Boston Consultants Group members, including Soeren Palumbo, Hillary Wool, Brad Loftus, Deborah Lovich, and Ayse Terzioglu, have released a ground-breaking report based on a survey of 1,500 US employees, highlighting their diverse workplace experiences.
This report aimed to investigate how possessing additional marginalised identities impacts the workplace experiences of people with disabilities.
Some of the key findings include:
- Among LGBTQ men without disabilities, 25% report experiencing discrimination and harassment at work. That percentage jumps to 41% among LGBTQ men with disabilities.
- Accommodations provided by employers also vary. White people with disabilities are 10 percentage points more likely than BIPOC people with disabilities to have their requests for workplace accommodations fully met (43% vs 33%).
I saw them discriminating against women all the time, and being a Black woman with a disability made it impossible for me to be in that environment. To anyone else, they would be much more supportive or adjusting. I really enjoyed my job, and I hate that I had to leave it because of the environment at work.
So how can workplaces better include people from multi-marginalised groups?
- Employee-centric programs: Programs aimed at assisting employees, such as paid parental leave, flexible work options, and educational opportunities, can greatly enhance the workplace experience for people with disabilities.
- Mentorship: Mentorship programmes provide employees with guidance and support from experienced employees, enhancing the workplace experience for employees with disabilities through practical feedback, advice on navigating challenges, and support in handling bias.
- Workplace accommodations: People with disabilities whose accommodation requests are met experience increased feelings of inclusion and a stronger sense of belonging.
- Empowering line managers: Managers require ongoing DEI-focused leadership training to effectively support their diverse teams, acknowledging and understanding their employees’ identities and workplace experiences.
- Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Building ERGs with an intersectional approach.
People with disabilities face increased levels of exclusion and discrimination in the workplace. This research also shows that this is worse for people from marginalised communities.
Employers play an important role to make the workplace better by prioritising effective programmes, resources, and accommodations for people with disabilities.
