Workplace Disability Inclusion

25
Jul 2022
102
The sun is shining on the ocean waves on the beach.

Author:  Wilma Li, PCC, CPHR, SHRM-SCP

Did you know that 1 “disability is increasingly thought of as a desired facet of a company's diversity and inclusion strategy, and that people with disabilities are a significant and largely untapped labor pool”? 1 “Individuals with disabilities represent 15% of the world's population, or approximately 1 billion people worldwide, and yet they are half as likely to be employed as their non-disabled peers”. According to the World Economic Forum, 3 ”eighty percent of these people acquire their disability between the ages of 18 and 64 - the average working age for most - and they are 50% more likely to be unemployed”.

In Canada, 2 “in 2017, one in five (22%) of the Canadian population aged 15 years and over – or about 6.2 million individuals – had one or more disabilities. The prevalence of disability increased with age, from 13% for those aged 15 to 24 years to 47% for those aged 75 years and over”. 2 “Among those aged 25 to 64 years, persons with disabilities were less likely to be employed (59%) than those without disabilities (80%)”.

Identifying effective workplace disability inclusion policies and practices in five key areas of the employment process may help you recognize and address the disparities in your own workforce:

  • recruitment and hiring
  • career development and retention
  • accommodation and accessibility
  • diversity and inclusion
  • compensation and benefits

Recruitment and Hiring

Disability inclusion as a part of your organization’s overarching business strategy is seen as critically important within your organization and sends messages externally that your company desires to be disability-inclusive to encourage candidates with disabilities to apply.

Connect recruitment and staffing strategies with the larger diversity and inclusion goals.  Your internal Employee Resource Group can help with identifying qualified candidates. 

Have disability-inclusive interviewing considerations throughout the interviewing and screening process by clarifying which successful applicant interviewing approaches will maximize the likelihood of giving candidates with disabilities an opportunity to show their competitive advantage. Prepare your recruiters, interviewers, and hiring managers with clear instructions and training when needed.

Career Development and Retention

Identify where issues, like bias, stereotypes and stigmas, may occur in the career advancement and retention process. Minimize disability discrimination and maximize equal opportunity for employment progression.

1 The following retention and advancement policies and practices were rated as very effective at enabling advancement and retention for employees with disabilities:

  • Having a disability-focused employee network
  • Having a return-to-work or disability management program
  • Availability of flexible work arrangements for all employees
  • Having a mentoring program to support employees with disabilities

Accommodation and Accessibility

Take into account not only the physical environment but also communications and information technology for accommodation and accessibility. Have a designated office or person to address accommodation requests or issues. Have a grievance procedure that allows employees to exceed the maximum medical leave duration for an accommodation. Have a formal process to evaluate accommodation requests. Provide notice of reasonable accommodation availability. Evaluate pre-employment screenings for bias. Proactively designing external and internal websites for accessibility to eliminate barriers for people with disabilities. Train managers on how to interact with people with disabilities, how to support teams when a disability issue arises that may create tension, and really unlearn some myths or biases that they may have picked up over time around disability.

Diversity and Inclusion

Ensure leadership commits to disability inclusion and fairness in employment practices. Make managers accountable by putting in their performance evaluations disability-inclusion behaviours. Measure understanding and results by including disability in your employee opinion surveys. Establish employee and business resource groups. Include employees with disabilities in formal and informal employee gatherings. Make it safe to self-identify. Raise understanding and skill levels about disability inclusion across the whole workforce. The more inclusive the decision-making environment, the more psychologically safe and empowered employees feel.

Compensation and Benefits

Conduct an equity analysis of current pay for protected groups, including individuals with disabilities. Review which benefits packages meet the needs of employees with disabilities like allowing employees paid time for brief appointments or allowing employees to occasionally take work home. Ensure access to all benefits including offering inclusive and accessible employee wellness programs. Offer employee assistance and referral services for workplace mental health considerations. Train managers and supervisors on how to recognize and eliminate bias toward employees with disabilities in compensation decisions.

For more ideas or information on workplace disability inclusion, please contact us at: www.bkicorp.com. At Business Knowledge Integration, we coach you and your organization on your intercultural, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) needs to achieve sustainable results.

 

References:

1 Bruyere, Susanne M., Workplace Disability Inclusion (2021 virtual online course), Diversity and Inclusion Certificate for HR program, Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, Cornell University

2 https://www.ldac-acta.ca/canadian-survey-on-disability-reports-a-demographic-employment-and-income-profile-of-canadians-with-disabilities-aged-15-years-and-over-2017/#:~:text=HIGHLIGHTS,aged%2075%20years%20and%20over

3 https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/04/what-companies-gain-including-persons-disabilities-inclusion/

 

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.



Mental Health in the Agriculture Industry

By Jessica Jaithoo • August 8, 2025
Author : Nicole Mahieux, Nick Canning & Kendal Tremblay Mental health is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of employee well-being, business resilience and community strength. For HR professionals, supporting mental health is no longer optional—it’s imperative. While conversations around mental health have gained traction in many industries, one critical sector still faces unique and persistent challenges: agriculture. Farmers and agricultural workers play a vital role in food production and national food security. Yet they are among the most vulnerable when it comes to mental health struggles. In fact, they experience some of the highest rates of stress, anxiety, depression—and even suicide. This is not just a personal issue. It's a workforce issue. It's a public health issue. It's a business issue. There are a range of compounding pressures makes farming one of the most mentally taxing professions.  These include: 1.Financial Stress & Unpredictability Unstable markets, weather-dependent outcomes, and shifting government policies contribute to a constant sense of economic uncertainty. 2. Isolation Many farmers work alone and live in rural areas where access to social support is limited. Social isolation increases vulnerability to mental health concerns. 3. Stigma Although mental health stigma is slowly decreasing, it remains a barrier—especially among men, who represent 74% of the agricultural workforce. Traditional gender norms often discourage open conversations or help-seeking.

