QUICK BRIEF
To equip HR professionals with data-driven insights, SHRM Thought Leadership surveyed three distinct groups: HR professionals, workers with disabilities, and workers without disabilities. These findings highlight current perceptions of disability, reveal gaps in accommodation practices, and identify opportunities for organizations to refine their strategies across the talent life cycle.
OUR PERSPECTIVES
Introduction
Creating a workplace that works for all — where every employee feels supported and can thrive — is a fundamental goal for modern organizations. With declining birth rates, tightening immigration, and other external factors forcing employers to reimagine their talent strategies, it is a business imperative for organizations to engage with the entire workforce — especially populations of workers that are often overlooked in traditional recruiting and retention methods. Understanding the experiences of people with disabilities is a critical component of achieving this objective.
The business case for disability-inclusive workplaces extends beyond recruitment to the full talent life cycle, including engagement, career progression, and retention. The U.S. Social Security Administration reported in 2025 that a 20-year-old worker has a 1 in 4 chance of developing a disability before reaching full retirement age, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noting that work-related musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., back pain or joint injuries) are the leading cause of disability for people during their working years. Organizations that fail to plan for disability inclusion risk losing the experienced talent they have already invested in.
A recent data brief on the U.S. labor force from SHRM Thought Leadership highlighted that since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the civilian labor force of people with disabilities has increased by over 30%, a sharp increase beginning around 2021 after a decade of minimal change. Also around 2021, the labor force participation of people with disabilities began to increase sharply, with now 1 in 4 people with disabilities participating in the labor force in 2025.
Many people with disabilities entered or remained in the workforce as pandemic-era accommodations such as remote work and flexible schedule became normalized, reducing barriers to employment and making it easier to request workplace support without stigma. By examining workplace perceptions, practices, and policies related to disability, organizational leaders can identify meaningful ways to build more supportive and productive environments for this part of the workforce.
As part of the SHRM Foundation’s Widening Pathways to Work Initiative, which includes a specific focus on Employing Abilities at Work, SHRM Thought Leadership conducted surveys of U.S. workers across three groups — HR professionals, workers with disabilities, and workers without disabilities — to further explore the current landscape of disabilities.1 Drawing on new insights gleaned from the surveys, this research aims to examine the current perceptions of disability awareness and workplace accommodations, the experiences of workers with disabilities throughout the talent life cycle, and opportunities for improvement in fostering inclusive workplaces.
Many workers with disabilities reported positive work attitudes. Over 4 in 5 workers with disabilities said they are satisfied with their jobs (82%), feel engaged at work (82%), or are deeply committed to their organization (81%). These positive job attitudes underscore the importance of not discounting or overlooking people with disabilities as active, engaged participants in the labor force, setting the stage for a deeper examination of how disability is currently understood in the workplace.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA defines a person with a disability as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a history or record of such an impairment, or is perceived by others as having such an impairment. This could be any condition that is a physical disability, a chronic health condition, a vision or hearing impairment, a mental health condition, or a workplace injury or illness.
The term “substantially limits” is interpreted broadly in favor of expansive coverage to the maximum extent permitted by the terms of the ADA, and is not meant to be a demanding standard. The term “major life activities” is also interpreted broadly and includes, but is not limited to, actions, movements, and functions that someone does every day (e.g., cognitive functions, sensory functions, major bodily functions).
Although the ADA establishes a foundational federal framework for disability rights in employment, it represents the starting point rather than the ceiling for employer responsibility. Many states impose additional protections, reinforcing that organizations must work beyond accommodation and compliance alone in order to adopt a comprehensive approach to disability inclusion in the workplace.
Current Understanding and Perceptions of Disability
The perspective that organizational leadership holds regarding disability can shape internal practices and processes. Over a third of HR professionals (38%) indicated that their organization’s approach to disability is best described as a compliance-focused or legal-focused approach, and just under a quarter of respondents (24%) indicated that their organization’s approach to disability is one of inclusion and diversity. Even fewer said that their organization’s approach to disability is a business case (15%) or social good (13%) approach. And 1 in 10 HR professionals (10%) said their organization has no approach to disability at all.
There is no single correct answer for what approach organizations should take to disability, and this data underscores that organizations vary quite widely in their approaches. It is unsurprising that most HR professionals indicated their organization’s approach to disability is legal compliance, because discussions of disability in the workplace are inextricably tied to ADA compliance.
