Accessibility in the Workplace: Everything HR Needs to Know
In 2025, 22.8% of people with a disability in the US were employed. This marks a steady increase since 2020, illustrating the positive progression of workplace equality. However, unemployment rates are still almost double for those with disabilities compared to people without disabilities.
With this in mind, getting accessibility in the workplace right is important to ensure every employee is included, comfortable, and content at work. From employee access to workday accessibility, HR teams have to stay on top of people’s needs and requirements.
Not only is workplace accessibility the right thing to do for your employees, but in the US, it’s a legal requirement. In fact, failure to make reasonable accommodations in the workplace could result in legal action.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything HR teams should know about workplace accessibility, including key considerations for small businesses when hiring and expanding.
Key takeaways
- Workplace accessibility is legally required for US employers with 15 or more employees under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
- Creating an accessible workplace is vital for ensuring equity, encouraging employee productivity, and remaining compliant.
- Reasonable accommodations span physical changes (ramps, space), technological adjustments (assistive tech, alt-text), and workplace flexibility (time off).
- Beyond compliance, a focus on accessibility can reduce turnover, improve productivity, raise morale, and foster a more diverse workforce.
What is workplace accessibility?
Workplace accessibility is the practice of adapting work environments, communication tools, and job duties to accommodate people with disabilities. For example, these adjustments might include physical modifications like ramps, assistive technology, or even flexible working arrangements.
As set out in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), employers must provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. This act prohibits businesses from discriminating based on disability, and is enforced by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Ensuring accessibility in the workplace is also an important consideration for customer interactions. If you operate in a public space and welcome customers or clients into your workplace, you should also make reasonable adjustments to ensure their comfort and safety.
Why should employers worry about accessibility in the workplace?
Accessibility in the workplace helps everyone. Providing the right adjustments can benefit people across your business and help build a strong and trusted company culture and environment. Some further considerations when ensuring workplace accessibility include:
Encouraging productivity and engagement
If someone isn’t able to fully access or interact with their physical or online workspace, this can affect productivity and engagement across your business. Remember that an employee’s disability or need for accommodation is not the problem—the obstacles to accessibility are the real issue.
Ensuring equity and equality
Focusing on both physical and online workplace accessibility guidelines allows you to provide equal and equitable opportunities to all employees, regardless of their working situation. It ensures that everyone you work with can enjoy the full benefits of employment, no matter their ability or circumstances.
Remaining compliant
Creating an accessible workplace is essential for you to remain compliant with the law. The ADA requires that employers with 15 or more employees ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to all benefits of employment.
You may face costly fines, penalties, and lawsuits for violating anyone’s rights in this regard.
What can employers do to make a workplace more accessible?
There are a variety of measures employers need to take to ensure suitable workplace accessibility. You should consider both the ADA and your employees’ needs to make sure you have all the relevant measures in place.
Physical accessibility
Like other public spaces, workplaces need to be physically accessible for people with disabilities. These workday accessibility considerations include:
- Ensuring that entrances, doorways, hallways, and workspaces have appropriate space to accommodate people who use wheelchairs, walkers, canes, or other mobility devices.
- Creating “safe spaces” to ensure not only disability inclusion, but religious and gender inclusion, too. These spaces can be a private place where people can take care of themselves, pray, or just find a few minutes’ peace.
Technological accessibility
Company websites and other software need to be designed and maintained so people with disabilities can access them. This includes:
- Customer and employee-facing software: All users and visitors need to be able to access a site’s content—including all icons, images, videos, and buttons.
- Assistive technology: Implement assistive technology and features on your sites to help people navigate the content. For example, you should ensure all images and videos have alt-text and captions, and that you use text-to-speech.
Equipment accessibility
The reasonable workplace accessibility accommodations required in the ADA include providing tools to help people with disabilities complete their tasks. This extends the principle of providing all employees with the tools they need.
For example, assistive technology helps people with certain disabilities use and access technology and workplace equipment. This includes things like screen readers, text-to-speech devices, and even simpler things like a larger computer monitor for someone with a visual impairment.
Training for other employees
Putting physical and technological measures in place to ensure accessibility in the workplace is one thing, but you need the knowledge to back it up. In some cases, HR teams and employees may need further training to support people with certain disabilities.
This could include:
- Accessibility best-practices training: While you should be making most of the reasonable accommodations as an employer, it’s important that your employees also know what they can be doing to help disabled co-workers
- Disability awareness training: You don’t need to provide employees with a huge amount of technical knowledge; even providing awareness and inclusion training can help others feel more welcome. It can also help to reduce the chances of inappropriate and negative interactions
Providing flexibility and additional accommodations
Disabilities, impairments, and workplace accessibility needs come in all varieties. Of course, not all disabilities are visual and, sometimes, employees might not be ready to be open about their situation. With this in mind, it’s important you remain flexible, and provide further accommodations should people need them.
For example:
- Flexible working and time off can help people feel more comfortable taking time away to make appointments, look after themselves, or take things at their own pace if they’re struggling
- Providing employee support, like an employee assistance program (EAP), can also be vital. This should never be mandatory. Your role is to communicate that it’s there if needed.
What are the benefits of workplace accessibility?
Giving employees the tools they need to succeed is essential for the success of any organization. Going beyond the basic accessibility requirements in the workplace can show employees that you recognize their needs and value their contributions.
Some internal benefits of creating an accessible workplace include:
Reducing employee turnover
Your employees want to work in an environment where they feel like (and know) they matter. Making the proper workplace accessibility accommodations can keep valuable employees from leaving to find an employer who is more sensitive to their needs.
Improving workplace productivity
People with disabilities may need extra accommodations to support them in their everyday role. When you provide these accommodations, you help them maintain a high level of productivity, which ultimately benefits everyone on the team.
Raising morale among employees
Employees who consistently have their needs met are more likely to feel valued and cared for. This can significantly raise employee morale and make your workforce even more passionate about working hard towards the collective mission.
Reducing workers’ compensation claims
An accessible workplace environment is much safer for people with disabilities. Ensuring the safety of your employees can reduce workplace accidents and may result in fewer workers’ compensation claims.
Improving diversity in your workforce
Ensuring accessibility in the workplace helps you retain employees with disabilities. This benefit can naturally make your team more diverse which, along with being socially positive, has been shown to increase both innovation and profitability.
Workplace accessibility FAQs
Are employers liable for workplace accessibility?
Yes, the EEOC can fine employers who fail to comply with workplace accessibility standards listed in the ADA.
Is workplace accessibility the same as inclusivity?
Workplace accessibility and inclusivity are similar, but they are not the same.
Workplace accessibility usually applies to people with disabilities and ensures that employees are making reasonable accommodations for these employees. This includes physical accommodations, like installing ramps, and technological accommodations, like providing assistive equipment.
Meanwhile, inclusivity is about creating a company culture where everyone feels accepted and welcome.
Next steps: Get everyone involved with workplace accessibility
While making reasonable accommodations for employees is the responsibility of a business, being aware of accessibility needs and requirements in the workplace doesn’t just fall to HR.
All employees should be informed and ready to support team members when they need it to help make their working lives easier.
This also means people are more aware of how their actions impact their disabled colleagues, and that the right rules and regulations are followed.