Disability inclusion strategies: An exploratory study

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

In order to promote equal opportunity in employment, rehabilitation researchers implement demand-side employment research to increase the presence of employees with disabilities in the workplace. Previous research indicates the inclusion of people with disabilities in an organization’s diversity and inclusion policies and procedures is strongly associated with employment of people with disabilities. Despite the potential advantages of disability inclusion, there is limited evidence to evaluate employers’ perception about the importance of disability inclusion strategies.

OBJECTIVE:

The current study examined the relative importance of six common disability inclusion strategies and the relationship between each of these strategies and employers’ hiring intention and validated a 6-item Disability Inclusion Strategy Scale, in order to promote employer engagement and provide disability and business technical assistance.

METHODS:

One hundred and eighty employers completed questionnaires assessing disability inclusion strategies and hiring intention.

RESULTS:

Results indicated all disability inclusion strategies in the present study were positively related to hiring intention, and findings support the 6-item DISS as a psychometrically sound measurement tool.

CONCLUSIONS:

Future research and practice implications are provided.

Keywords

Disability inclusion demand-side employment disability inclusion strategy

1 Introduction

Individuals with disabilities are among the most marginalized groups in the world (World Health Organization, 2017). In the United States, the employment rate of persons with disabilities at 32.2% is strikingly lower than the 79.9% rate for people without disabilities (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). As such, people with disabilities are highly vulnerable to the negative effects associated with unemployment and poverty, which include poor health, depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug use, and low self-esteem (Boden et al., 2017; Mousteria et al., 2019; Norström et al., 2019; van der Meer & Wielers, 2016). Conversely, gainful employment enables people with disabilities to provide for themselves and their family, connect with others, live with dignity, and function as a contributing member of society (Fryers, 2006). There is also strong empirical evidence to support that gainfully employed individuals are healthier and happier than people who are not in the workforce (Waddell & Burton, 2006). In order to increase employment opportunities, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR; 2018) strongly advocates for work as a fundamental human right of people with disabilities.

However, even during the time (i.e., 2019 and the early part of 2020) when the United States’ economy was approaching full employment and managers reporting a high demand for workers, employers are still not hiring large numbers of people with disabilities (National Organization on Disability, 2019). To increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities, state vocational rehabilitation agencies are required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the Rehabilitation Act to expand their efforts toward local labor market analysis, employer engagement, and customized training (U.S. Department of Education, 2014). Moreover, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act mandates a 7% utilization goal of qualified people with disabilities in the workplaces of federal contractors, including annual utilization analyses of these efforts and an assessment of problem areas, along with action-oriented programs to address identified problems (U.S. Department of Labor, 2013).

In order to promote these efforts, vocational rehabilitation researchers conduct demand-side employment research to help rehabilitation counselors provide technical assistance to employers who want to increase the presence of employees with disabilities in the workplace (Chan, Strauser, Gervey et al., 2010; Chan, Strauser, Maher et al., 2010; Fraser et al., 2010; Habeck et al., 2010; Iwanaga et al., 2018; Phillips et al., 2016). Specifically, Chan, Strauser, Maher et al. (2010) and Phillips et al. (2016) discovered that inclusion of people with disabilities in an organization’s diversity and inclusion policies and procedures is strongly associated with employment of people with disabilities. Chan, Strauser, Maher et al. (2010) conducted several focus groups with employers on recruitment of people with disabilities in Chicago and Milwaukee. Employers indicated that working with temporary employment agencies and connecting with public and private job placement agencies to identify qualified workers with disabilities are effective strategies to increase the representation of people with disabilities in the workplace. According to the Society of Human Resource Management, internship is also an effective strategy to include people with disabilities in the companies’ talent pool (Hastings, 2008), along with the provision of disability inclusion training (Iwanaga et al., 2018). However, there is no documented study to evaluate employers’ perception about the importance of disability inclusion strategies on hiring intentions.

1.1 Purpose of the study

The purpose of the present study is two-fold: (a) to examine the relative importance of six common disability inclusion strategies and the relationship between each of these strategies and employers’ hiring intention and (b) to validate the 6-item Disability Inclusion Strategy Scale, as an employer engagement tool to provide disability and business technical assistance.

2 Method

2.1 Participants

One hundred and eighty employers who were in hiring or management positions participated in this study. The mean age of participants was 46.59 years, and 67% of participants identified as female, while 33% identified as male. Thirty six percent of participants’ job titles were manager, followed by human resource staff person (25%), supervisor (22.2%), human resource director (9.4%), assistant director (3.3%), executive director (2.8%), and CEO/COO (1.7%). The average number of individuals supervised by participants was seven, and when asked about authority to hire, 56% of participants indicated complete authority to hire, 22% indicated an ability to influence hiring decisions, and 22% indicated no authority to hire.