A concerted and transparent strategy for providing accommodations is vital for the retention and engagement of workers with disabilities. HR professionals reported higher readiness to handle the needs of an employee with a short-term disability, with two-thirds of respondents (67%) feeling very prepared to support employees with temporary conditions such as an injury or pregnancy. In contrast, confidence drops when addressing the needs of employees with long-term disabilities — only one-third of HR professionals (33%) feel very prepared to manage ongoing support needs. This gap suggests that while many companies have established protocols for short-term conditions, they may lack the infrastructure needed to sustain inclusion and support for employees with permanent or chronic conditions. Embedding long-term disability support within broader organizational policies, practices, and culture aligns with evidence showing that proactive disability employment interventions improve employment outcomes and reduce barriers for people with disabilities. Findings from a systematic review conducted by Clearinghouse for Labor Evaluation and Research demonstrate that disability employment strategies such as transition programs and support services can yield positive employment and retention outcomes, reinforcing the importance of organizations partnering with community-based organizations to fully engage people with long-term disabilities at work.
A foundational step in building an inclusive workplace in which people with disabilities can thrive is understanding how disability is defined and perceived by working professionals themselves. These perceptions can influence everything from daily interactions during the workday to the language and implementation of organizationwide policies. Research findings suggest that while there is some common ground, variations and knowledge gaps persist, highlighting areas where HR professionals, workers with disabilities, and workers without disabilities have differing perspectives.
The HR professionals, workers with disabilities, and workers without disabilities sampled in our study had varying perspectives on what comes to mind when they define the term “disability.” There is a general consensus that disability is something that limits a major life function, as well as something that requires an accommodation, with over 3 in 5 HR professionals, workers with disabilities, and workers without disabilities including each of those phrases in their definitions. Over half of the HR professionals selected something that is invisible (61%) or visible (58%) as part of their definitions, as well. However, U.S. workers did not particularly consider something being visible or invisible as an essential part of their definition of disability, with less than half of them selecting each of those terms.
We found that the level of understanding of what conditions are covered by the ADA varied across the three samples surveyed. HR professionals largely understood physical conditions as being covered by the ADA, with over 94% identifying mobility, vision, and auditory impairments as covered disabilities. They also showed a strong recognition that less visible conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dyslexia, and migraines are included under the ADA, more so than what workers understand as being covered by the ADA. For the two worker samples, awareness levels were generally lower, particularly for nonvisible disabilities such as substance use disorder. The samples of workers with disabilities and workers without disabilities were nearly three times less likely than HR professionals to consider substance use disorder to be a covered disability (23%, 22%, and 66%, respectively).
These findings might not be surprising, because HR professionals are often more familiar with employment law and ADA compliance due to their job functions. However, the lower selection of covered disabilities among workers, especially those who have disabilities and might need to request accommodations, highlights a critical gap. There is an opportunity for broader education to ensure that all employees, regardless of whether they have one or more of these conditions, understand their rights and the wide spectrum of conditions covered by the ADA so that those looking to request accommodations feel empowered to seek support.
Personal Connection with Disability
48%
48% of HR professionals have a family member with a disability.
26%
26% of HR professionals have a close friend with a disability.
47%
47% of workers without a disability have a family member with a disability.
27%
27% of workers without a disability have a close friend with a disability.
Experience Throughout the Employee Life Cycle
Job Search and Recruitment
The path to employment often begins with barriers in commonly overlooked places. A job candidate’s first impressions of the job description posted for an open role can inadvertently discourage people with disabilities from even submitting their applications. In fact, over 3 out of 4 workers with disabilities (78%) reported that they have experienced one or more ability-related challenges during their most recent job search.
The most reported challenge, encountered by 37% of workers with disabilities, was physical job requirements that were listed in the job posting but were not essential requirements of the role (e.g., lifting objects of a certain weight or sitting for a prolonged period of time). Listing nonessential physical requirements in a job description might signal rigidity rather than inclusion, often leading qualified candidates to assume the workplace lacks flexibility or willingness to accommodate their needs. When applicants see unnecessary barriers — like lifting minimums or prolonged sitting or standing — that are not relevant to the tasks of the role that they are applying for, they may self-select out of the application process, fearing that the organization prioritizes physical capability over their skills and talent.
Over a third of workers with disabilities (36%) reported that difficulty finding jobs with remote or flexible work options was another challenge they faced in their most recent job search. A lack of flexible work arrangements can pose a barrier to employment, excluding talented people who thrive in environments that they can tailor to their disability-related needs.
