Embracing Universal Design As a Path To Inclusivity

I started preparing a workshop about making accommodations for invisible and visible disabilities as a way to be a more inclusive leader, and came across this not-so-shocking statistic. "76% of employees with disabilities in the survey report not fully disclosing their disabilities at work" - HBR, Article here.

This led to:

How much are formal disability accommodations truly helping, if people don't feel safe enough to disclose them and request said accommodations?

What is a better way to go about being inclusive?

So I added a couple of ideas based on Inclusive Hiring best practices, and while presenting them live, a participant said "Oh, so like Universal Design!". That was the word I was looking for, to explain the concept of "Why wait for someone to disclose an accommodation? If you're a truly inclusive workplace, people should barely need to request an accommodation". That is a little overexaggerated because we can't accommodate EVERYONE and EVERY situation, however, we CAN be thoughtful in how we design systems and processes that will accommodate and include a majority versus a select few.

So what is Universal Design and how can it help?

In today's increasingly diverse world, the importance of inclusivity cannot be overstated. When it comes to accommodating individuals with neurodivergence such as ADHD and Autism, as well as physical or hidden disabilities, Universal Design emerges as a superior approach to foster inclusivity compared to traditional accommodations. Universal Design goes beyond simply making adaptations for specific individuals; it strives to create environments, products, and systems that are accessible, usable, and beneficial for everyone, regardless of their abilities or differences.

Firstly, Universal Design promotes a proactive and holistic approach. Rather than treating accommodations as a reactive response to specific needs, Universal Design seeks to integrate accessibility and usability from the very beginning of design processes. By doing so, environments and products become inherently inclusive, ensuring that individuals with neurodivergence and hidden disabilities can navigate and interact with them without encountering barriers. This approach benefits not only the targeted group but also other users, thus fostering a more integrated and empathetic workplace. For example, there are people who haven't yet been diagnosed with a disability or disorder but may still benefit from an equitable process.

Secondly, Universal Design encourages the understanding of disability as a spectrum and recognizes that all individuals possess different needs and abilities. By designing with diversity in mind, the focus shifts from a one-size-fits-all solution to a more personalized and adaptable approach. This helps reduce stigmatization and challenges the notion of "normality".

Finally, Universal Design promotes the concept of "design-for-all" rather than "design-for-some." It emphasizes the principle that if an environment or product is accessible and usable for the most diverse range of people, it will be beneficial for everyone, irrespective of their abilities. This perspective transcends the boundaries of physical accessibility and extends to digital and virtual spaces, education, and employment opportunities. By embracing Universal Design, society can break down barriers that hinder the full participation of neurodivergent individuals and those with hidden disabilities.

Most accessibility tools nowadays are free or affordable, and just take a little extra research and thought. For example, this banner was created with Open Dyslexic font in the graphic, instead of a 'normal' font. It was free, and doesn't detriment my design at all. Adding a caption or meta text is free and only takes 30 more seconds of work. Enabling Zoom captions to all your meetings is free, and only takes the click of a button. Having a consistent and fair interview process is free, and only takes retraining of hiring managers and some system updates.

By adopting a proactive, holistic, and design-for-all approach, you're becoming the type of leader and workplace that employees want to be at.