CPHR Alberta’s Commitment to Supporting Reservists

By Jessica Jaithoo • August 7, 2025
As a proud participant in the Glowing Hearts program , CPHR Alberta continues to champion the value that Canadian Armed Forces reservists bring to our workplaces. Since joining the program, we’ve seen firsthand how supporting reservists not only strengthens our communities but also enhances organizational resilience and leadership. The Value of Reservists in the Workplace Reservists are more than military personnel—they are strategic thinkers, adaptable leaders, and skilled collaborators. Their training equips them with discipline, problem-solving abilities, and a mission-focused mindset that translates seamlessly into civilian roles. Captain McKenzie Kibler of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment exemplifies this. In a recent deployment on Operation REASSURANCE, he developed leadership and operational skills that now enrich his civilian career. Watch his story here. Support, Recognition, and Incentives for Employers Supporting reservists doesn’t mean sacrificing business continuity—in fact, it opens the door to meaningful recognition and financial support. Through the Compensation for Employers of Reservists Program (CERP) , employers can receive grants to help offset operational costs when a reservist-employee is away for 30 days or more. At the same time, organizations that register their reservist leave policies with the Glowing Hearts program are publicly recognized on the Canadian Forces Liaison Council website and receive a certificate of support and digital badge. These benefits not only ease the logistical challenges of supporting reservists but also position your organization as a leader in community engagement and national service. Tools and Templates for HR Leaders To make it easier for organizations to support reservists, CPHR Alberta offers a Reservist Leave Policy Template. This resource outlines eligibility, leave procedures, compensation, and compliance with federal and provincial legislation—making it simple to implement a supportive policy. Access the template through the Member Portal.

Leadership Risk Isn't Just a C-Suite Concern

By Marina Perkovic • July 29, 2025
Companies that invest in leadership development see real returns. According to Brandon Hall Group, organizations with strong leadership development programs are 1.5 times more likely to be financially high-performing, reinforcing the clear connection between leadership strength and business success (Brandon Hall Group, 2015). For small to mid-sized businesses, this risk can be especially high. As teams expand and complexity increases, the informal leadership structures that worked early on can start to crack. That’s where proactive leadership development and risk mitigation go hand-in-hand. The Leadership Gap Is a Hidden Business Risk According to a recent CPHR Alberta report, talent development and leadership gaps remain one of the top five organizational risks (CPHR Alberta, 2023). The consequences are rarely immediate, but they compound over time: • Missed growth opportunities • High-potential employees leaving due to lack of career clarity • Poor team morale when unprepared managers struggle to lead • Strategic drift from lack of alignment at the top A growing company without a leadership pipeline is like a car without a spare tire, it might keep rolling, but one unexpected bump can send the whole operation into a tailspin. Risk Mitigation Starts with Leadership Insight The first step in mitigating leadership risk is to move from guesswork to clarity. That means using structured tools like leadership assessments, succession planning frameworks, and targeted coaching to surface the actual capabilities of current and emerging leaders. In professional services firms, for example, it’s common to see technically strong employees promoted into management roles. While they excel in their areas of expertise, they often lack key leadership capabilities like delegation, feedback, and emotional intelligence (Gallo, 2016). Without proper development, this can lead to stalled projects, disengaged teams, and higher turnover. Leadership assessments and focused coaching are essential to identify these gaps early and build the skills needed to lead effectively. Common Leadership Risks in SMBs Every organization faces different risks, but these are some of the most common leadership vulnerabilities seen in growth-stage companies (SHRM, 2022): • Lack of succession planning: Only one person knows how to run a key function, creating bottlenecks and burnout. • Unclear decision-making authority: Teams waste time waiting for approvals or duplicating efforts due to ambiguous roles. • Promotion without preparation: High performers are promoted into leadership roles without training, leading to micromanagement or misalignment. • Poor feedback culture: A lack of honest dialogue means small issues snowball into bigger people problems. • Leadership misfit: A leader’s natural style may clash with the culture or needs of a specific team or situation. Mitigating these risks requires more than a one-time workshop. It takes intentional development, structured tools, and reinforcement over time (SHRM, 2022). What Effective Mitigation Looks Like The most successful companies don’t wait for a leadership crisis to take action. They build leadership strength proactively. Here’s what that looks like: • Leadership assessments are used during hiring and promotions to identify fit, style, and potential blind spots. • Customized coaching programs help leaders build the exact skills they need in real time, tied to their actual challenges (International Coaching Federation, 2022). • Leadership training cohorts (such as PowerUp Leadership’s “Coaching Skills for Managers” or “Authentic Leadership” programs) create a shared foundation across the organization. • Succession maps identify who is ready or could be ready for key roles in 12–24 months, creating a proactive development plan (SHRM, 2022). As companies grow, the complexity of people management increases exponentially. Systems, tools, and strategy all matter but none of them work without effective leadership behind them (McKinsey & Company, 2018). Investing in leadership development isn’t a “nice to have” for big companies, it’s a risk management strategy for every business serious about sustainable growth. 
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