Strengthening how organizations recruit and hire is an essential early step to fostering workplaces that enable the success of workers with disabilities. When workers with disabilities were asked what improvements they would like to see during the job search process, about 2 in 5 said implementing clear accommodation policies that are easy to request and understand during the hiring process (42%) or improving the accessibility of job boards and applications (40%).
Advice from HR Professionals to Other Organizations on Hiring People with Disabilities
“Think about what universal design elements would be useful to all candidates — not just the ones with disabilities.”
- HR director in the government, public administration, and military industry
“Utilize community resources like trainers who will work alongside some of these workers in order to remove some of the added training burden from your managers in order to increase buy-in.”
- HR vice president in the hospitality industry
“As their HR person, I am often speaking to our employees about disabilities … and accommodations. I approach these conversations with respect, empathy, and care. This helps to create a positive working relationship, and I leverage this to ensure the person knows that I am here to help them and will do everything I can to do so — it is important to me and our organization's mission and vision ... Being able to make a positive impact on someone is the best.”
- HR C-suite officer in the education industry
Engagement and Retention
To maximize employee success, efforts to tap into the talent found among groups that are often overlooked must go beyond recruitment and hiring. The journey of an employee has several critical touchpoints, from the initial job search to ongoing career progression. At every stage or unforeseen development, there are both opportunities and barriers that can shape employment and professional outcomes.
Once hired, the onboarding experience sets the tone for tenure. Workers with disabilities reported that specific resources and interactions make a measurable difference in their early integration into the organization. Clear documentation of job responsibilities (53%) was rated as helpful during onboarding by the most respondents, followed by one-on-one meetings with their manager (45%) and new hire orientation sessions (40%). When organizations fail to provide job-specific information and opportunities to ask questions, workers with disabilities face immediate challenges — including a lack of clarity about job responsibilities (cited by 29% of respondents), lack of job-specific training (28%), and insufficient IT setup or tools training (27%) — that can hinder their ability to contribute effectively from the start. These can be challenging for any new hire but might be especially difficult for workers with disabilities, who might require specific accommodations to do their jobs. To mitigate this, HR professionals can prioritize clear communication and structured onboarding processes to ensure employees with disabilities feel equipped from day one.
Concerns About Disclosing Disability at Work
Among workers with disabilities who chose not to disclose their disability at work, 40% said they have not disclosed because they worry that it could limit their career opportunities and 28% worry that it could lead to their firing.
Accessible Airline Travel for People with Disabilities
In 2025, the SHRM Foundation and Microsoft collaborated on a white paper, A World of Work That Works for All: Accessible Airline Travel for People with Disabilities. The paper aimed to educate HR stakeholders on the frequency of wheelchairs and other mobility aids being damaged or lost by airlines during travel. Many HR stakeholders have observational or incidental knowledge of this issue but should be more cognizant of it for the sake of their employees who use wheelchairs. The issue has a significant impact on these workers’ personal well-being, productivity, and professional development. Accessible airline travel is good for business because it connects employees who have disabilities to a global economic workforce, bolsters productivity, and ensures efficiency.
Development and Growth
When workers with disabilities reflected on their current work experiences, the majority reported a positive and supportive environment. Over 4 in 5 workers with disabilities said they feel included, valued, and empowered to succeed in their roles. They also largely reported having equal opportunities for learning and development and career advancement compared to their peers without disabilities.
Workers with disabilities bring several strengths to the workplace and are widely seen as positive contributors across a number of areas on their teams and in their organizations at large. More than two-thirds of workers without disabilities agreed that workers with disabilities enhance problem-solving with valuable perspectives and contribute positively to team culture. They are also viewed as loyal, committed team members who enrich the diversity within their organizations, reinforcing the idea that an inclusive team is a stronger, more capable team.
Professional development remains a vital component of the employee life cycle. Eighty-five percent of workers with disabilities indicated they are somewhat confident or very confident in their ability to learn or adapt to new workplace technologies and platforms. The training methods reported by the most workers as being effective for developing their work skills are on-the-job training or apprenticeships (42%), mentorship or coaching (41%), and visual or written job aids (33%). For example, applying universal design principles that incorporate multiple modes of instruction, including auditory and nonvisual formats, can support employees with visual impairments during training. These methods are ways in which all employees can upskill or reskill and suggest that when organizations provide accessible tools and proper training, employees are ready and able to adapt to evolving technological landscapes.
