Presentations
Getting workplace adjustments out of the “too hard” basket
Australian Disability Network’s much requested flagship research project about workplace adjustments is now complete. Using a mix of surveys and interviews, the research explored the lived experiences of 400 people with disability about requesting and receiving adjustments to enable them to perform the essential requirements of their role, and during recruitment. The research also explored 200 organisations’ experiences and initiatives in using workplace adjustments to break down barriers in recruiting and retaining people with disability.
The overarching themes of the research findings tell an inter-connected story about how employees with disability are impacted by their immediate workplace environments, including their managers and colleagues, and by organisational policies and culture.
Our research, by listening to the experiences of organisations and people with disability, synthesises their knowledge into recommendations about how to address the issues that prevent jobseekers and employees from participating equitably in the Australian workplace. The quantitative data points provide further guidance for organisations to identify where they can improve their processes and learn from the experiences of other organisations.