How do you determine employee and client accessibility needs?

1 Consult with stakeholders

The first step to determine accessibility needs is to consult with the people who will use your workplace. This includes your employees, clients, visitors, and potential hires. You can use surveys, interviews, focus groups, or workshops to gather feedback and suggestions. Ask about their current and future needs, preferences, challenges, and expectations. You can also use accessibility checklists and guidelines to identify common issues and solutions.

2 Assess your environment

The next step is to assess your physical and digital environment. This means evaluating your office layout, furniture, equipment, lighting, signage, acoustics, and ventilation. You also need to check your website, software, documents, and communication tools. Look for any barriers, hazards, or gaps that might prevent or limit access for people with different abilities, backgrounds, or situations. You can use accessibility audits, tests, or tools to measure and improve your environment.

3 Prioritize your actions

The third step is to prioritize your actions based on the information you collected. You need to balance your budget, timeline, and goals with the needs and expectations of your stakeholders. You can use a matrix or a list to rank your actions by urgency, impact, and feasibility. You should also consider the legal and ethical implications of your decisions. You can use accessibility standards, laws, or codes to ensure compliance and accountability.

4 Implement your solutions

The fourth step is to implement your solutions according to your plan. You need to involve your stakeholders throughout the process to ensure their input and satisfaction. You also need to monitor and evaluate your outcomes and impacts. You can use feedback forms, surveys, or metrics to measure and improve your performance. You should also document and communicate your results and achievements. You can use reports, newsletters, or case studies to showcase your accessibility efforts.

5 Update your policies

The fifth step is to update your policies and practices to reflect your accessibility commitment. You need to review and revise your mission, vision, values, and objectives to align with your accessibility goals. You also need to create and enforce accessibility policies and procedures for your workplace. You can use templates, guides, or manuals to provide clear and consistent instructions. You should also train and educate your staff and clients on accessibility awareness and skills.

6 Review and improve

The final step is to review and improve your accessibility practices on a regular basis. You need to keep up with the changing needs and expectations of your stakeholders and the evolving standards and laws of accessibility. You also need to seek and respond to feedback and suggestions from your staff and clients. You can use audits, reviews, or consultations to identify and address any issues or opportunities. You should also celebrate and reward your accessibility achievements and champions.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?