83%
Of workers with disabilities, 83% said they are somewhat willing or very willing to engage in artificial intelligence upskilling initiatives offered by their organizations.
Remote Work
Remote work has been around for decades, and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its adoption across organizations. The rise in remote work presented a significant shift in the employment landscape, offering both new opportunities and potential challenges for employees with disabilities. For many, the ability to work from home addresses long-standing barriers found in traditional office settings, such as physically inaccessible buildings, challenging commutes because of their disability, and overstimulating sensory environments. This flexibility for people with disabilities can unlock a broader talent pool and empower people to perform their best work in a setting that is tailored to their needs. Remote work can be an effective accommodation for many employees, and it can be offered as one option within a broader continuum of flexible and accessible work arrangements, rather than positioned as a universally superior solution for disability inclusion.
The availability of remote or hybrid work has implications for attracting and retaining people with disabilities. About 1 in 4 workers with disabilities reported that the availability of remote or hybrid work has either influenced their decision to join or remain with their current employer a lot (24%) or a great deal (22%).
Nearly half of the workers with disabilities (47%) said that since the increase in remote work options after 2020, their ability to find or keep a job has either improved somewhat or improved significantly. Additionally, over 3 in 4 workers with disabilities who are currently working a remote or hybrid job reported that it has allowed them to better manage their health, energy levels, or medical needs while maintaining productivity (83%); that they feel just as included and connected to their team as when they work in person (80%); and that remote or hybrid work has reduced experiences of stigma, bias, or microaggressions related to their disability (76%).
While not all job tasks and roles are amenable to working remotely on a regular basis, organizations may still consider opportunities to increase remote flexibility when possible (e.g., allowing workers to complete training courses online or offering virtual professional development).
By taking deliberate steps to foster disability inclusion, organizations can not only meet the current needs of workers with disabilities but also improve their internal processes to continue supporting the success of this population of the workforce.
Recommendations and Resources
Creating workplaces that truly support workers with disabilities requires deliberate action and a commitment to continuous improvement. Organizations can implement targeted strategies across the employee life cycle to build more inclusive and effective environments for all.
Start by educating your leadership and workforce on the wide spectrum of disabilities, including invisible conditions such as mental illnesses and chronic illnesses. This can help shift your organization’s approach from one of legal compliance to genuine inclusion. Fostering a more comprehensive understanding creates a foundation for a culture in which all employees feel seen and supported.
FEATURE
ADA at 35: Reasonably Accommodate Workers with Mental Illness
PODCAST
Creating Accessible Environments for Workers with Disabilities
CERTIFICATE
Employing Abilities at Work
Regularly review application systems, websites, job postings, and interview processes to ensure they are accessible to people with visual, auditory, mobility, and cognitive impairments. This could include ensuring that the organization’s website is compatible with screen readers or that any video calls or video interviews have closed captions or live transcription options. Many of these tools are readily available and either free online (e.g., websites that review the content of webpages or materials) or already included within common work programs themselves (e.g., accessibility checkers or rating scores).
HOW-TO GUIDE
How to Write an Effective Job Description
HOW-TO GUIDE
How to Make the Most of Hiring Candidates from Underemployed Groups
WEBSITE
Office of Disability Employment Policy
Develop clear, efficient, and confidential processes for employees to request both short-term and long-term accommodations. Given that preparedness for long-term support is significantly lower among the organizations sampled, focus on creating sustainable solutions that go beyond temporary conditions. This includes establishing an ongoing feedback loop with employees to regularly assess the effectiveness of accommodations and make adjustments as needed.
CHECKLIST
ADA Reasonable Accommodation
PODCAST
Navigating ADA Challenges Across the Employee Life Cycle
WEBSITE
Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides free and confidential consultations for employers of all sizes and types (e.g., private or federal, state, or local government). These consultations include practical guidance on workplace accommodation solutions, accommodation process strategies, and the employment provisions (Title I) of the ADA and related legislation.
WEBSITE
JAN Information for Employers
TOOLKIT
JAN Workplace Accommodation
CONCLUSION
The labor force participation of people with disabilities has reached historically high levels following the COVID-19 pandemic, now at around 25% at the end of 2025. Despite this increase in participation, people with disabilities continue to encounter barriers in the workplace. Including recruitment processes that inadvertently deter qualified candidates and a lack of career advancement opportunities, these challenges stifle potential. By dismantling these barriers, organizations do more than meet compliance standards. With commitment and action, organizations can build a workplace environment in which every individual has the opportunity to thrive.