Featuring Mason Williams, Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Mattel; Hadley Amann, Principal Inclusive Design Strategist at Sonos; and moderated by Katie Mooney, Managing Director at Seramount, the conversation underscored how inclusive design not only amplifies DEI initiatives but also strengthens business outcomes.

Designing With Communities, Not For Them: Mattel’s Approach

Mason Williams emphasized Mattel’s philosophy of “designing with communities, not for communities.” This principle fosters collaboration between designers and the communities they aim to serve, cultivating shared pride in the outcomes.

Mattel’s iconic Barbie, celebrating 65 years, exemplifies this evolution. The recent introduction of the first Barbie with Down syndrome was developed through partnerships with families, the National Down Syndrome Society, and other stakeholders to ensure authenticity and resonance. Similarly, Mattel’s UNO with Braille—created in collaboration with employee resource groups (ERGs) and tested by families with low vision—demonstrates how inclusive design processes result in deeper employee engagement and broader market acceptance.

Other notable milestones include Barbies with cochlear implants, which allow children to see themselves reflected for the first time in their toys, transcending traditional sales metrics to focus on representation and inclusion. As Williams put it, “Doing the right thing and doing good business amplify each other.”

Inclusive Design at Sonos: Amplifying New Perspectives

Sonos, known for its products, began its inclusive design journey in early 2024. Hadley Amann highlighted the company’s efforts to address gender representation, historically underrepresented in audio product markets. By engaging with women customers, Sonos explored how they enjoy products, identified improvement areas, and built strategies to replicate this success for other demographics.

For Sonos, inclusive design is deeply intertwined with effective design. It involves collaboration with both customers and internal teams to ensure inclusivity is seamlessly integrated into every aspect of their products, research processes, and marketing strategies. Through this collaboration Sonos broadens representation and creates products that are more meaningful and enjoyable for a diverse range of users.

Starting Small, Thinking Big

Both Mattel and Sonos emphasized that organizations looking to adopt inclusive design principles should start with small, focused steps.

For Sonos, this meant examining demographic gaps between their current customer base and the addressable market, beginning with gender representation. Internally, they aligned stakeholders to identify opportunities for immediate impact, from product design to distribution and marketing.

Mattel’s journey began with internal insights: employees noting that their designs didn’t represent themselves or their families. Every moment became an “Aha” moment, how can we continue to ensure representation across the brand?

Williams noted, “DEI should be thought of as a lens by which we do every business process not just designing of the toys but the way we design our workforce, the way we design our workspaces, the way that we think about how we interact with each other in meetings”.

Measuring Success and Staying Accountable

Both organizations highlighted the importance of disciplined accountability in sustaining progress. Mattel leverages balanced scorecards to evaluate representation across its product lines while utilizing social listening tools to gauge public sentiment. For example, Hot Wheels and fidget spinners have resonated strongly with the neurodiverse community—a reflection of the brand’s commitment to inclusivity.

Sonos, on the other hand, uses dashboards filtered by gender to monitor satisfaction scores and evaluates internal efforts, such as the success of inclusive customer research conversations. Small incremental steps, they noted, lay the foundation for systemic change.

The Business Case for Inclusive Design

Katie Mooney reminded attendees of the broader business imperative: inclusive design not only taps into new markets but also reinforces profitability and brand loyalty.  

Sonos has reframed its approach to inclusive design to focus on inclusion as a core business practice, not an afterthought. Instead of asking, “How can we integrate DEI into our practices?”, the company asks, “Who else do we need to speak with? Who else can we involve in this research?” This shift in perspective ensures a more comprehensive understanding of customers, particularly those who may have been historically excluded. It’s a mindset that prioritizes collaboration, creating a product that resonates broadly while serving specific identities authentically.

At Mattel, the philosophy of “people, product, and purpose” anchors its inclusive design strategy. Mason Williams described this evolution: “First, making sure that we take care of our people. Second, ensuring that we represent the world as we see it—and that our products reflect that same vision. Third, bringing it all back to the purpose: that play is for everyone.”

Williams shared how DEI has moved from being a standalone initiative to being deeply ingrained in Mattel’s operations. “It’s no longer about pulling the DEI lever to confirm inclusivity. Instead, inclusivity is simply the way we do things.” This shift ensures that inclusivity is not just a consideration but an expectation at every level of business.

Looking Ahead

This webinar was a powerful reminder that inclusive design is more than a strategy—it’s a mindset. Whether through dolls that reflect diverse abilities or audio products that resonate with underrepresented groups, the future of inclusive design promises a more equitable and innovative world.

