Fear of stigma prevents workers from disclosing disabilities, seeking accommodations

Many job seekers, new hires and employees are reluctant to disclose a disability or their need for accommodations to employers, according to research from Inclusively, a technology platform focused on fostering inclusive workplaces. 

The top disability-related issues cited by survey respondents are learning disabilities, ADHD and neurodivergence followed by a mental health condition. Chronic illness, mobility challenges, deafness and blindness also were cited as disabilities requiring accommodation at work, as were caregiving responsibilities and immigrant status. Helpful accommodations may include extra time on tasks for employees with ADHD and flexible hours for caregivers and working parents.

Fifty-eight percent of job seekers said they know how to ask for accommodations in the hiring process, and 48% know how to request accommodations as a new hire. Yet more than half (56%) do not request those accommodations, the report found. Forty-three percent of respondents said they did not feel safe disclosing their disability or need for accommodation to prospective employers and 46% said the process of seeking accommodations is too difficult. More than three-quarters, however, said they would access support tools anonymously, the report found. 

Computer engineering job seekers were the most likely to seek out accommodation for a disability at work, followed by customer support personnel, HR professionals and business and management employees. Retail associates were the least likely to seek accommodation for their disabilities, the report found.

The findings are a call to action for employers as the next generation of the workforce has a significantly higher likelihood of needing support to thrive in their job, said Inclusively. About two-thirds of respondents said accommodations are critical to workplace success.

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“Insights from job seekers on our platform underscores how important it is for employers to embrace that more and more people are identifying as having a disability,” stated Charlotte Dales, CEO and co-founder of Inclusively. “Companies need to standardize and streamline their accommodation processes for all employees so that it’s not separate from other offerings they have invested in. The bottom line is that in addition to inclusion, this is about workforce planning and we want everyone to feel included by providing them with the tools they need to be productive.”

Employers can take several steps to accommodate workers with disabilities including ensuring benefits that are already offered are easily accessible and offering personalized, anonymous and stigma-free support.