How can companies do a better job of attracting disabled people to apply for jobs and convincing them that they truly are an equitable employer? And how can job candidates feel more comfortable disclosing a need for accommodation? The authors’ research over the last five years offers a number of paths forward for both sides. First, employers can move away from legalistic boilerplates and use more heartfelt language about their commitment to DEI. But they also need to back up their words with concrete evidence, such as a personal message from the CEO; testimonials from disabled employees; statistics on the hiring, promotion, accommodation fulfillment, and retention of disabled employees; or awards recognizing the company’s accomplishments in the DEI space. Their research also suggests job candidates emphasize their hard skills during interviews and delay the conversation about accommodations until they’ve built up more of a rapport with the hiring team.
