to avoid when adding disability to your Diversity and Inclusion plan.
To dig deeper, look at this resource we developed to help include disability as a dimension of diversity in your work.
33. Do you have partnerships with disability employment service organizations?
Disability employment service organizations are contracted by government to match employers with qualified job seekers. They can lend you expertise, and help you access talent and funding.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
This quick read created by Accessible Employers guides you in selecting and working with employment service organizations.
If you are ready to dig deeper, visit the Open Door Group website to learn more about the services available for employers.
34. Does a senior leader or manager speak publicly about your organization’s commitment to disability inclusion?
Leaders who speak to the organization’s efforts to be disability inclusive signal it as a valued part of the organization’s culture.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
For a quick read, Employer Assistance Resource Network (EARN) offers this 15 minute e-learning course which explains how leaders in an organization can champion the work.
To dig deeper, Deloitte’s report The Six Signature Traits of inclusive Leadership is an insightful read.
35. Does your company engage in opportunities to network with inclusive employers?
Disability inclusive employers gain insights and encouragement when they connect with their peers.
Your response: Already completed
Take Action
For a quick read, consider joining the Community of Accessible Employers connecting you to other inclusive employers.
To dig deeper, consider joining the Accessible Employer annual Pledge to Measure, which encourages Canadian employers to make a public commitment to survey and report publicly the number of employees who self-identify as having a disability.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Creating a disability-inclusive workplace is easier with the right support system. If you are a Canadian employer, our Inclusive Workforce Specialists are here to help – at no cost to you!
Our free services and resources include:
- Consultation
- Training and Educational Resources
- Recruitment and Retention Support
- Connection to Diverse Talent Pools
- Access to a Growing Community of Inclusive Employers
Get started today! Visit Open Door Group’s “For Employers” webpage and/or send us a message directly here (link opens a new webpage).