How to Build an Inclusive Workplace for People with Disability

At Asuria, we know from speaking to hundreds of employers across the country every week that talking about diversity and inclusion is one thing, but actually making it happen can often be quite daunting.

Especially when it comes to creating a workplace that not only welcomes people with disability, but gives them every opportunity to thrive shoulder-to-shoulder with every other team member.

It's an area that we've been investing our time in extensively, reaching out to understand more about the roadblocks, misconceptions, and missteps that can often derail businesses in their ambition to support and meet the needs of people with disability.

This is why we launched 'Impact for Inclusion' last year; our socially responsible initiative to support businesses in their ambition to make Australia's workplaces more diverse and inclusive.

Building on this foundation, we're now taking our commitment even further with practical, hands-on support through our new "Shaping Impact Together" training program launching in October 2025.

Because at the end of the day, it's only by turning good intentions into good practices together that we'll be able to truly welcome, inspire and motivate the millions of talented workers with disability just waiting for their chance to shine.

What's Really Going on Out There?

Here's what we've learned by going out and talking to businesses – insights that will be further reinforced as we begin our journey delivering the new Inclusive Employment Australia program from November 1st.

Employers want to learn more about what makes a job "good" and how they can create roles that give all employees, including those with disability, access to work that matters.

That's great news. It shows that businesses are waking up to the importance of inclusive workplaces.

We also know that wanting to create good jobs, and being able to do just that are two very different things.

There's a huge amount beyond individual businesses' control that goes into creating good work opportunities. That includes the ups and downs of the economy, customers' expectations, business culture, management styles, and whether leaders are able to invest the time to keep pace with what modern diversity and inclusion looks like.

Then there's the ever-present challenge of holding onto staff during competitive labour markets. It's a lot for businesses to juggle, but understanding all these moving parts is key to making your workplaces more inclusive.

Knocking Down Barriers

One of the biggest hurdles to hiring people with disability is, unfortunately, the stigma that's still hanging around at all levels of management. These old-school ideas can sneak in through the back door, from unconscious biases when hiring, to just not understanding what reasonable accommodations really mean.

So, what can we do about it?

First off, everyone needs to personally invest in disability awareness, especially those at the top. We need to get people talking about disability at work like it isn't a big deal – because it shouldn't be. One of the easiest ways to do that is to shout from the rooftops about the amazing work employees with disability are doing, or seek out examples of businesses you admire doing this.

This is exactly why our "Shaping Impact Together" training focuses on equipping frontline staff, hiring managers, recruiters, and HR Business Partners with the knowledge and tools to confidently support disability inclusion. We've been developing this two-part, face-to-face learning series since January, working closely with nationally respected leader Suzanne Colbert AM, GAICD, to ensure the content is both meaningful and practical.

Bridging Communication Canyons

For larger companies, even with the best intentions, communicating across all layers of management and teams can be a daily challenge. The aspiration to embed diversity and inclusion can get lost or diluted. The bosses might have the best intentions, but if those ideas aren't making it to the shop floor, then the best intentions will fail to materialise.

To fix this, businesses should look to create crystal clear policies on disability inclusion that everyone – from the CEO to the newest intern – understands. Regular check-ins are a must to make sure these policies aren't just gathering dust in a drawer somewhere.

That's why we've made this the very first box on our Impact for Inclusion checklist, available to all businesses joining us in taking a new pledge to fully commit to making Australia's workplaces more inclusive for all. Our training program addresses this head-on by covering accessibility fundamentals and helping organisations align their workplace practices with inclusive design principles.

Keeping It Real in Recruitment

One thing we've encountered through talking to hiring managers is the desire to know more about candidates' disabilities during the recruitment process, rather than finding out and trying to make accommodations later.

But rather than asking people with disability to be more upfront about themselves during the recruitment process, employers should first look at their own recruitment practices and ask themselves if they're truly supporting candidates' ability to be honest and upfront.

This might mean creating an application process that feels more like a friendly chat than an interrogation. It means training people doing the hiring to have respectful, productive conversations about disability and what accommodations might be needed. And it definitely means talking about how committed your organisation is to being inclusive and supportive for people with disability.

Our "Shaping Impact Together" sessions will directly tackle this challenge by featuring inclusive recruitment strategies with real case studies from both large and small employers. Through our consultation process with Park Hyatt, NRMA, and Transdev, we've gathered genuine employer perspectives that shape how we deliver this crucial training content.

Making Inclusion Part of Your DNA

For inclusive workplaces to be truly achievable and sustainable, the goal needs to be more than just an HR tick-box exercise. It needs to be part of who you are as a company. That means making disability inclusion one of your core values – right up there with innovation or customer service.

One way of doing this can be celebrating wins when it comes to delivering on diversity and inclusion commitments. Did someone come up with a brilliant new way to make the office more accessible? Make sure they're recognised.
And moving forward, think about setting up mentoring programs where employees with disability are partnered with team members able to provide an extra layer of support and understanding, with those doing the teaching also able to learn more about the requirements of people with disability and share those insights across the company.

Our training program includes comprehensive coverage of strategies for retaining and advancing employees with disability, because inclusion doesn't stop at the hiring stage – it's about creating pathways for growth and development.

Playing the Long Game

Building a truly inclusive workplace isn't a "set it and forget it" transaction. It's more like tending a garden – it needs constant care and attention. One simple way of achieving this can be by setting up channels for employee feedback on diversity and inclusion issues – point 6 on the Impact for Inclusion Checklist.

Regularly check if your workplace is as accessible as it could be, and always be on the lookout for ways to make it better, while making the most of freely available information.

Flexible work arrangements should also be your friend here – they can be a game-changer for employees with disability.

The Payoff

If the response to all this is, "This all sounds great, but what's in it for my business?" The answer is, plenty!

You'll be opening the door to a whole pool of talent you might have been missing out on, while diverse teams can also be the secret weapon when it comes to innovation, problem-solving, and outthinking the competition.

Your business's reputation will get a boost too. This means having an easier time attracting and keeping top talent, as well as being better equipped to understand and serve a diverse customer base, including the significant market of people with disability and their support networks.

Our training sessions start with exactly this message – exploring the tangible benefits of recruiting and retaining talent with disability, because business case matters alongside moral imperative.

Moving Forward Together

Creating an inclusive workplace for people with disability isn't about meeting quotas or being seen to do the right thing. It's about recognising that everyone has something unique to bring to the table, and creating a safe space where they can do just that.

It might not always be easy, but trust me, it's worth it. Not just for your bottom line, but for creating a workplace – and a world – that's better for all of us.

Nicole Grainger-Marsh is CEO of Asuria Australia, delivering the federal government’s Inclusive Employment Australia program from November 1st.

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