Happy National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The purpose of this month is to celebrate the value of workers with disabilities and to confirm a commitment to ensuring disabled workers have access to good jobs year round. The theme of 2024’s NDEAM is “Access to Good Jobs for All.” The Enforcement Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, first published in 1999 and revised in 2002, has listed working from home as a reasonable accommodation for workers with disabilities. Massive changes in technology and cultural norms have pushed working from home into the zeitgeist. While working from home provides a lot more accessibility options, that doesn’t necessarily make it equitable or inclusive for all folks. This month, let’s take the time to examine working from home under the nuanced lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
Working from home significantly reduces many barriers people may face in an office setting; allowing for a more controlled environment, reducing travel barriers, and making it easier for people to use assistive technology such as screen readers. Folks can also experience reduced barriers for mobility, chronic pain, allergens, and sensory triggers. It also allows people to perform other tasks throughout the day, such as helping their kids get ready for school, walking dogs on breaks, or even use items in their working space they can use to stay concentrated and regulated.
However, the act of simply working from home does not necessarily foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) unless we keep it at the forefront of our minds. For example, it can be very easy to forget that everyone is working with their own perspectives and life experiences. There may be technology and bandwidth barriers that can affect how involved people can be during meetings. Aside from physical and environmental barriers, working from home can create feelings of isolation, especially if you work with a team with different hybrid schedules.
When nurturing a work culture defined by DEIB in a remote or hybrid setting, understanding the different barriers that people may face in their work environment is crucial. Take a look at this article from The Ability Center to see how to best structure remote meetings to promote accessibility. Turn your camera on when speaking to show facial expressions and better portray your message and meaning for everyone, and introduce yourself before speaking in front of larger groups. When sharing materials, clearly describe what you are referencing and what any additional pictures look like. In addition, provide spaces to allow water cooler talk, such as creating recurring “social hour” meetings on everyone’s calendar to catch up, or include optional debriefs and chatting time after every team catch-up. After all, while working from home can be much more accessible for folks, it is up to our individual actions to make it inclusive.