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Employers' Attitudes Towards Hiring and Retaining People with Disabilities: A Review of the Literature
Abstract
This selective review provides an overview of salient research findings related to employers' attitudes towards disability and prospective influences on employers to improve employment outcomes of people with disabilities. Research studies included for review are mainly those which investigated employer attitudes towards disability as predispositions to hiring people with disability. Selected studies were classified into three categories including hiring and accommodating employees with disabilities, work performance, and affective reactions and behavioural intentions of employers. Excluded from the review were studies that investigated other factors influencing employer attitudes toward disability. Altogether 34 research studies from the period of 1987 until 2012 were included in the review. Primary databases for the review included ProQuest, Ebscohost, Lexus Nexus, ERICK Database and the Sage Sociology Collection. This review of the demand-side employment literature suggests employers hold relatively positive attitudes regarding individuals with disabilities. However, employer affective reactions and behavioural intentions of employers towards disability in the work setting were less positive and negatively impact hiring decisions, provision of accommodations and work performance appraisals. Employer attitudes represent an important demand-side factor impacting full participation in competitive employment for individuals with disabilities. While employers report generally positive attitudes toward disability, hiring practices may still be discriminatory. Use by rehabilitation professionals of demand-side strategies with employers would likely result in higher rates of work participation by people with disabilities.
... Similarly, Unger (2002) observes that while employers' attitudes toward individuals with disabilities have been studied, the findings have been inconsistent, suggesting the necessity for continued and more nuanced research. Burke et al. (2013) advocate for ongoing research into employer attitudes towards disability, emphasizing its potential benefits. This is echoed by Lengnick-Hall et al. (2008), who suggest examining the demand-side perspective to understand why employers hire or not hire PwD. ...
... However, inconsistent perceptions of PwD's capabilities, such as attendance and productivity (Unger, 2002), complicate their integration into the workforce. Employers often lack accurate information to overcome preconceptions about hiring PwD (Burke et al., 2013), and excluding PwD can result in reduced talent pools, increased discrimination costs and missed business opportunities (Dwertmann, 2016). The societal impact extends to well-being, social inclusion, and social security systems. ...
... This theory examines how individuals behave in group settings. The apprehension about including PwD stems from fears of altering established group interactions, roles, and productivity (Bonaccio et al., 2020;Burke et al., 2013). Such concerns reflect deeper issues of adaptability and flexibility within teams. ...
... Although evidence in this area is still emerging, three systematic literature reviews (Athamanah et al., 2022;Burke et al., 2013;Rashid et al., 2017) integrate initial findings on demand-side employment factors. In their review of 34 studies of employers' attitudes, Burke et al. (2013) found that employers hold both positive and negative attitudes about hiring, providing accommodations, and assessing the work performance of people with disabilities. ...
... Although evidence in this area is still emerging, three systematic literature reviews (Athamanah et al., 2022;Burke et al., 2013;Rashid et al., 2017) integrate initial findings on demand-side employment factors. In their review of 34 studies of employers' attitudes, Burke et al. (2013) found that employers hold both positive and negative attitudes about hiring, providing accommodations, and assessing the work performance of people with disabilities. Across these studies, employer attitudes about people with disabilities generally corresponded with hiring decisions, as evidenced by employers valuing candidates who possessed desired skills and qualifications regardless of disability status (Burke et al., 2013;Graffam et al., 2002). ...
... In their review of 34 studies of employers' attitudes, Burke et al. (2013) found that employers hold both positive and negative attitudes about hiring, providing accommodations, and assessing the work performance of people with disabilities. Across these studies, employer attitudes about people with disabilities generally corresponded with hiring decisions, as evidenced by employers valuing candidates who possessed desired skills and qualifications regardless of disability status (Burke et al., 2013;Graffam et al., 2002). Fear of legal issues and costs related to health care and accommodations served as barriers to employment opportunities. ...
Much of the literature to date on disability employment has focused on preparing and supporting individuals with disabilities seeking and retaining jobs (i.e., supply side). A growing body of demand-side research has revealed the importance of employer’s experiences, attitudes, and perspectives in promoting successful employment outcomes. Much remains to be learned about employers’ decision-making process around the hiring and initial onboarding of employees with disabilities. The current study consisted of interviews with 35 supervisors from businesses who had recently hired and were currently employing a person with a disability in a range of industries. Key themes across the hiring and onboarding phases highlighted the importance of employment specialists and the value of relationships and rapport to impact decisions made during these phases. Our findings resulted in several recommendations for future research, policy, and practice, the implications of which are discussed.
... Previous research, however, has largely overlooked the role of employers in promoting participation of vulnerable workers in the labor market [6]. This is an important omission since employers have a substantial influence on the access to sustainable work for vulnerable workers [7], but often do not know how to successfully recruit and retain these workers [8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. So far, the literature on Human Resource Management (HRM) practices that targets the employment of vulnerable workers has focused primarily on the importance that employers attach to these practices and on the prediction of hiring intentions [15][16][17]. ...
... Wage subsidies and wage arrangements can be seen as financial incentives to hire vulnerable workers, whereas accommodative practices, such as reimbursement for job coaches or adaptations of the workplace, support the successful integration of the vulnerable worker. Previous research highlights that some employers are concerned about the costs associated with hiring vulnerable workers [8,21,33]. Practices based on economic rationality may reduce these perceived barriers [34,35]. ...
... Previous research, which builds on the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction [38], highlighted that the intention to hire people with a distance to the labor market may differ from the actual hiring of these employees. Whereas employer attitude [8,21], subjective norms [31], and perceived behavioral control [31] have been found to predict the intention to hire vulnerable workers, the presence of a disability hiring policy was found to be a more reliable predictor of the actual hiring of vulnerable workers [21]. Therefore, we explore not only whether the application of strategic HRM practices leads to the intention to hire vulnerable groups in the future, but also whether these HRM practices result in the (continued) employment of these workers. ...
