Commitment to inclusivity doesn’t stop when you hire a disabled employee. To create a workplace that fosters disabled talent, you need to prioritise accessibility at every stage of their professional journey. Creating accessible onboarding processes is the first step, and you can achieve this by:

✅ 1. Ensuring digital accessibility across onboarding materials

✅ 2. Sharing accessibility information about the workplace in advance

✅ 3. Continuously discussing workplace adjustments

Why are accessible onboarding processes important?

We are often so obsessed with getting disabled people into work, that we forget to support them once they are hired. The turnover rate for disabled employees is twice as high than that of non-disabled people. Many disabled people leave their workplaces because they feel unwelcome, experience discrimination, or struggle to access workplace adjustments.

As the first interaction with a workplace, onboarding sets the tone for the rest of the employee experience. Accessible onboarding fosters disabled talent by clearly communicating the systems and processes an employee needs to thrive.

3 Steps for Accessible Onboarding

1. Ensure digital accessibility across onboarding materials 🚀

Onboarding processes include materials ranging from company handbooks to interactive training videos. Ensuring materials are accessible allows employees to understand the key systems and processes for collaborating with co-workers. You can improve accessibility by:

• Confirming materials are compatible with screen readers, and can be navigated using keyboard controls.

• Providing closed captioning and voiceovers on all onboarding videos.

• Ensuring materials follow best practice for colour contrast to improve visual accessibility.

2. Communicate accessibility information in advance 💬

Providing accessibility information in advance allows disabled people to spend less time worrying about accessibility, and focus their attention on absorbing important information. Prioritising communication when onboarding team members:

• Supports neurodiverse employees in knowing what to expect, enabling them to focus on meeting their team and getting set up with your systems.

• Allows disabled employees to request the accommodations they need, and feel confident they can access their workspace.

• Helps you plan a seamless first day by avoiding last minute scrambles to make adjustments.

Sociability’s Accessibility Management Systems make sharing accessibility information easier. New hires can filter for spaces that work for them, and you can share direct links to the places they will work. For more information, set up a call with our Team.

3. Continuously confirm workplace adjustments when onboarding team members 🌟

A lack of workplace adjustments is one of the key reasons disabled employees leave their jobs. To avoid high turnover of disabled employees communicate processes for requesting adjustments up-front - but don’t stop there!

Employees gain a better understanding of what adjustments they need as they become familiar with their new workplace. Establish routine check-in points during the first 2 - 3 months to discuss new adjustments that may arise.

Ready to support your disabled talent?

Disabled employees deserve to be set-up for success. Currently, only 14% of disabled people are employed in senior roles compared to 21% of non-disabled people. Prioritising accessibility when onboarding team members is the first-step to giving disabled employees the same opportunities for workplace progression as their co-workers.

Want to be a truly inclusive workplace? Start now!

• Book a demo to see how Sociability can help achieve your goals

• Join industry leaders like Arup and Toyota in setting new standards for accessibility

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