The post Think Bigger: Lessons from the Executive Playbook on Inclusive Design appeared first on Seramount.

Krista Lindsey [KL]: Is it okay if I interview you for a blog I am working on? If so, what can I call you?

ChatGPT [CG]: Of course, I’d be happy to help with your interview for the blog! You can refer to me simply as ChatGPT, your AI collaborator. What do you want to talk about?

[KL]: Thank you! Can you explain in plain language what generative AI is for our audience?

[CG]: Absolutely! Imagine you have a really smart assistant who’s not just good at answering questions but can also create new things—like writing a story, drawing a picture, or even composing music. Generative AI is like that assistant. It’s a type of artificial intelligence that can generate new content, something that didn’t exist before, after learning from a lot of examples.

For instance, if you’ve seen beautiful artwork or read an article that was created by AI, that’s generative AI at work. It learns from lots of data—like thousands of paintings or countless books—and then it can create something on its own that feels new and original. So, in simple terms, generative AI is a tool that helps create new things based on what it has learned from existing information.

[KL]: Thank you for setting that foundation. Do you believe that gen AI can be beneficial to those who are neurodivergent?

[CG]: Absolutely, generative AI holds significant potential benefits for individuals who are neurodivergent. Neurodivergent people, including those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other neurocognitive variations, often have unique learning styles, communication preferences, and ways of interacting with the world. Generative AI can be tailored to support these diverse needs in several impactful ways:

1. Customized Learning: Tailors educational content to learning styles
2. Assistive Tools: Aids in writing, organizing, and communicating
3. Social Interaction: Enhances social skills through virtual practice
4. Sensory Processing: Adjusts digital environments for sensory needs
5. Routine and Organization: Designs personalized schedules and reminders
6. Employment and Creativity: Supports creativity and automates routine tasks

Harnessing AI for Neurodiversity: Practical Prompts for Professional Success

In the enlightening article “AI, Generative Production, & Accessibility,” authors Melissa A. Clark and Melanie E. Gagich explore the use of AI and generative production by students with various neurotypes. A standout feature of this piece is the showcase of diverse sample prompts and the outputs generated by ChatGPT, tailored for students. Building on this innovative approach and continuing my interview with gen AI, here are several prompts designed to assist professionals in advancing their projects.

[KL]:  Pretend you’re supporting neurodivergent employees in their daily work tasks. What are some sample prompts that tailor assistance to accommodate the unique needs associated with various aspects of neurodiversity?

ChatGPT 4.0 Response:

For Employees with ADHD:

1. “Can you suggest a tool that breaks my projects into smaller, actionable tasks and reminds me of deadlines?”
2. “What’s the best way to minimize distractions in my digital workspace?”
3. “How can I effectively prioritize my tasks when everything feels urgent?”

For Autistic Employees:

1. “How can I create a predictable work schedule that accommodates unexpected tasks or changes?”
2. “What tools can help me manage sensory overload while working?”
3. “How can I leverage technology to streamline team collaboration in a way that aligns with my communication strengths?”

For Dyslexic Employees:

1. “What are the best tools for converting text to speech or for helping with reading and writing tasks?”
2. “How can I organize digital files for easy retrieval when text labels are challenging?”
3. “Can you provide tips for making detailed reports or presentations more manageable?”

For Employees with Dyspraxia:

1. “What strategies can help me organize my physical and digital workspace for efficiency?”
2. “How can I use technology to streamline tasks that require fine motor skills?”
3. “What’s the best way to plan my day to accommodate physical movement and rest?”

For Employees with Social Anxiety:

1. “What are the most effective ways to prepare for meetings or presentations to reduce anxiety?”
2. “How can I set boundaries in digital communication to manage my workload and social interactions?”
3. “Can you recommend tools that facilitate asynchronous communication with my team?”

For Employees with Sensory Processing Sensitivities:

1. “What are the best noise-canceling tools or apps to use in an open office or public setting?”
2. “How can I adjust my virtual meeting setup to reduce sensory overload?”
3. “What workspace adjustments can reduce the impact of harsh lighting or screen glare?”

Navigating Generative AI Bias

In the exploration of generative AI and its intersection with neurodiversity, the challenge of bias within AI systems emerges as a critical concern. Even within this article, I have adjusted some of ChatGPT’s responses to eliminate dialogue that does not align with Seramount’s inclusive language principles. Insights from the article “Shedding light on AI bias with real world examples” by the IBM Data and AI Team highlight the complexity of this issue. Biases, embedded in data and algorithms, can amplify negative outcomes, particularly affecting neurodivergent individuals who may face misrepresentation or exclusion in AI-generated content. This underscores the necessity for ethical AI development that actively includes and values diverse cognitive profiles, ensuring that AI supports rather than sidelines neurodivergent individuals.