Purpose
To improve the inclusion of vulnerable workers in the labor market, employer behavior is key. However, little is known about the effectiveness of strategic Human Resource Management (HRM) practices that employers use to employ vulnerable workers. Therefore, this exploratory study investigates the association between strategic HRM practices (based on social legitimacy, economic rationality and employee well-being) and the actual and intended employment of vulnerable workers in the future.
Methods
In total, 438 organizations included in the Netherlands Employers Work Survey participated in a two-wave study with a nine-month follow-up period. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the relationship between strategic HRM practices (T0) with the employment of vulnerable workers (T1) and intentions to hire vulnerable workers (T1), while controlling for organizational size, sector, and employment of vulnerable workers at baseline.
Results
Employers who applied strategic HRM practices based on social legitimacy (e.g., inclusive mission statement or inclusive recruitment) or economic rationality (e.g., making use of reimbursements, trial placements, or subsidies) at T0 were more likely to employ vulnerable workers and to intend to hire additional vulnerable workers at T1. No significant results were found for practices related to employee well-being.
Conclusion
Since different types of strategic HRM practices contribute to the inclusion of vulnerable workers, employers can build on their strategic priorities and strengths to create inclusive HRM approaches. Future research is needed to study whether these strategic HRM domains also relate to sustainable employment of vulnerable workers.
... Similarly, Unger (2002) observes that while employers' attitudes toward individuals with disabilities have been studied, the findings have been inconsistent, suggesting the necessity for continued and more nuanced research. Burke et al. (2013) advocate for ongoing research into employer attitudes towards disability, emphasizing its potential benefits. This is echoed by Lengnick-Hall et al. (2008), who suggest examining the demand-side perspective to understand why employers hire or not hire PwD. ...
... However, inconsistent perceptions of PwD's capabilities, such as attendance and productivity (Unger, 2002), complicate their integration into the workforce. Employers often lack accurate information to overcome preconceptions about hiring PwD (Burke et al., 2013), and excluding PwD can result in reduced talent pools, increased discrimination costs and missed business opportunities (Dwertmann, 2016). The societal impact extends to well-being, social inclusion, and social security systems. ...
... This theory examines how individuals behave in group settings. The apprehension about including PwD stems from fears of altering established group interactions, roles, and productivity (Bonaccio et al., 2020;Burke et al., 2013). Such concerns reflect deeper issues of adaptability and flexibility within teams. ...
This qualitative research aims to explore the general attitudes of managers toward the inclusion of disabled people. We interviewed 14 employers who dealt with employees with disabilities to gain insight into attitudes toward including people with disabilities in the workplace. Using Grounded Theory as a study approach, the findings revealed a paradox between the views managers state they adhere to (espoused theories) and the views inferred from their actual explanations (theories-in-use) toward the inclusion of people with disabilities. Suggesting alignment with Argyris and Schön's (1974) theory of action framework, the study proposes a need for an organizational shift from single-loop learning to double-loop organizational learning. This study serves as a reflective and evaluative model to understand this dynamic, raise awareness about this dissonance, and contribute to developing more inclusive workplace policies and practices.
... Participants were also concerned that workplace barriers such as inaccessible buildings, and bathrooms prevent them from being able to employ someone in a wheelchair [22]. While it is recognised that the size of the organisation impacts the capacity of employers to be able to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, often the costs of such modifications are over-estimated [24]. There are many benefits to employing people with disability, one being financial. ...
... Participants noted that in some instances personal attitudes may not align with the policy position of the organisation they worked for, and that unconscious biases may exist in the recruitment process. This is consistent with other studies which have identified that individuals may express positive attitudes toward people with disabilities, but this doesn't translate into actual employment [24]. A systematic review of qualitative literature regarding the experience of attempting to return to work following SCI, reported discrimination and stigma and misconceptions regarding the abilities, both physical and cognitive, of people with SCI [27]. ...
... Participants also did not know where to find information about getting financial support or advice regarding workplace modifications. This aligns with other research in this area [24]. Research conducted in Australia shows that a key strategy to increasing the employment of people with a disability is having senior managers who are informed, knowledgeable and confident about disability issues [30]. ...
Open access via https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638288.2024.2310176
Purpose: The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of employers' attitudes to, knowledge about, and policies relating to employing someone with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine employers located in Australia from a range of backgrounds and different sized businesses. The interviews were thematically analysed. Results: Three themes were identified: Organisational policies (sub-themes: Recruitment-inherent requirements of the role vs risk mitigation; Recruitment strategies and targets; Disclosure; Accommodations needed or offered); Barriers & facilitators (sub-themes: Lack of knowledge about SCI; Physical accessibility; Workplace culture); Personal attitudes (sub-themes: Personal attitudes don't align with organisational policy; Personal experiences informed understanding). Conclusions: Organisational policies and practices of the employers' organisations, and workplace culture impact the likelihood of someone with a SCI being employed, particularly in relation to recruitment, employment targets, and available accommodations. Individual staff attitudes and knowledge also influence this process. Multi-faceted approaches are needed to increase the employment of people with SCI.
... There are research articles that discuss employers' attitudes about hiring people with disabilities, indicating mainly negative viewpoints and fears (Alfasi-Henley, 2016;Bonaccio et al., 2020;Burke et al., 2013;Graham et al., 2019;Lengnick-Hall et al., 2008). Here are a few examples that were stated in the articles by employers: "Most employees will not feel comfortable working with someone with disability"; "Employees with disabilities place a greater burden on the human resources department" (Alfasi-Henley, 2016). ...
