Disability Employment Awareness Month Blog Series - Part 3: Dear Company Leadership
This letter is part 3 of a 3-part series, adapted from a talk I gave to an organization in October 2025 in celebration of Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Now for my last letter…
Dear Company Leadership,
Thank you for hosting a Disability Employment Awareness Month celebration. And thank you for hiring a disabled person to present. You’d be surprised by how many people just speak on behalf of disabled people when what we really want is the microphone. A common sentiment in the disability community is “Nothing for us, without us”.
I imagine your organization wants to foster a culture that cares and creates safe workplaces for employees with disabilities. Or you wouldn’t have invited me in for this event! I want to applaud you for a few things:
Thank you for doing your part to close the disability employment gap by hiring disabled employees. This allows your organization to reap the benefits: a recent report from Accenture in 2023 showed that companies leading in disability inclusion generated 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income, and 2 times more economic profit, with the likelihood of outperforming their industry peers by 25 percent in productivity (credit: Tiffany Yu, The Anti-Ableist Manifesto).
As a company that cares about greater well-being for its employees, I know you’ll continue to show support beyond just one month out of the year, but every month.
Like sponsoring an Accessibility Employee Resource Group (ERG). ERGs is one of the many ways organizations can provide space for people to be themselves with others who are like them, support and uplift each other, and advocate together for changes that align with the organization’s values.
You offer reasonable accommodations and have an Employee Support team to help people navigate the request process. I’m happy to hear this, especially since most accommodations are free or low-cost, with the median of only $300. Your corporate employees get the option to work remotely if that works best for them. And you provide comprehensive health care plans and mental health resources through various telehealth and in-person service providers. You clearly want to support your employees and their needs so they’re set up for success here. As HR can attest, it’s more expensive to hire to replace an employee than to retain your talented staff.
I offer these questions to consider:
How can your teams go beyond just compliance and remove more barriers for your fellow disabled employees every day?
How can you include the perspectives of disabled employees in developing systems for how you work and thrive together?
How can you continue to set an example as an organization that creates an environment where everyone feels valued?
Thank you again for recognizing Employee Disability Awareness Month. For celebrating disabled employees’ talents. And sending the message that disabled employees are valued here in your organization, everyday.
Cheering you on,
Lauren
Lauren smiling, taking a selfie over her shoulder, in front of her laptop, with a presentation cover slide on the screen that reads "National Disability Employment Awareness Month - October 2025"
Read Dear Employees with Disabilities (Part 1) and Dear Colleagues of Disabled Employees (Part 2) of this blog series.