2.2 Measures

2.2.1 Disability inclusion strategies

Disability inclusion strategies were assessed by the 6-item Disability Inclusion Strategy Scale (DISS). The DISS was developed based on a thorough review of the demand-side employment literature. It is comprised of six items assessing human resources managers’ perceived importance of empirically supported disability inclusion strategies (i.e., internship program, trial employment, special interviewing process, for-profit job placement, disability inclusion and diversity policies and procedures, and working with state vocational rehabilitation agencies). Each item is rated on a seven-point Likert important scale ranging from 1 (Not important) to 7 (Strongly important). An average score is calculated, and higher scores are indicative of higher levels of approval. In the present study, the internal consistency reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s alpha) for this measure was estimated at 0.81.

2.2.2 Hiring intention

The scale used to assess intention to hire individuals with disabilities based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 2012) consists of five items assessing the extent to which employers intend to, are ready to, have decided to, plan to, and will hire individuals with disabilities (Fraser et al., 2011). Each item is rated on a seven-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Disagree) to 7 (Agree). A mean score is calculated, and higher scores are indicative of higher levels of intention to hire people with disabilities. In the present study, the Cronbach’s alpha for this measure was estimated at 0.94.

2.3 Procedure

Participants completed online surveys prior to attending a training on stigma towards individuals with disabilities in the workplace, which was provided by the Rocky Mountain ADA Center. Participants received an email invitation one week prior to the training to complete survey instruments on perceived importance of disability inclusion strategies and intention to hire people with disabilities.

2.4 Data analysis

The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 26.0) was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were computed to determine the relative importance of each of the six disability inclusion strategies. Pearson product-moment correlations were computed to determine the relationship between these strategies and hiring intention. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), a common statistical technique for examining measurement structures of clinical assessment instruments (Floyd & Widaman, 1995), was used to examine the factor structure of the 6-item DISS.

3 Results

3.1 Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis

Means and standard deviations of the DISS items and their relationships with hiring intention are presented in Table 1. As can be observed, “Including disability as a major part of the company’s inclusion and diversity policies and procedures” was rated by participants of this study as the most important strategy (M = 6.30, SD = 1.11), and it also has the highest correlation (r = 0.48, p < 0.001) with hiring intention. It is followed by “Collaborate with state vocational rehabilitation agencies to recruit qualified persons with disabilities” (M = 6.18, SD = 1.18; r = 0.38, p < 0.001) and “Internship program for people with disabilities” (M = 6.01, SD = 1.31; r = 0.37, p < 0.001). All three of items have ratings greater than six on a seven-point rating scale. The item with the lowest mean important rating was “Use for-profit job placement firms to recruit qualified persons with disabilities for openings in the company” (M = 4.76, SD = 1.99; r = 0.31, p < 0.001). This item also has the largest standard deviation compared to other items. However, the correlations between all DISS items and hiring intention were all statistically significant with medium to large effect sizes (Cohen, 1992).

Table 1
Perceived Importance of Disability Inclusion Strategies and Relationship with Hiring Intention

Disability Inclusion Strategies M SD Hiring Intention (r)

5. Including disability as a major part of the company’s inclusion and diversity policies and procedures. 6.30 1.11 0.48^*

6. Collaborate with state vocational rehabilitation agencies to recruit qualified persons with disabilities. 6.18 1.18 0.38^*

1. Internship program for people with disabilities. 6.01 1.31 0.37^*

2. Trial employment program for people with disabilities that can lead to permanent employment. 5.89 1.39 0.32^*

3. Special employment interviewing process to engage people with disabilities. 5.37 1.65 0.28^*

4. Use for-profit job placement firms to recruit qualified persons with disabilities for openings in the company. 4.76 1.99 0.31^*

Total 5.75 1.05 0.48^***

Disability Inclusion Strategies	M	SD	Hiring Intention (r)
5. Including disability as a major part of the company’s inclusion and diversity policies and procedures.	6.30	1.11	0.48^***
6. Collaborate with state vocational rehabilitation agencies to recruit qualified persons with disabilities.	6.18	1.18	0.38^***
1. Internship program for people with disabilities.	6.01	1.31	0.37^***
2. Trial employment program for people with disabilities that can lead to permanent employment.	5.89	1.39	0.32^***
3. Special employment interviewing process to engage people with disabilities.	5.37	1.65	0.28^***
4. Use for-profit job placement firms to recruit qualified persons with disabilities for openings in the company.	4.76	1.99	0.31^***
Total	5.75	1.05	0.48^***

^*p < 0.05; ^**p < 0.01; ^***p < 0.001.

3.2 Psychometric analysis

Measurement structure of the 6-item DISS was evaluated using principal components analysis. Bartlett’s test of sphericity, which tests the overall significance of all the correlations within the 6×6 correlation matrix, was significant, χ²(15, N = 180) = 427.10, p < 0.001, indicating that it was appropriate to use the factor analytic model on this data set. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy indicated that the strength of the relationships among variables was acceptable (KMO = 0.79, greater than 0.50), hence it was acceptable to proceed with the analysis. Both the Kaiser-Guttman criterion and Cattell’s scree test indicated a one-factor measurement structure with 55.47% of the variance accounted for by the first component. The principal components analysis revealed that the DISS is a unidimensional scale (Floyd & Widaman, 1995). Results of the factor analysis including factor loadings, eigenvalues, percentage of variance explained, and the Cronbach’s alpha are presented in Table 2.