To navigate and mitigate these biases, robust AI governance focused on compliance, transparency, and fairness is paramount. Drawing on IBM’s advocacy for ethical AI practices, including thorough evaluation processes and secure deployment, it becomes evident that generative AI must be developed with a deep understanding of and commitment to inclusivity. By adopting such an approach, we can guide generative AI toward being a force for positive change, fostering an environment where technology celebrates and amplifies the richness of human diversity, making the digital realm accessible and empowering for everyone.

Interested In Learning More?

Generative AI is just one of the many subjects that can affect neurodivergent folks in the workplace, and we recognize that. With a commitment to fostering inclusivity and understanding, we have consistently organized events tailored to address these crucial issues. Leading these initiatives is Jess Kramer, our Associate Director of Events Programming, who has been instrumental in bringing insightful discussions on neurodiversity to the forefront. Our April 9 Member Webinar on neurodiversity promises to keep the discussion going.

What will this program entail? We’re excited to feature an enlightening keynote by Haley Moss, a renowned neurodiversity expert, attorney, advocate, thought leader, and author. Haley’s presentation will highlight the value of neurodiversity in the workplace, offer practical advice on navigating common challenges in the job-seeking process, and provide guidance on supporting neurodivergent individuals through disclosure and accommodations. Additionally, attendees will gain insights into encouraging open communication for successful employment and an introduction to universal design principles. This event will also include sessions that communicate the success of Goldman Sachs Neurodiversity Hiring Initiative and KPMG will showcase their inclusive neurodivergent training models.

All our Diversity Best Practice partners are invited to register. If you’re not yet a partner, this is the perfect time to join us on this important journey.

The post AI and Me: Navigating Neurodiversity and Technology’s New Frontier appeared first on Seramount.

• Neurodiversity: The diversity of human brains and minds
• Neurodivergent: Individuals who process information and behave in a way that differs from the actual or perceived norms of a particular culture
• Neurotypical: An individual with typical neurological development and/or functioning; not neurodivergent
• Neurodiverse: A group of individuals where some members of that group are neurodivergent (not for use when describing one person)

They also noted that approximately 15–20% of the world’s population is neurodivergent. This number might be higher because women and people of color often go undiagnosed. In the workforce, 50% of managers are uncomfortable hiring neurodivergent individuals, and 51% of neurodivergent workers want to quit their jobs, or already have, because they don’t feel valued or supported by their employer.

The event’s keynote speaker, Lydia X.Z. Brown spoke about the connection between neurodiversity and the disability justice movement. They highlighted how neurodiversity cannot be divorced from the bodies it impacts. This leads to ableism showing up in micro and macro ways. Lydia said: “Disability justice invites us to consider what our work would be like, what our communities would be like if we radically shifted our expectations for what care and assessment are away from charity or compliance. Away from managing or tolerance and toward embracing and affirming and supporting all of us and the rich tapestry of all of our needs.” Using this way of thinking can impact managers and how organizations treat neurodivergent talent.

How Being a Champion Impacts Business

Organizations employ neurodivergent talent every day but struggle to support them in a way that allows them to meet their full potential, even though 95% of all adjustments to better support neurodivergent employees will cost organizations nothing and lead to better business outcomes. Teams that have neurodivergent individuals report having a 30% increase in productivity, and companies that include neurodivergent talent have seen a 90% increase in employee retention. By embracing what makes neurodivergent employees unique, businesses can tap into different aspects of their workforce and set themselves apart from the rest.

Jamell G. Mitchell from EY, one of Seramount’s DBP member companies, spoke on his company’s Neurodiversity Center of Excellence and how they use it as the intersection of transformation and purpose within EY. Since launching in 2016, there have been Neurodiversity Centers of Excellences (NCoEs) established across eight countries in 19 cities, with 400 neurodivergent team members hired and trained. The results include a 92% retention rate of individuals hired through NCoEs and 1.2-–1.4 times greater productivity, quality, and timeliness of output from teams with NCoE members than teams without NCoE members. He framed the creation of this group with this question: “What happens when great minds don’t think alike?” The group helps the organization because problems are no longer looked at one-dimensionally, and it helps leadership to recognize that neurodivergent people can lift organizations to new heights. The group has built new connections with stakeholders across four pillars: digital transformation, workforce, results-driven DEI commitment, and ESG purpose and stakeholder values.