... Employers fear that people with disabilities will not make a profitable contribution (Bonaccio et al., 2020). Often employers' perceptions are based on discriminatory stereotypes that usually stem from the lack of knowledge and concerns about negative consequences (Alfasi-Henley, 2016;Bonaccio et al., 2020;Burke et al., 2013). Such stereotypes constitute a barrier to employing persons living with disabilities. ...
... The innovative and unique program described in this article is the product of advanced professional knowledge that opened a new and challenging door to the world of employment for people with disabilities by giving them access to professional work that entails interacting with other people. As mentioned in the Introduction section, the difficulty in integrating into the world of work for persons living with disabilities is not necessarily their own problem but rather a mirror of society that reflects norms, perceptions, and stereotypical attitudes (Burke et al., 2013;Lengnick-Hall et al., 2008). The program enabled to expose the difficulties and to strengthen the students' identity in a positive way. ...
Background: Persons living with disabilities have difficulty finding work, are discriminated against, and have high rates of unemployment. They face many barriers, including stereotyped perceptions that prevent employers from hiring people with disabilities.
Objective: To promote equality in the employment market and to lower barriers, we at Gal College in cooperation with the School of Social Work at Tel-Aviv University developed an innovative multidimensional integrative program.
Methods: The program offers a beneficial learning experience that integrates professional studies with a personal rehabilitation process as the students themselves cope and live with their disability. The program graduates then become rehabilitators who serve as employment placement workers and rehabilitation facilitators for others coping with disability. All the students completed at least 12 years of school, were between the ages of 25 and 55, and were out of work for a long period of time.
Findings: The quantitative results reveal a high placement rate for program graduates. Over the years, this rate has increased from 79% to 100%, testifying to the program’s success.
Conclusions: Analyzes the dynamic learning model as well as the quantitative results and the successful transition from rehabilitee to rehabilitator.
... The NDA (2017) survey shows that knowing someone with a disability predicts many positive attitudes towards disabled people, including reported comfort with having a work colleague or neighbour with a disability and belief that disabled people should have children if they wish. The importance of familiarity and contact with disabled people is replicated in multiple international studies and review papers, across multiple measures (Burke et al., 2013;Ju et al., 2013). For example, a US survey of attitudes to people with intellectual disabilities found that more frequent contact with someone who has an intellectual disability predicted greater support for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities and perceptions of their capabilities (McConkey et al., 2021). ...
... Moreover, there are multiple international studies showing differences in reported attitudes towards employing people with disabilities and objectively measured hiring practices. Reviews show that employers tend to report positive attitudes towards the prospect of hiring someone with a disability (Bredgaard and Salado-Rasmussen, 2021;Burke et al., 2013;Ju et al., 2013), yet field experiments reveal high levels of likely discrimination. Audit experiments, in which researchers apply to job postings with fictitious CVs that vary systematically by features of interest (e.g. ...
... For example, our findings show that familiarity with disability issues, as measured by reported relationships with someone who has a disability (or having one oneself), is associated with support for policy. This is consistent with multiple previous studies which show that contact with people with various disabilities is associated with more positive attitudes compared to respondents without contact (Burke et al., 2013;Ju et al., 2013;Pullen et al., 2022). The mechanism that underlies this association, however, is unclear. ...
Despite the right of disabled people to full social and economic inclusion, many
face multiple day-to-day and systemic challenges. These include but are not limited
to additional expenses, access to housing, and everyday accessibility difficulties.
Surveys show the general public hold positive attitudes towards policies that
seek to enable disabled people to overcome these challenges, but standard
survey methods are susceptible to response biases that may overestimate this
support. This study aimed to test whether two such biases influence support for
disability policy in Ireland: social desirability bias (i.e. the tendency for survey
respondents to alter their responses in order to present themselves in a
positive light); and inattention to the implications of policy support (e.g. that
welfare policies require funding). Together the survey experiments covered a
range of policy issues and types of disability, as identified in previous research
and in consultation with the disability advisory group for the project.
A nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults took part in the online study.
One stage of the study used list experiments to test for social desirability bias in
responses to three issues: (1) support for increased social welfare for disabled
people, (2) support for prioritising disabled people for social housing and (3) how
many people admit to parking in a disabled parking space without a permit. In each
list experiment, participants were assigned at random to one of two groups. One
(‘control’) group was presented with a list of items unrelated to the topic of interest
(in this case, disability policy) and asked how many they agree with. The other
(‘treatment’) group was presented with the same list but with the addition of an
item about the topic of interest. Any difference in the average response between
the groups can be attributed to the added item and gives an indication of support
for that item when participants are provided full anonymity (because they are
never asked directly about their support for that item). Allowing participants to
respond anonymously minimises the influence of the desire to be viewed positively
by others on responses.
Another stage of the study tested the influence of question detail on policy
support. The policies in this stage related to (1) increased cost of living support for
disabled people, (2) support for children with disabilities and (3) support for
building wheelchair accessible infrastructure. Participants were randomly
allocated to a group that was asked for support for a policy without any specified
funding mechanism, or to a group that was asked about support for the same policy
but with the funding mechanism specified, for example that the policy would be
funded through a budget reallocation or a tax increase.
The study shows that while the majority of people in Ireland support most policies
that aim to enable disabled people to participate fully in society, standard surveys
are likely to lead to inaccurate estimates of support. Approximately one-in-seven
people are estimated to express support for some policies when asked directly but
not when allowed to respond anonymously, with a similar change in support when
funding mechanisms or policy trade-offs are made explicit. Support is stronger
among those more familiar with disability issues, although further research is
required to understand why. If those familiar with disability simply better
understand the challenges associated with disability, this implies that enhancing
public understanding of the challenges and costs of disability would strengthen
support. If it is because they know someone who will directly benefit from the
policy, further research on how people understand and recognise disability among
people in their social networks may help. Complementing standard surveys with
reliable experimental methods is recommended to avoid misperceptions of
support for disabled people and to identify where potentially negative attitudes
may need to be challenged.
