Review Your Roles: How to Design Jobs That Are Inclusive for People with Disabilities

“A more inclusive world of work begins with small steps in job design — steps that may seem minor, yet create significant impact.”

In today’s business landscape, diversity has moved beyond being merely an “HR preference” and has become a strategic priority for organisational growth. Companies increasingly recognise that strong teams are built by individuals with diverse experiences, capabilities, and perspectives. One of the most valuable dimensions of this diversity is the active and equal participation of people with disabilities in working life.

True inclusion, however, is not achieved simply by opening the doors to employment. It requires a conscious rethinking of job design. How a role is defined, which responsibilities it includes, how accessible the environment is, what technologies provide support, and how managers behave — all of these are fundamental pillars of equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

Disability Is Not a “Minus” — It Is a Different Way of Working

Disability is often discussed through a misleading lens that focuses on limitations — on what individuals supposedly cannot do. In modern HR practices, however, disability is understood as a difference in how work may be performed, and one that can add real value.

The key is not to force the individual to adapt to the job, but to rethink the job in line with the individual’s strengths.

This perspective unlocks employee potential while simultaneously expanding an organisation’s talent pool.

The Core Question of Job Design: “Does This Task Really Have to Be Done This Way?”

This is one of the first questions organisations should ask when reviewing roles. Many job descriptions were written years ago and merely updated over time. Yet as the world of work evolves, so too do the ways in which work can be done.

Making a role accessible for people with disabilities does not mean simplifying it. On the contrary, it means optimising it to meet real needs.

This optimisation may include:

• Breaking tasks into modular components
• Minimising physical requirements or addressing them through alternative methods
• Leveraging technology to provide support
• Enabling tasks such as data entry through voice commands, screen readers, or adapted keyboards
• Redistributing processes that require intensive physical movement

And yes — none of this diminishes the value of a role. Quite the opposite: it clarifies job requirements through a more scientific and intentional approach.

Accessibility Is Not Just About Buildings

Non-slip floors, ramps, accessible toilets, and lift controls are, of course, essential. Yet many organisations overlook an even more critical dimension:

Behavioural accessibility.

A manager’s attitude, a colleague’s communication style, or the “default pace” of internal processes can all become barriers to access for a person with a disability.

To build an inclusive culture, small but high-impact practices play a crucial role, such as:

• Ensuring more balanced participation in meetings
• Avoiding expectations that everyone responds at the same speed
• Strengthening empathetic communication
• Supporting visual content with descriptive text
• Ensuring digital platforms are compatible with screen readers

Technology as an Enabler: Accessibility Is Now at Our Fingertips

One of the greatest allies in inclusive job design for people with disabilities is technology.

Today, solutions such as:

• Live captions in meetings for employees with hearing impairments
• AI-powered screen readers for employees with visual impairments
• Voice-controlled computers for employees with orthopaedic disabilities
• Focus and organisation tools for individuals with ADHD or dyslexia

are rapidly becoming standard.

What truly matters is that organisations view these tools not as “additional costs”, but as human-centred investments. Effective team design begins with the right tools.

Changing the Language of Recruitment: How to Write Inclusive Job Adverts

One of the most critical aspects of inclusive job design is the language used in job adverts.

A well-written advert:

• Does not say “we are looking for a disabled employee”, but instead states “this role is open to everyone”
• Avoids exaggerating physical requirements and uses realistic descriptions
• Does not overload the role with unnecessary competencies
• Offers flexibility in how the work can be carried out
• Avoids exclusionary phrases such as “only confident candidates should apply”

People apply not only to roles, but to how those roles make them feel. Language therefore matters deeply.

Preparing Managers: The Most Critical Element of Job Design

This may be one of the most important building blocks of all. No design change works in isolation. If it is not supported by managers and teams, the process becomes difficult.

For this reason, providing managers with training in areas such as:

• Disability awareness
• Empathetic communication in team management
• Feedback delivery techniques
• Facilitation of onboarding and adjustment processes

has a direct impact on success.

Making a role inclusive ultimately begins when a manager internalises one key question:
“How can I best support this person?”

Rethinking the Performance Approach

Performance evaluation for employees with disabilities should not be more lenient — it should be more accurate. This does not mean lowering expectations; it means making measurement methods fairer.

For example:

• Quality-focused metrics rather than speed-based ones
• Outcome-based goals instead of physical benchmarks
• Flexible time planning

all contribute to more objective performance assessment.

Today, many organisations around the world view inclusion not only as a social responsibility, but also as a strategic strength.

A broader talent pool, higher employee engagement, stronger organisational culture, more creative problem-solving, improved societal reputation — these and more are direct outcomes of inclusive job design.

Designing roles that are suitable for people with disabilities does not require radical transformation. Sometimes it is a slightly wider corridor, sometimes task segmentation, sometimes a slower meeting rhythm, or sometimes the integration of a screen reader…

Each of these enables talent to participate fully and confidently in professional life. And most importantly, they help organisations develop cultures that are more mature, more inclusive, and more human-centred.

Mini Inclusive Design Checklist

When reviewing your roles, consider asking the following questions:

• Is the job description overloaded with unnecessary detail?
• Which physical requirements are truly essential?
• Are our digital tools accessible?
• Is our job advert language inclusive?
• Do managers receive adequate support on this topic?
• Do we regularly collect employee feedback?
• Is there a culture of awareness within teams?

This small checklist can be the starting point for meaningful transformation.