Rajesh Anandan from Ultranauts spoke on his organization’s “Universal Workplace.” He described the Ultranauts workforce as three-fourths neurodivergent. This proportion of neurodivergent employees is intentional because they want to build a more inclusive workplace. In being inclusive, they recognized that systems within the company needed to change. Some of the systems they had in place that they pinpointed as non-inclusive of neurodivergent talent were:

• A targeted approach to job listings limits roles that neurodiverse talent applies to
• Awareness workshops don’t change behaviors; actual, tracked changes do
• Job coaches don’t address underlying dynamics between neurodiverse and neurotypical people
• Accommodations shift responsibility to the employee instead of leaving it with the employer

Being intentional about inclusion meant that they had to redesign the system to make it work for everyone, not just singling out neurodivergent talent. Ultranauts’ Universal Workplace features mental health priorities, inclusion, continuous learning, flexibility, transparency, and collaboration.

The Path to Taking Correct Action

Creating and facilitating an inclusive workplace takes time and dedication. You will need a team and a plan to succeed in being a neurodiversity champion. If your organization is not ready, you are setting people up for failure. Jess Kramer mentioned that when it comes to neurodiversity initiatives, always make sure to have someone who identifies as neurodivergent as part of the planning process so that matters are handled from a place of lived experience and knowledge.

Interested in attending a webinar like this one? We’ll be hosting a similar event, open to the public, on May 16 titled “Why Supporting Neurodivergent Talent Is Better for Business.” Register here. If you would like to know more about neurodiversity in the workplace and how Seramount can help make your talent strategy more inclusive of neurodivergent individuals, contact us.

The post Why Supporting Neurodivergent Talent Is Better for Business appeared first on Seramount.

This article will provide an overview of how neurodivergent talent experiences inequities in the workplace and offer strategies and competencies to prioritize to build inclusion for neurodivergent talent. The strategies presented have the added benefit of driving a sense of belonging for all employees, including those who are neurotypical.

Neurodivergent Employees Often Lack Inclusion

Research indicates that teams with neurodivergent professionals can be 30 percent more productive than those without them. Yet, unconscious or even intentional bias among leaders and hiring managers toward neurodivergent talent is pervasive. Half of managers admit that they would be uncomfortable hiring a neurodivergent individual; it is likely that this is a low estimate considering the fear of stigma that managers might feel if they reveal their own biases in a survey.

For neurodivergent talent that makes it past the hiring barriers, the workplace environment often presents its own challenges to inclusion. The majority of individuals who are autistic or dyspraxic—60 percent and 55 percent, respectively—report that people in their workplace act in ways that exclude neurodivergent colleagues. Unsurprisingly, for neurotypical employees reflecting on the same prompt, only 29 percent perceive exclusion toward neurodivergent colleagues.

There is a moral imperative for neurotypical employees to keep the lived experiences of neurodivergent professionals top of mind. Small moments of microaggressions and micro-insults may fly below the radar, and neurotypical colleagues and managers may not always notice practices and behaviors that exclude neurodivergent employees.

It is crucial that there are real opportunities for neurodivergent employees to voice their needs and for colleagues and managers to listen intently to their everyday realities so that workplaces can be better environments for all employees.

Replace the Golden Rule with the Platinum Rule

At the heart of inclusion is the platinum rule: “Treat others how they want to be treated.” Notably, this is a tougher imperative to carry out than the golden rule (treating others how you want to be treated). Adhering to the golden rule merely requires that we ask ourselves “Would I want someone to treat me this way?” If the answer is yes, then we proceed. If the answer is no, then we adjust our behavior toward greater empathy, kindness, and flexibility.

The platinum rule, on the other hand, cannot be upheld through mere intuition. Particularly when colleagues’ identities and needs (that might be masked) differ from our own, establishing open communication is the only way to gain the knowledge and understanding that inclusive behavior requires.

For example, consider a neurodivergent professional who expresses that they prefer to stay off-camera in certain meetings because it enables greater focus and more persuasive communication. Although a neurotypical colleague might believe that being on-camera and connecting face-to-face enables more effective communication, they should be careful not to let their own perspective keep them from hearing someone else’s different, equally valid, need, especially if the end goals are more productivity, innovation, and out-of-the-box thinking.