... Specific challenges for multiply marginalized people with disabilities include disproportional experiences of workplace harassment, discriminatory hiring practices, and inadequate workplace accommodations (7). Furthermore, a literature review by Shaw et al. (8) underlines the ongoing issues with workplace accessibility and job adaptability, while Burke et al. (9) point to societal misconceptions about the capabilities of people with disabilities, impacting their employment opportunities and career progression. Other research highlights the lack of disability knowledge among employment services staff and employers as a major barrier to employment of people with disabilities (10,11). ...
... While some of these factors and recommendations may have been prompted by changes in the workplace due to the pandemic, they also demonstrate an underlying need to use information and training to address long-standing inequities. These findings thus align with the broader literature, which suggests that education and awareness are pivotal in dismantling stereotypes and misconceptions about people with disabilities and supporting improved outcomes (9,11,18). Disability policymakers should consider developing new training programs, service initiatives, and research priorities or strategies that enhance the capacity of job seekers, employers, and employment support service professionals to address emergency preparedness, assistive technology, accommodations, economic challenges, and telework needs. ...
Introduction
The employment landscape for multiply marginalized people with disabilities presents significant challenges, exacerbated by intersecting identities such as race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, poverty, and geography. Recent studies highlight the compounded employment disparities faced by this group, including discriminatory hiring practices, inadequate accommodations, and uneven gains in employment during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Methods
Our study employed a three-round Delphi process with 20 diverse experts across 14 states across the United States (U.S.) to formulate recommendations for improving employment experiences for multiply marginalized people with disabilities. The panel's insights were gathered through surveys administered online, with each round designed to refine the collective recommendations. This iterative process aimed to build a consensus on the most effective policy and practice recommendations for improving employment outcomes within this population.
Results
The Delphi study identified key areas for strategic focus, including emergency preparedness, education and training, transportation, assistive technology, workplace accommodations, and combating discrimination and stigma. Notable recommendations included improving emergency preparedness training, enhancing employment education, increasing funding for accessible transportation and assistive technology, and promoting inclusive hiring practices. The study also emphasized the need for policies supporting telework and simplifying disability-related benefits.
Discussion
The findings highlight the critical role of tailored strategies to address employment challenges faced by people with disabilities from marginalized communities. Meaningfully and fully implementing these recommendations would create a more inclusive environment that improves employment outcomes for multiply marginalized people with disabilities.
... Second, we are-to the best of our knowledge-the first to use the COM-B model to understand hiring behavior of employers. While scholars have started to investigate which factors drive employers to hire people with disabilities, scholars primarily dissected employer attitudes (see Burke et al. [14] for a systematic review). Few studies have used theoretical models of behavior to analyze these factors. ...
... The most mentioned facilitators were prosocial motivation (5%), working in a large organization (4%) and expecting a competitive advantage (4%). Believing people with disabilities are not productive is related to attitudes about people with disabilities which is often discussed in literature [14]. Working in a large organization and expectations about costs are also mentioned in overview articles [18]. ...
Purpose
The purpose of the scoping review presented in this article is to map the state-of-the-art and development of empirical research of organizational practices designed to include people with disabilities. It contributes to debates on demand-side approaches in promoting the labour-market participation of people with disabilities.
Methods
A literature search took place in PsychINFO, Web of Science, Sociological Abstracts and Sociological Index. Articles included empirical studies published between 2000 and 2023.
Results
The search resulted in 10,535 unique articles of which 146 were included in the review. Organizational inclusion practices have received increasing attention in academic journals in a variety of research fields. In terms of content two groups of studies can be distinguished: hiring studies and studies focusing on organizational practices aimed at employees with disabilities. Hiring studies include studies analysing relationships between a large range of factors and actual hiring or intention to hire as well as studies of a more exploratory nature. Studies focusing on employees with disabilities look at outcomes of specific organizational practices; the conditions promoting their implementation; or explore practices in organizations employing people with disabilities.
Discussion
Based on the findings of the review three suggestions for future research are discussed: (i) internationally comparative studies; (ii) specific attention to small and medium sized enterprises in studies of inclusion; (iii) systematic reviews as follow-ups to scoping reviews.
... Second, we are-to the best of our knowledge-the first to use the COM-B model to understand hiring behavior of employers. While scholars have started to investigate which factors drive employers to hire people with disabilities, scholars primarily dissected employer attitudes (see Burke et al. [14] for a systematic review). Few studies have used theoretical models of behavior to analyze these factors. ...
... The most mentioned facilitators were prosocial motivation (5%), working in a large organization (4%) and expecting a competitive advantage (4%). Believing people with disabilities are not productive is related to attitudes about people with disabilities which is often discussed in literature [14]. Working in a large organization and expectations about costs are also mentioned in overview articles [18]. ...
Purpose
To increase the number of people with disabilities in employment, we need to understand what influences employers’ hiring decisions. In this systematic review, we map out factors affecting employers’ hiring decisions about people with disabilities.
Methods
This study is a systematic review that applies the COM-B model to identify factors that contribute to employers (not) hiring people with disabilities. The COM-B model proposes that employers will perform hiring behavior (B) if they have the capability (C), opportunity (O) and motivation (M) to do so. We also investigate if factors have a negative, positive or no effect. We report in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.
Results
In a review of 47 studies, we find 32 factors. Most of these factors are barriers. The most frequently mentioned barriers are employers’ (1) expectations that people with disabilities are unproductive, (2) expectations that people with disabilities cost a lot of money, and employers’ (3) lack of knowledge about disabilities. The most researched facilitators for employers to hire people with disabilities include (1) the motivation to help others, (2) working in a large organization, and (3) expecting a competitive advantage. The effect of factors can differ depending on contextual circumstances, including the type of organization, the type of disability and different policies.