Table 2
Factor Loadings, Eigenvalues, Percentage of Variance Explained, and Reliability of the Disability Inclusion Strategy Scale

Items Factor Loading

6. Collaborate with state vocational rehabilitation agencies to recruit qualified persons with disabilities for openings in the company. 0.82

1. Internship program for people with disabilities. 0.80

2. Trial employment program for people with disabilities that can lead to permanent employment. 0.80

5. Including disability as a major part of the company’s inclusion and diversity policies and procedures. 0.76

3. Special employment interviewing process to engage people with disabilities. 0.73

4. Use for-profit job placement firms to recruit qualified persons with disabilities for openings in the company. 0.52

Eigenvalue 3.33

% Variance 55.47%

Reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) 0.81

Items	Factor Loading
6. Collaborate with state vocational rehabilitation agencies to recruit qualified persons with disabilities for openings in the company.	0.82
1. Internship program for people with disabilities.	0.80
2. Trial employment program for people with disabilities that can lead to permanent employment.	0.80
5. Including disability as a major part of the company’s inclusion and diversity policies and procedures.	0.76
3. Special employment interviewing process to engage people with disabilities.	0.73
4. Use for-profit job placement firms to recruit qualified persons with disabilities for openings in the company.	0.52
Eigenvalue	3.33
% Variance	55.47%
Reliability (Cronbach’s alpha)	0.81

4 Discussion

As the U. S. economy neared full employment in 2019, employers were scrambling to find workers to fill unfilled position. Yet, individuals with disabilities continue to be underrepresented in the workplace, despite the strong economy, mandated legislation, and empirical evidence advocating the benefits for employers and employees (Chan, Strauser, Gervey et al., 2010; Chan, Strauser, Maher et al., 2010; Fraser et al., 2010; Habeck et al., 2010; Iwanaga et al., 2018; Phillips et al., 2016). Importantly, with the coronavirus pandemic, it is highly likely the U. S. economy will enter severe recession by the end of 2020 (Stephens, 2020). When the supply of workers is higher than the demand for workers, employers will be even more reluctant to hire people with disabilities. There are federal legislations that are designed to assure the participation of people with disabilities in the workforce regardless of the conditions of the economy. For example, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was amended in 2014 requiring federal contractors to establish a 7% utilization goal for qualified individuals with disabilities in their workforces. In a recession, companies with federal contracts will probably be the major employers who will still hire people with disabilities in order to meet the 7% utilization goal. Research that will help employers to recruit and hire qualified individuals with disabilities is urgently needed. The present study examined the relative importance of six common disability inclusion strategies and the relationship of each item to employers’ hiring intention. Factor analysis was also used to validate the 6-item DISS as an employer engagement tool.

All of the disability inclusion strategies in the present study are positively related to hiring intention. Disability inclusion policies and procedures were identified as the most important strategy and has the strongest correlation with hiring intention. This finding is consistent with previous literature, which supports disability inclusion policies and procedures as effective strategies to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities (Ball et al., 2005; Chan, Strauser, Maher et al., 2010; Habeck et al., 2010; Phillips et al., 2016). In addition, employers endorsed the importance of internship programs and trial employment programs that prepared people with disabilities for job-related responsibilities. These results support previous findings incorporating internship, work trials, and contract and temporary employment options as strategies to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities (Araten-Bergman, 2016; Chan, Strauser, Maher et al., 2010; Habeck et al., 2010; Phillips et al., 2016).

In the current study, employers also rated the vocational rehabilitation programs as an important disability inclusion strategy. Results suggest that employers have found vocational rehabilitation services to be beneficial in the promotion of disability inclusion in the workplace. Previous research supports this finding indicating employers with successful hiring experiences supported vocational rehabilitation services as necessary inclusion strategies (Huang & Chen, 2015).

Psychometric analyses indicate the six disability inclusion strategies are internally consistent with a reliability estimate of 0.81. In addition, the 6-item DISS explained 55.47% of the variance with loadings ranging from 0.52 to 0.82, forming a unidimensional factor supporting disability inclusion as a psychological construct. Findings support the 6-item DISS as a psychometrically sound measurement tool, which can be included as a component in a battery of disability inclusion measures. The 6-item DISS can also be implemented to gauge employers’ willingness and readiness to hire qualified employees with disabilities in their organizations. Information identified by the 6-item DISS can be used by rehabilitation counselors to identify and engage employers in their job development and job placement efforts. This brief measure can also be used by researchers in their demand-side employment research.

4.1 Limitations and future research

Certain limitations must be considered when interpreting the results of the current study. A convenience sample of employers were recruited for participation, which impacts the generalizability of results. In addition, this is an exploratory study, and as a result, causal inferences cannot be made. Future research may consider investigating the relationships between disability inclusion strategies and the utilization rate of people with disabilities in the workforce. It may also be useful to clearly classify employers as executive, management, and/or staff, as these categorizations may produce differing results and workplace implications. The use of for-profit job placement firms may be an unfamiliar strategy to many employers; therefore, future research can further investigate employers’ perceptions of this disability inclusion strategy.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provided by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, funded Rocky Mountain ADA Center grant # NIDILRR #90DP0094.

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