Taking a multidimensional approach to interventions means being responsive to the four types of neurodivergent needs: processing differences, sensory needs, social environment, and communication needs. Small, often cost-free adjustments that are responsive to the needs of neurodivergent talent are necessary, especially in the hybrid realities of the current workplace, to drive engagement and autonomy.

Embrace Universal Design

Being able to provide accommodations when a neurodivergent employee requests it is important, but it is not sufficient to build neurodivergent inclusion. A workplace needs to provide a culture of belonging for all employees, regardless of whether or not they disclose that they are neurodivergent.

One crucial approach to embrace this reality is the principle of universal design. Simply put, universal design is the idea of creating processes to serve the greatest number of individuals. Not only is this approach proactive, but it also lends itself to scalable solutions.

For example, the Centre for Neurodiversity at Work finds that 92 percent of people with a hidden disability want help with memory and concentration. Rather than waiting for these needs to bubble up and impact an employee’s engagement and quality of their work product, companies at the forefront of neurodivergent inclusion proactively provide resources to address these challenges. Onboarding for all employees can easily include training that provides strategies and tools to bolster memory and concentration, important elements of executive functioning. Notably, most, if not all, employees could benefit from such training and demonstrate a higher level of productivity and output in the workplace.

It tends to be the case for all inclusion efforts that what is designed for a particular group or need often serves the greater good. Attentive, responsive, intentional, and flexible workplaces are more efficient and more attractive to talent in the long run. For organizations interested in capturing the best talent, retaining them, and building a diverse leadership pool, building inclusion for neurodivergent talent should be a top priority.

This article features strategies and insights for culture change drawn from the Seramount DEI workshop, “Advocating for Your Neurodivergent Talent.” To learn more about Seramount’s powerful DEI solutions, contact us.  

The post How to Be a Champion for Neurodivergent Inclusion appeared first on Seramount.

Sharing the stage with me were Paralympic triathlete and disability inclusion consultant Erin Brown, Disability:IN’s Global Disability Equality Index Director Dorothy Garcia, Sephora’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, George-Axelle Broussillon Matschinga, Accessibility Manager – Distribution Centers Jessica Jolly, and my colleague Sarah Crump, Director, Diversity Best Practices at Seramount.

My Own Experiences

The speakers I invited to the event represented various dimensions of disability: there were those with non-apparent disabilities, those with physical disabilities, and allies. Personally, I was excited to moderate this event because of my lived experience as an autistic woman. I didn’t have this understanding of myself until I was an adult.

I opened the program by sharing how medical gender bias and the differences that exist for autistic girls and women have left us (plus people of color and nonbinary folks) under-diagnosed and subsequently under-supported. The recent uptick in people, especially women, being diagnosed as autistic and with ADHD has led some people to think that there are more neurodivergent people today than before or that people are being over-diagnosed. However, the reality is that we’ve always existed; the nuances of these experiences are just being more clearly understood now.

The Power of Storytelling

A prevalent theme was the connective power of sharing our own stories.

Bahamian Erin Brown shared her personal story of resilience as someone who acquired a disability when she had a leg amputated following a cancer diagnosis. She found “courage in her cancer” and had a shift in perspective in navigating the world with a lens on accessibility, becoming a Paralympic triathlete.

She faced rejection and other barriers to employment. When she couldn’t get a job, she created her own by starting her disability inclusion consulting firm, Erin Brown Connects, to support others on their disability inclusion journeys. She is now also the sole person managing disability compliance at the University of The Bahamas.

Erin personalized her story further by sharing how disability inclusion benefits not just the employment space but families too. She is able to provide for her own family, which in turn impacts the community. “Access is a human right,” she said, and “accessibility today is inclusion tomorrow.”

Dorothy Garcia also shared her lived experience and connection to disability. Her rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis “have affected every single life decision I’ve made as an adult”—from where she lives to where she works to the timing of having children. Seventy-five percent of disabilities are, like hers, non-apparent ones. Growing up in the Philippines, she noticed how people with disabilities are often relegated to the background, and parents with disabled children are less likely to push their children to achieve life goals. She personally hid her disability in the workplace prior to working at Disability:IN, a nonprofit for business disability inclusion.

Disability Is Wide-Reaching and Intersectional

The rate of unemployment for people with disabilities in the United States is 10.1% compared to the unemployment rate among those without a disability, which is 5.1%. The number of unemployed autistic college grads is at approximately 80%, almost 20 times the national average. The consequences of not being understood and supported can be tragic. The rate of suicide for autistic folks is three times higher than for allistic folks.