Conclusions
We conclude that hiring decisions are influenced by an array of different barriers and facilitators. The effect of these factors can differ across organizations and disability types. Our study of factors affecting hiring can be used by scholars, policy makers, and organizations to create interventions to increase the hiring of people with disabilities.
... This is an important omission, since employee and employer perceptions of organisational practices may differ, and not all organisational practices may be directly perceived by employees [30]. Furthermore, the strategic decisions of employers to invest in inclusive practices and their opinion on these practices, directly influences whether labour market inclusion is achieved [35]. Research shows that the share of employers engaging in inclusive behaviour remains low due to various barriers they experience. ...
... Research shows that the share of employers engaging in inclusive behaviour remains low due to various barriers they experience. For instance, research shows that employers may be reluctant to hire vulnerable workers due to lacking knowledge about how to facilitate these workers, biased expectations on their productivity, safety concerns, or negative attitudes of customers or co-workers [35][36][37][38][39]. Therefore, it is important to shed more light on organisational practices that employers themselves find relevant to include vulnerable workers [40,41]. ...
Purpose Current models of inclusive workplaces are primarily based on the perceptions of vulnerable workers, whereas attention for employer’s perceptions is lacking. This scoping review addresses this issue by mapping the literature that covers employer’s perceptions on the application and importance of organisational policies and practices aimed at the inclusion of vulnerable workers. Methods A literature search for qualitative and quantitative research articles was conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest, PsychInfo, Google Scholar and Web of Science. Studies were included when (a) they reported on practices aimed at the inclusion, participation, or rehabilitation of (b) workers with disabilities, a low education or migration background, or who were long-term unemployed, and (c) were based on samples of employers or their representatives. Results The search resulted in 3,134 articles. In total, 38 articles met the inclusion criteria of this study. We identified seven types of inclusive practices to stimulate the inclusion of vulnerable workers that employers applied and/or perceived as valuable: senior management commitment, recruitment and selection, performance management and development practices, job accommodations and redesign of work, supportive culture, external collaborations with other employers, and monitoring. Conclusions Our review identified seven categories of inclusive practices that pertain to all stages of the employee journey of vulnerable workers. These categories move beyond those reported in studies based on employee samples, for instance by highlighting the importance of monitoring and collaborations with other employers. Hence, our findings stress that insight into employers’ perceptions about effective measures is crucial to increase labour market participation of vulnerable groups.
... The creation of flexible and adaptable work environments by HR teams contributes to what is known as an organization's culture and climate around the retention of employees with and without disabilities during the COVID-19 stages of companies reopening (Burke et al., 2013;Chiavenato, 1990;Scheible & Bastos, 2013). Workplace social supports can act as protective barriers to the stress and strain of returning to work by pwMS or pwSCI. ...
... The ability and willingness of HR teams to accommodate the workplace transition needs of employees with progressive disabling conditions, such as MS and SCI, have an effect on ewNDs' work performance, perceptions of being valued by their employer, and the resulting retention of ewNDs. Looking at employees as consumers of HR services, whether with or without a disability, can foster the development of the type of affective commitment that makes employees want to stay with their current employer and commit to the successful transition of their company into a post-COVID-19 workplace environment (Burke et al., 2013;Chiavenato, 1990;Mercurio, 2015;Mpofu, 2021;. Gradual and stage-designed returnto-work strategies by HR teams progressively bring ewNDs successfully back to in-person work. ...
Strategic HR professionals need to possess certain competencies in order to develop and implement strategic human resource management (SHRM) policies, procedures, practices and strategies in the new normal. The COVID-19 pandemic, the Industrial Revolution 4 and other future challenges highlight a need for SHRM to be reinvented. A qualitative research method within an interpretivist research philosophy was used to allow for an in-depth analysis of secondary data on SHRM in the new normal. Phenomenology was used as the research design. The purpose of this study is to identify the challenges, policies, procedures, practices, strategies and competencies of SHRM in the new normal. Electronic databases were used and 12 relevant articles were included for secondary data analysis. A theoretical framework to reinvent SRHM was developed. SHRM challenges and competencies were identified to ensure the successful development and implementation of SHRM policies, procedures, practices and strategies.KeywordsNew normal Reinventing strategic human resource management Strategic human resource management policies Procedures Practices and strategies Strategic human resource management competencies
... Although employers have positive attitudes about hiring and retaining persons with disabilities, these views do not always translate into concrete hiring and retention actions (Burke et al. 2013;Hernandez et al. 2000;Paez and Arendt 2014). A series of studies have identified misconceptions that often present obstacles to hiring persons with ID, such as the belief that they require additional job adaptations, a perceived lack of necessary skills, or difficulties in completing their work on time (Amir Ziv and Chan 2009;Kocman et al. 2018). ...
The inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) through integrated employment is essential for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This research study examines how organizational contextual factors facilitate or hinder the inclusion and positive contributions of workers with ID in their workplaces, as well as organizational practices that satisfy their basic needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), thus promoting their well-being. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts in integrated employment, workers with ID, and supervisors. Content analysis was then performed using the grounded theory methodology. Data analysis revealed three main categories: (1) organizational contextual factors that favor inclusion and positive contributions of workers with ID; (2) organizational contextual factors that hinder inclusion and positive contributions of workers with ID; and (3) organizational practices that satisfy basic needs of workers with ID. These findings underscore the importance of creating work environments that promote inclusion, positive contributions, and satisfaction of the basic needs of workers with ID, thus fostering their well-being and professional development.
... Encountering people with disabilities may make some people uncomfortable and therefore unwilling to engage them in substantive scientific discussions or consider them for positions. 6 At an institutional level, features of laboratories and other professional scientific environments can make certain tasks difficult for researchers with disabilities. For example, many laboratories cannot be easily navigated with a wheelchair, crutches, or a cane, and many tasks involve standing for long periods of time. ...
