Randy Lewis’s Blueprint for Employing People with Disabilities Surges On

Randy Lewis knows from experience that when it comes to employing people with disabilities (PWD) “You’ve got to get people [with disabilities (PWD)] in the door that will change minds and all boats will rise.” Lewis should know. In 2007, he spearheaded Walgreens’ ground-breaking disability employment initiative that fostered the construction of a state-of-the-art distribution center, in Anderson, SC. The program increased profits and fundamentally transformed company culture and managerial techniques. More crucially, Lewis shared his experiences with other organizations and soon, leadership from over 100 companies from North America and Europe including: Best Buy, TJ Maxx, and UPS toured the facility to learn how to implement similar programs. 

Lewis left Walgreens in 2013 and founded the No Greatness Without Goodness (Nog Wog) Employment Initiative. While crisscrossing America and speaking to personnel  across all sectors about the power of PWD to transform organizations, he found time to write a book by the same name which Fast Company hailed as one of its “10 New Books You Need To Read This Year.” Whether in print, online or in person, his message is the same, PWD transformed Walgreens and can transform any organization in a similar manner. Having a deep respect for Lewis’ work, I was thrilled to speak with him on June 8th.  His insights and observations gave an unflinching look at both the successes of PWD in the workplace as well as areas where there is room for improvement. From the get go, Lewis was adamant that his desire to improve outcomes for people with disabilities, came not from one source, but from two key aspects of his personal and professional lives.

On his website, Lewis calls himself an “accidental advocate.” His son, Austin, has autism and as he grew, Lewis, was greatly concerned about Austin’s future. Given the estimated 70-90% unemployment rate that people with autism face, Lewis was determined to use his position at Walgreens to improve employment outcomes for PWD. 

So, in 2003, Lewis proposed that Walgreens design and build a new generation of distribution center with the most advanced automation to better support the company’s rapid growth. Believing that the technology could be adjusted at little or no cost to enable PWD to perform as well as anyone, he set a goal where 200 of the 600 employees at the Anderson center (30%) would be PWD. Further, by 2003, Lewis had been a Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Logistics at Walgreens for 11 years. Thus, not only was he motivated personally, but he also had the ability, through his position, to bring the idea to his superiors and gain their support.

Four years later, in June of 2007, the distribution center opened. The PWD who came through the doors that day found accommodations like; height adjustable workstations, computers with large touch screen icons and easy to read signage. Lewis recalled how he faced “unconscious bias and skepticism“from his colleagues that was rooted in prejudice “wrapped in pity and love.” Such views are central to the medical model of disability. In other words, that PWD should be pitied or admired as heroes and not seen as whole people who can use their unique skills to help their employer thrive. The fears of Lewis’s colleagues were, to put it mildly, unfounded.

The Anderson distribution center succeeded beyond all expectations. It became the most productive distribution center in company history. Lewis and his colleagues found that their employees with disabilities worked more safely, had more empathy, higher retention, lower absenteeism and had productivity ratings that were the same as or better than employees without disabilities. The PWD also increased overall employee morale. Lewis estimated that the turnover rate of employees without disabilities dropped to 20%. Most crucially, while many of the PWD who staffed the Anderson center had moderate to severe disabilities, Lewis made sure that the effort included qualified professionals from across the disability spectrum.

He hired Angela Mackey, to oversee human resources. Despite an MA from Clemson, Mackey had been continually passed over because employers could not see beyond her cerebral palsy. Over the last 11 years Mackey has built a stellar career and reputation at Walgreens. Determined to build on this success, Lewis met with the general managers of each distribution center. He quickly set a new goal. Now, 10% of the workforce at Walgreens distribution centers (1,000) would be PWD. That goal was quickly reached as well. Meanwhile with Lewis leading the way, in 2009, a distribution center using the Anderson blueprint, opened in Windsor, CT near Hartford.   Nine years later, distribution centers following the same model have opened in, TX, WI, CA, FL and IL.

 Most importantly,  Walgreens has set a new hiring goal. By 2020, 20% of Walgreens distribution center staff (2,000) will be PWD. Lewis has no doubt that Walgreens will meet this goal as well. Meanwhile, personnel from interested companies keep coming through the doors. While this development is laudable, Lewis was especially proud of how the employees with disabilities caused managers to reexamine their skills and do their jobs better.

“Our observation is that [accommodating for the needs of employees with disabilities] changes the way that managers manage. Lewis was adamant that “If we had brought in any other group and the program had not succeeded, we could have chalked it up to a problem with the employee and we’re going to let them go.” Lewis continued, emphasizing how “This group [PWD] is not [only] motivated by money, so managing styles had to change.” In a very real sense PWD became the manual for managers to improve and find ways to adapt to their employees needs. An example from a Ted Talk, featured on Lewis’s website illustrates this concept brilliantly.  

A truck driver, who was deaf, was asked how he knew that he was sounding his horn, to warn others of his approach. He explained that he did so by feeling the sound vibrations in the steering wheel. In short, management personnel had to adapt their styles and techniques to accommodate for the needs of PWD. In so doing, they became better at their positions. Simultaneously, everyday these individuals saw first-hand how PWD create adaptive strategies to succeed in a world not designed for them. This innovative knowledge was in turn, applied across the company.

Lewis summed it up well, saying, “I think people with disabilities are a shazam virus. It makes everything better.” In a further testament to the sea change in attitudes Lewis described how “Ten years ago when I talked about this, people would ask why am I doing this.  At least the door is open now. There are so many people that are open to the idea now.” While positive, Lewis also cautioned that relying solely on statistical data to sway skeptical employers is not enough.

Lewis referenced an award winning study at Anderson University  that closely examined the Walgreens model. He described how, like other studies, it clearly showed how PWD “increased profits, productivity and helped to lower overall turnover.” The study was so conclusive that, according to Lewis, it may well be turned into a book. Regardless, he cautioned against relying on statistics to convince skeptics. “We did it [at Walgreens] because we were leaving people behind. The decision to do something different requires commitment and desire; we use data to justify something we already feel compelled to do.” 

Second, given the present political reality, he stressed the crucial need for unity amongst PWD, regardless of type or severity. Finally, I asked Lewis how job seekers with disabilities could identify companies that were open to hiring them. Lewis urged job seekers to explore companies like Sephora, Microsoft, Starbucks and Meijer, who have all established  dedicated disability employment programs with established benchmarks for hiring PWD.

Whether from an emotional or statistical standpoint, the fact remains that Lewis’s model works and the futures of PWD’s and the companies they work for, are infinitely brighter.

Steve McEvoy is an NYC based Disability Employment Specialist. He firmly believes that consumers and employees with disabilities have tremendous potential to help organizations, particularly sports franchises in struggling markets, thrive.