Looking at disability more broadly, we highlighted how disability is intersectional and shifting: it cuts across every dimension of diversity, and anyone can become disabled at any time. One in four adults in the United States has a disability, 15–20% of the world’s population is neurodivergent, and almost half of adults over 60 have a disability.

Dorothy also shared just how prevalent disability is globally and how serious the barriers can be. At least one billion people, 15% of the world’s population, have a disability. Unemployment among persons with disabilities is as high as 80% in some countries.

How Companies Can Create Inclusive Environments for Employees with Disabilities

Disability allies from Sephora, a member of Disability:IN, shared their practical approach to disability inclusion. George-Axelle Broussillon Matschinga positioned disability inclusion as part of Sephora’s overall DEI strategy of being a DEI employer, retailer, and partner of choice.

Jessica Jolly launched their newest ERG, SephorAbility, and manages the All Abilities Hiring Initiative, a nine-week paid program leveraging local advocacy groups and educational institutions to train and recruit people with disabilities. Since launching in 2017, the program has provided jobs to 246 disabled candidates across four distribution centers. Overall, people with disabilities make up 3% of total Sephora employees and 9% in their distribution centers.

Their keys to a successful disability recruitment program include top-down commitment, buy-in from people leaders (with communication and hands-on trainings), ensuring the interview process is inclusive and the work environment is ADA-accessible, and providing reasonable accommodations and ongoing support. Sephora plans to expand this initiative into their stores and corporate offices soon.

As Dorothy pointed out, the wins for companies are clear: there’s huge market share and spending power of people with disabilities, disability is an asset to companies as opposed to a liability, accessibility is key for clients and customers, and companies have an opportunity to brand themselves as pioneers and drivers of inclusion.

Disability:IN’s Disability Equality Index (DEI) can also help companies on their disability inclusion journeys. It is a comprehensive benchmarking tool helping companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions toward disability inclusion and equality. This year, there were 415 participants (most of whom are Fortune 1000 companies), whose work is measured in the areas of Culture and Leadership, Enterprise-Wide Access, Employment Practices, Community Engagement, Supplier Diversity, and Non-US Operations.

A few key takeaways from their pilot include these: company satellite locations need in-country, local leaders who have lived experience with disability and/or are strong allies for the disability community, and inclusive leadership needs to come from multiple levels, including from the C-suite, an active ERG, and an in-country leader who is an ally.

Attendees Ask Their Pressing Questions

Attendees had some tough questions for the presenters, who were prepared with practical answers. Some key takeaways included these:

• Folks with non-apparent disabilities may opt to not disclose unless accommodations are needed and then disclose solely to HR to ensure legal support is provided. Erin recommended potentially suggesting what accommodations would be most helpful. If folks are more comfortable, they may choose to stand in solidarity with others who can’t hide their disabilities and disclose more broadly to their colleagues.

• It’s important to have true commitment from senior leaders and have a DEI internal census, which anonymously collects data to share in an aggregated way with HR. ERGs also play a critical role in sharing those messages of inclusion.

• Erin reminded attendees of the importance of getting buy-in across the organization and working to address other gaps, including understanding the importance of universal design and employee retention.

The Business Case for Disability Inclusion

The NDEAM webinar exemplified why disability inclusion needs to be an essential component of every organization’s DEI strategy. It isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also good for companies’ bottom line. Most companies report no additional (or very minimal) cost for accommodations, and companies with inclusive environments for disabled folks report 28% higher revenue. Autistic people alone can be up to 140% more productive than non-autistic people when working with jobs aligned with our skills. Disabled people broadly bring fresh perspective and innovation to the table and are reported to have higher retention rates too. Plus, 87% of US customers would prefer to support businesses employing disabled folks.

We have an opportunity with a new hybrid work model to continue our path to progress by listening to disabled folks, many of whom have been unsuccessfully advocating for remote/flexible work for many years. Remote work also is more inclusive for parents/caregivers with changing schedules as well as people of color who experience fewer microaggressions. Including disabled people in policies and programs for us is essential to meaningful change. Nothing About Us Without Us!

To provide more information, my colleagues Christian, Krista, and I have created a one-pager on supporting neurodivergent folks in the workplace, but these tips can be supportive of those who identify as neurotypical as well. When you design workplaces for the most marginalized, everyone benefits.

Each heritage month, Seramount hosts a celebratory webinar for all employees of our Diversity Best Practices’ member organizations to facilitate engagement, learning, conversation, and community. Interested in learning more about membership? Contact Us.

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