Increasing representation of people with disabilities in science and engineering will require systemic changes to the culture around support and accommodations. Equitable interview practices can help foster such changes. We, an interdisciplinary group of disabled and nondisabled early-career scientists who care deeply about making science more accessible to all, present a framework of suggestions based on Universal Design principles for improving the accessibility and equitability of interviews for people with disabilities and other underrepresented groups. We discuss potential challenges that may arise when implementing these suggestions and provide questions to guide discussions about addressing them.
... Amongst the wider community, explicit attitudes towards people with disability are generally positive. However, in workplace settings, attitudes towards people with disability were found to be less positive (Burke et al., 2013). Implicit attitudes differ to explicit attitudes in that people are not consciously aware of their implicit preferences and beliefs; these unconscious attitudes have been linked to behaviours and decision making (Greenwald & Banaji, 1995). ...
The unemployment rate for people with disability in Australia has remained unchanged for decades, despite policy and strategy focus. Therefore, understanding perceptions of those making hiring decisions is important. This research used a qualitative approach interviewing 13 participants who made hiring decisions. Reflexive thematic analysis uncovered four themes about altruistic hiring motivations, organisational culture barriers, sharing of disability during the hiring process, and negative emotions towards disability. There were distinct perspectives between people with and without experience of disability. People without experience tended to encourage early sharing of disability in the hiring process, cite organisational culture as a barrier, and shared strong negative emotions towards people with disability. People with experience of disability tended to prioritise autonomy of people with disability in sharing during the hiring process, and an intersectional approach to improve organisational culture. Regardless of disability experience, participants tended to share altruistic motives for hiring people with disability, despite this potentially contributing to the maintenance of power dynamics. Future research should continue to explore personal attributes and decision making of employers, ideally conducted by people with lived experience of disability. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement .
... Employers' beliefs and knowledge about disabilities have indeed a major impact on hiring and retaining PWDs [58,59]. Many employers' beliefs act as barriers, such as expectations that PWDs are unproductive, costly, or lack appropriate qualifications. ...
Transportation is integral to the employment accessibility and sustainability of people with disabilities. This study aims to identify barriers, facilitators, and solutions to commuting for people with disabilities, drawing from their perspectives as well as those of employers and transportation providers. Through semi-structured individual interviews, insights were gathered from sixteen individuals with disabilities, seven employers, two job integration agents, and four transporters. Qualitative analysis of the interview transcripts revealed factors influencing commuting, including personal attributes and environmental factors. This study underscores the significant impact of environmental factors, particularly the role of social networks and transport infrastructure in either supporting or hindering public transportation use for people with disabilities who commute to work. For example, employers’ limited awareness of their employees’ commuting challenges contrasts with their recognition of their potential role in supporting it. Training and disability awareness initiatives emerge as pivotal solutions to empower individuals within the social network, including transport personnel, fellow passengers, and employers, to facilitate public transportation use by people with disabilities for work commutes.
... Companies tend to reject applications from people with disabilities because of their disability status (Andayani, 2020;Burke et al., 2013). In fact, research in the Maldives found that people with disabilities are at twice the risk of not working compared to non-disabled people (Banks et al., 2020). ...
Objectives: This study investigates the participation of people with disabilities in the labor market in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, a region where adults with disabilities comprise 40.6% of the population, significantly higher than the national average. Despite constitutional guarantees against discrimination and the right to employment, people with disabilities face substantial barriers in accessing the labor market. The study aims to examine the labor market participation rate of individuals with disabilities compared to their non-disabled counterparts, highlighting socio-demographic factors that influence employment opportunities. Methods: Utilizing data from the August 2021 SAKERNAS survey, this quantitative research analyzes labor market indicators for 16,985 individuals of working age (15 years or older) across 6,200 sample households in Central Sulawesi Province. The study employs the definitions and concepts of employment from the International Conference of Labor Statisticians (ICLS) to ensure consistency and accuracy in data interpretation. Results: Findings reveal that only 10.62% of the working-age population in Central Sulawesi have disabilities. However, this group encounters lower labor participation and higher rates of exclusion from economic activities compared to their non-disabled counterparts. Educational attainment, type, and severity of disability significantly affect employment prospects. Notably, individuals with visual impairments have slightly better employment opportunities than those with other disabilities, which aligns with international findings. Conclusion: The study underscores the necessity for targeted government interventions to improve healthcare, provide assistive devices, enhance educational opportunities, and create accessible public facilities. Recommendations include legal protections against discrimination, social empowerment programs, and active roles for social workers in rehabilitation and empowerment efforts. The research advocates for inclusive policies and practices to bridge the employment gap and promote equitable participation in the labor market, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
... Other studies have focused on disability and employment; however, a majority of those studies examined disability and its influence in the workplace (Chiang et al., 2012;Lee et al., 2017;Walsh, 2010) and employers' attitudes toward hiring individuals according to the type or severity of their disability (Burke et al., 2013;Copeland et al., 2007;Unger, 2002;). These studies of employers' attitudes have shown inconsistent findings due to variations in research design. ...
Published in the Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals (http://aasep.org/aasep-publications/journal-of-the-american-academy-of-special-education-professionals-jaasep/jaasep-winter-2024/index.html):
Educational professionals (e.g., special educators, general educators, administrators, related service providers) play an important role in promoting engagement with parents during the development of individualized education programs (IEPs). For this study, we conducted semi-structured interviews to evaluate parents’ (n = 16) perceptions of interactions with professionals that improve IEP development. Through a qualitative analysis, we identified the following themes: (a) proactive and transparent communication during planning, (b) welcoming and understandable meetings, (c) compliant and data-driven documentation, (d) effective and individualized services, and (e) development of trust and shared power throughout process. Our findings offer practical suggestions for enhancing parent-professional partnerships and increasing collaboration to improve services for students with disabilities.
