Exploring factors which contribute to making people with disabilities feel included at the workplace : a qualitative study

Abstract

The aim with this study is to explore potential factors that contribute to making people with disabilities feel more included at the workplace. The first step was to investigate whether people with disabilities feel included at their workplace. Moreover, if they do, what are the factors that contribute to making them feel included. The results of this study indicate that the general feeling of inclusion is very high, and that management and coworkers play an important role in contributing to making employees with disabilities feel included. Further, three factors were explored which according to this study contributes to making people with disabilities feel included at the workplace. These three factors were; making sure proper facilitation was provided at the office, and especially during social work related events, good communication, which leads to interaction and relationship building, and finally, finding the right language use when interacting with people with disabilities as it ease the tension and contributes to better interaction and inclusion. There has been little research concerning how included people with disabilities feel at the workplace. This study contributes to this research area by exploring factors that according to people with disabilities play a significant role when it comes to making them feel more included at the workplace.