Remote work opens doors to people with disabilities ??
Michelle Coulson
Helping You Land Your Next Remote Role Faster ?? Remote Job Academy Creator | Remote Work Coach & Strategist | Former Recruiter | Launching the BIGGEST & BEST REMOTE JOB FAIR May 2025 ??
Did you know that about 10% of the world's population lives with a disability?
For so long, people with disabilities were (and still are) excluded from the workforce simply because they have a disability.?
Even if that disability was not a barrier to doing the job, they were excluded the same because of a simple bias. Crazy, no? If the person has all the requirements for a position, why are companies not considering hiring them because they have a disability?
In developing countries, 80% to 90% of people with disabilities of working age are unemployed, whereas, in industrialised countries, the figure is between 50% and 70%.
The good news is that remote work is helping to change this!?
A new study found that the number of employees with disabilities participating in the workforce reached the highest rate in more than a decade this year. The proportion of workers with disabilities exceeded pre-pandemic levels by mid-2022, according to the researcher’s analysis. The growth of remote work combined with a tight labour market has contributed to this new high.
“Employment rates among people with disabilities dropped, along with the rest of the labour market, early in the pandemic but recovered quickly. People with disabilities aged 25 to 54 were 3.5% more likely to be employed in Q2 2022 than they were pre-pandemic. That means the labour market recovery for those with disabilities was substantially faster than for those without disabilities, who are 1.1% less likely to be employed.?
A remote culture helps companies hire the best talent, and will help employees to find the jobs of their dreams, even if they have a disability that makes it very difficult for them to go to the office.
Companies like Meta — and many others — that offer remote work opportunities are seizing a competitive advantage by recruiting these underrepresented candidates and expanding their talent pool by 15%. The future belongs to the savvy companies that offer the flexibility that people with disabilities need. After all, extensive research shows that improving diversity boosts both decision-making and financial performance.
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If you’re not a company the size of Meta — what can you do??
Firstly — focus on what a candidate CAN do. If they can do the job and actually they can do it very well., why would you lose time and energy analysing what they can't do?
Secondly — include in your job ads the possibility of asking for special accommodations if needed for any candidate with disabilities and make your career site accessible.
And lastly — go remote first and allow people to work where they work best. We’re not saying you need to abolish the office; just don't make it mandatory to attend.??
And as a special edition, here are this week’s inclusive remote jobs!
Stay rebellious,
Michelle
Consultant at IDB Invest | WCL | Ex-McK | PCD | Cashflow - Corporate Finance - Budgeting
2 年I totally agree, I am a person with an organic disability, although it is true I have no problems getting around, the illness I suffer from makes it convenient for me not to go out much so as not to catch infections and now I am working remotely and it helps a lot.
Recruitment/Account Director at Auxeris. Recruitment Industry Leader, Special Needs Mum, Special School Board Chair, Former Charity Trustee, Neurodiversity Advocate, Artist, Photographer and Wild Swimmer
2 年Also for those with caring responsibilities...there is a lot of talent to be lost by removing remote options.
Translator, interpreter EN<>FR<>MQ, songwriter, graphic artist, reparations advocate, author of "A Soul in the Sand"
2 年And at different stages in life, there things one could manage, albeit at great personal costs, that they can no longer deal with. In my case, having phone calls as an unavoidable part of the working process. I can't do that anymore. People who only know I once worked in call centers after having held several positions where making and getting phone calls all day were part of the job would be confused by this but it's my current reality. Some potential collaborators can't wrap their heads around this and insist on calling me, insulting me when the outcome isn't what they expected.
Transforming marketing from manipulative to conscious | Founder ? | Top 100 Marketers To Watch 2025 ?? | Top 100 Future of Work Leaders 2024 ?? | Top 100 Marketing Influencers Index 2023 ?? | The Break Fellow ??
2 年Many Twitter employees with disabilities have been forced to resign because they could not meet Musk's demanding performance and productivity standards… One of them even sued Twitter over the ban on remote work!
Realtor Associate @ Next Trend Realty LLC | HAR REALTOR, IRS Tax Preparer
2 年Well Done.