... Some employers assume that employing people with disabilities is too costly. Other employers appreciate the value of people with disabilities, seeing them as productive and valuable team players [50,51]. Numerous factors affect whether employers view people with disabilities negatively or positively, including likely acceptance by co-workers, necessary skills, experience, commitment, productivity, performance, and the anticipated costs of employing them [48,49]. ...
Many people live with disabilities and many countries worldwide are acting to provide people with disabilities opportunities to find and sustain gainful employment. Notwithstanding, people with disabilities still do not have the same access to employment as their counterparts without disabilities. Although some research has investigated these issues in Western countries, very little research has investigated these issues in the Middle East, in general, and in Saudi Arabia, in particular. The aim of the present study is to gain an initial understanding of the employment experiences of people with disabilities and prospective employers of people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia. We identify several potential obstacles preventing people with disabilities from securing and maintaining gainful employment in Saudi Arabia. We secured qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with five prospective employers and five individuals with disabilities in Saudi Arabia. We focused on identifying barriers to employment. The impact of demographic factors such as age, gender, and education on employment opportunities was also examined. The results suggest several practical conclusions and recommendations relating to improving and enhancing opportunities for employment for people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia.
... ILO, 2016). Such barriers are not just restricted to the hiring of IWD but also in promoting them (Burke et al., 2013;Hernandez et al., 2000). ...
This research examines the impact of leader disability status on the operational performance of teams that include individuals with disabilities (IWD) using longitudinal micro‐data from an apparel manufacturing company in a competitive integrative employment environment. To aid in developing the research hypotheses and in interpreting the empirical findings, the quantitative analysis is complemented with qualitative data collected through interviews involving managers and workers with and without disabilities at the focal firm and two other large companies that employ IWD. A beneficial moderating effect of leader‐worker disability status similarity on team performance is hypothesized and subsequently tested using Prais‐Winsten regression. The results show that a leader with a disability has a potentially beneficial impact on team performance as the number of workers with disabilities in the team increases, resulting in improved productivity (measured in labor hours per garment) and quality (measured in operator defects per garment). The theoretical, managerial, and policy implications of the study provide actionable insights for the creation of an inclusive labor force.
... The findings confirmed findings from previous studies about challenges persons with disabilities encounter when searching for jobs, notably about employers' attitudes towards persons with disabilities and conventional views that persons with disabilities are unproductive, dependent and need assistance (Dovidio et al, 2011). Burke et al (2013) also reported that employers exhibited negative attitudes towards job-seekers with disabilities because they perceived them to be unproductive which, as such, could lower productivity and profit of their businesses. ...
Purpose: This study investigated the job search experiences of persons with disabilities in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem Municipality in central Ghana, in order to identify measures to improve their employability. Method: The study was qualitative with a descriptive design. Purposive sampling was used to include people with visual disabilities, people who are deaf and people with physical disabilities who had searched for jobs. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in the local language (Fante) and were audio-and video-recorded. The recorded interviews were then transcribed and translated from Fante to English. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The transcribed data was coded, grouped into categories, refined, and then organised into various themes based on the study objectives. Results: Findings revealed that employers had negative attitudes towards job-seekers with disabilities. They had low expectations of them, feeling pity rather than considering them productive. This resulted in persons with disabilities being pushed into low paid jobs and feeling dissatisfied. The negative attitude of employers deterred many such job-seekers and they opted for self-employment. Inaccessible workplaces and lack of access to information were also reported as major barriers. Conclusion: Negative attitudes of employers towards job-seekers with disabilities have not changed despite legal efforts being made to change negative perceptions. It is recommended that stakeholders should intensify public education on disability issues. The working environment and information on job opportunities and protocols should also be made accessible to persons with disabilities by enforcing provisions in the Persons with Disability Act.
... The important role of the demand side has increasingly gained attention in the literature. Previous studies have found that a gap exists between employers' expressed attitudes towards disabled people, which tend to be positive, and their actual hiring practices (Burke et al., 2013;Ju et al., 2013;Stuart, 2006). Research on disabled job seekers tells stories of discrimination in recruitment processes (Baldwin and Marcus, 2006;Chhabra, 2021;Thornicroft et al., 2009;Vedeler, 2014), which have been confirmed by correspondence experiments documenting that disclosing an impairment in a job application, even for jobs where the impairment is unlikely to affect productivity, leads to reduced chances of being called back for an interview (Ameri et al., 2018;Baert, 2016Baert, , 2017Bellemare et al., 2018;Bjørnshagen, 2021;Bjørnshagen and Ugreninov, 2021;Hipes et al., 2016;Krogh and Breedgaard, 2022;Ravaud et al., 1992). ...
The role of disability in producing disadvantage in employers’ hiring assessments was explored in a factorial survey, where a random sample of Norwegian employers ( n = 1341) evaluated fictional job-seeker profiles. The results revealed that including an impairment description in a job-seeker profile significantly decreased the likelihood that employers would want to hire a candidate. The degree of disadvantage varied with the type of impairment. Being eligible for a wage subsidy scheme improved employers’ assessments of candidates while including information about other types of support measures did not. Furthermore, when an impairment description was introduced into a job-seeker profile, other crucial characteristics of the job seeker lost some or all of their impact on employers’ assessment scores. These findings are interpreted as disability becoming a ‘master status’ when employers make hiring assessments.
... The perspective of employers The literature on disability employment reports various barriers to hiring people with disability. Studies of employers identify attitudinal, socio-ecological and organization structural factors that influence employers' willingness to hire people with disability (Bonaccio et al., 2020;Burke et al., 2013;Houtenville and Valentini, 2014). Attitudinal factors can be seen in cases of employers who have had meaningful contact with someone with disability, such as a positive prior hiring experience, and report being more likely to hire someone with disability in future. ...
