Making the workplace work for people with disabilities

Canada is a country of skilled, passionate and resilient individuals. As International Day of Persons with Disabilities, recognized every December 3, so importantly reminds us, we share a responsibility for ensuring everyone has the means to engage with their families, careers and communities in impactful ways, even when physical or mental barriers appear in our path.

Championing inclusivity for people with disabilities is a virtuous goal on paper, but what does it mean in practice? How do we come together as families, friends, employers, allies and community members to promote inclusivity for people with disabilities—especially when the term “disability” refers to a broad spectrum of physical and mental circumstances? From what I’ve learned through my career, much of the real work begins when we seek to create community and workplace cultures that promote assistive tools and technologies, empower inclusive role models and keep the needs of people with disabilities in focus.

Inclusive and assistive technologies are already playing a major role in bridging critical gaps for people with disabilities. Today, in our homes and workspaces, we have access to mobile technologies that provide visual and audio assistance, robotics that can assist in overcoming physical challenges and adaptive and artificially intelligent tools that can help individuals read, understand and engage with their environments on a deeper level. On a larger scale, we are designing and retrofitting our built environments to be more accessible to individuals with physical limitations. Thanks to disability tech think tanks, incubators and innovation hubs around the world, these solutions are becoming more accessible and acknowledged.

I’m also encouraged to see more individuals with disabilities get a deserved spotlight in the public. I’m not talking only about world and business leaders, but the athletes, artists and community leaders who have achieved great success while managing physical or mental health barriers. Events like the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and Canadian Disability Hall of Fame awards are putting talented and tenacious individuals with disabilities on a deserved podium; with each new iteration, they are eliminating the biases and misconceptions that hold others back from reaching their own full potential.

It’s promising to see Canadian employers engaging and accommodating people with disabilities, not only because it’s “the right thing to do" but also because they understand that we all win when Canadians with disabilities have opportunities to bring their skills and talents to the workforce. Job seekers gain financial stability, stronger confidence and autonomy, enabling them to be more self-reliant and contribute even more to their communities. Meanwhile, employers report that employees with disabilities tend to be remarkably loyal and productive, as well as catalysts for more inclusive and empowering work environments. That's to say nothing of the perspectives and insights people with disabilities bring to their work that help organizations create more accessible customer experiences.

The economic upsides are just as compelling. A recent cost-benefit analysis by a rehabilitation hospital showed that even a small investment of about $15k in "start-early employment programming" can realize a 600 per cent return per person ($127,000+) in terms of income taxes paid and decreases in social assistance programs, among other financial benefits.

It really is a win-win. At KPMG, I've personally seen teams grow stronger when small but meaningful actions are taken to help everyone bring their full selves to work. I've been in the room when microphones are passed around a meeting table to make sure an individual who has difficulty hearing could bring his full expertise to the group. I've also seen leaders make accommodations for an individual who previously suffered from a concussion and needed only minor changes to his work desk and work schedule to bring his whole self to work and continue being effective in his role. The same goes for another individual who simply needed to bring in a support animal for mental health support.

These are just a few examples that come to mind. I use them because they demonstrate how inclusivity in a workplace doesn't need to be a huge capital investment or massive transformation. Rather, by incorporating inclusivity into our everyday mindset, we can be ready and willing to take small actions that have a massive impact.

As a society, we have done well to move the needle on inclusivity for people with disabilities. That’s not to say we’ve reached our goal, however. Recent research by the Government of Canada indicates that only 62 per cent of Canadians with disabilities aged 25 to 64 have jobs, compared to 78 per cent of Canadians without disabilities. Moreover, individuals with disabilities who are employed report having lower-paying jobs that have less stability, fewer benefits and limited chances for career growth.

A survey of 1,000 Canadians with disabilities we recently conducted ourselves bears this out. Of those 1,000 respondents, 87 per cent are currently employed—and 60 per cent of them are actively seeking employment elsewhere owing to experiences with ableism and feeling underemployed in their roles.

Numbers like these speak to the fact that we still have work to do to foster inclusivity—not just because it gives all Canadians a chance to improve their quality of life, but also because it equates to a stronger labour force and more engaged communities.

The thing we need to remember is most Canadians with disabilities want to work. Not too long ago, I was part of a provincial employment strategy project where we talked to many people in this demographic. What came through loud and clear was that the high unemployment rate for people with disabilities isn't necessarily a result of them not wanting to work; more often, it’s because there are real barriers, stigmas and discrimination standing between them and meaningful employment. Many of the people we spoke to said they would love to work, but either couldn't physically make it into an office or came up against employers who didn't offer assistive supports. Only 27 per cent of respondents to our poll strongly agree that their employer provides accommodations.

So again, the question stands: How do we, in our individual roles, promote inclusivity for people with disabilities? For employers, it starts with fostering a culture in which the needs of all employees are recognized, and that tools, resources, and flexible working arrangements are available to help people to be their best in the office or remote workspace. It also means creating welcoming and inclusive spaces through community outreach programs and disability awareness training.

Communities also have a part to play—and, promisingly, they are stepping up. Around the world, we are seeing more accessibility think tanks and incubators bringing innovators together to champion assistive technologies. We are also seeing more employers in every industry trying to bring these individuals into their teams.

And the public sector has a role in making this connection, too. Through initiatives like its Disability Inclusion Action Plan and the Accessible Canada Act, the government can incentivize businesses to engage this underutilized demographic. What's more, public sector organizations can serve as role models for inclusive work environments through policies and practices that show everyone what can be done to accommodate all Canadians.

At KPMG in Canada, we are proud to have a Disability Inclusion Action Plan with a mission to advance an equitable and inclusive culture where people with disabilities and their caregivers experience belonging and are supported to thrive and achieve their goals.

The path to inclusivity is a continuous process. Although we have made notable progress, it’s clear that more efforts are needed to maintain our momentum. By embracing a culture of inclusivity and actively seeking to remove these barriers, we can create a workforce that reflects the diverse talents and perspectives of all Canadians.