Purpose
This study aims to investigate which factors are associated with the willingness of employers to hire people with disability from the perspective of disability employment service providers. We also identify social marketing approaches that disability employment service providers consider to be most effective in increasing employer willingness to hire people with disability.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the framework of the theory of planned behavior, this study examines the association of attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control with employer willingness to hire people with disability. The authors do this from the perspective of disability employment service providers, who are responsible for matching people with disability with suitable employment opportunities. The authors used a qualitative approach to data collection and conducted 30 in-depth interviews. Data analysis included deductive and inductive coding to develop the themes and subthemes.
Findings
Attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control were all perceived to influence employers’ willingness to hire people with disability. However, the importance of each construct was perceived to differ by location and organization type. Three key social marketing approaches were perceived to be most effective in increasing employer willingness to hire people with disability: educational, relational and interactive. The educational intervention attempts to increase employers’ knowledge about disability, the relational approach aims to develop relationships within the community to strengthen relationships with employers and the interactive approach involves direct contact between employers and people with disability.
Originality/value
Theoretically, this study reveals perceived heterogeneity in terms of the theoretical constructs that are employer hiring decisions. Practically, results help disability employment service providers design social marketing strategies that are effective in reducing barriers and increasing employment for people with disability. Methodologically, this study adds a new perspective on employer willingness to hire people with disability – that of disability employment service providers – which avoids the social desirability bias found in many self-reported studies of employer attitudes and behavior.
... Despite advocates indicating that everyone is capable to work, and the diverse benefits organizations can encounter through hiring people with a disability, employers are concerned about the biased attitudes of customers toward such inclusion [16]. Even though employers demonstrated positive attitudes toward disability, they are still discriminating in their hiring processes [17], as past research indicated that managers and employees composed mostly negative perceptions toward hiring PWDs [18]. Moreover, the literature found that disability type played an integral factor in the discrimination process toward hiring PWDs [19], that their attitudes are influenced by the type of disability an employee suffers, and that some jobs would be more appropriate than others for different types of disabilities [20]. ...
The present study investigates the effect of hiring people with a disability in the service staff on customers’ perspectives in Jordan, with the moderating role of disability type. The quantitative research method was adopted to obtain the necessary data for the research; the study sample was convenient and consisted of 765 participants who are social media users belonging to different age groups. The data were collected using an online questionnaire distributed through various social media platforms. Findings exhibited that the antecedent variable positively affects the consequent variables (quality, brand image, and loyalty), while there was no significant effect on purchase intention or stereotyping. Further, hiring people with a disability had the strongest impact on perceived brand image. The findings from this research could eventually furnish assistance to existing and future entrepreneurs to build sustainable enterprises while keeping pace with a nation becoming socially responsible.
BACKGROUND During the last decades, studies addressing the persistently large labor-market participation gap of people with disabilities have increasingly focused attention to the role of employers and their organizations. Relatively little attention has been paid to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to deepen our understanding of predictors of the inclusion of people with disabilities in SMEs.
METHODS: A survey was conducted among SMEs in the Netherlands. The survey focused on three groups of predictors of employing people with disabilities: general organizational characteristics, human resource practices, and capabilities, opportunities and motivations to employ people with disabilities.
RESULTS: The most important positive predictors of employing people with disabilities in SMEs were size, capabilities and opportunities. HR recruitment and selection was negatively related to employing people with disabilities. Comparing small with larger enterprises we found that predictors for employing people with disabilities are not completely similar.
CONCLUSION: Given the role of SMEs as a resource of employment, and the notion that SMEs are not simply ‘small’ large organizations but have their own unique characteristics which may create specific challenges and opportunities for inclusion, future research of SMEs is recommended. Concerning HR practices our findings are inconclusive. The role of general versus disability-specific HR practices, the issue of inclusive versus exclusive effects of HR practices and the effects of individual versus bundles of HR practices are interesting topics for future research.
Monografia jest kolejną pozycją wydaną pod patronatem Sekcji Socjologii Niepełnosprawności PTS. Książka powstała w ramach serii monografii naukowych wydawanych przez Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego. Jest poświęcona zagadnieniom pracy osób z niepełnosprawnościami. W monografii podejmowane są wątki odnoszące się do różnych form aktywizmu i mobilizacji osób z niepełnosprawnościami w odniesieniu do szeroko rozumianej pracy, w tym pracy zdalnej, cyfryzacji pracy, ale również problematyki prekaryzacji i nierówności w pracy oraz pracy nieodpłatnej, w tym pracy opiekuńczej – ujętych w kontekście uwarunkowań rzeczywistości (post)pandemicznej. Istotny nacisk został też położony na wymiar aplikacyjny przygotowywanych tekstów. Książka ma się bowiem stać obiektem zainteresowań zarówno przedstawicieli nauki, jak i praktyków, zwłaszcza osób zatrudnionych w jednostkach pomocy społecznej, instytucjach pomocowych, a także organizacjach pozarządowych i rządowych, których jednym z zasadniczych obszarów działania jest diagnozowanie sytuacji osób z niepełnosprawnościami i projektowanie zmian mających na celu aktywizację tego środowiska. Projekt dofinansowany ze środków budżetu państwa, przyznanych przez Ministra Nauki w ramach Programu „Doskonała nauka II”. Przygotowanie monografii dofinansowane przez Polskie Towarzystwo Zespołu Aspergera.
Özet
Bu bölümde özel gereksinimli bireylerin tanımı, eğitim aldıkları yöntemler ve kapsayıcı eğitim hakkında detaylı bilgi verilecektir. Tarihsel süreç içinde özel gereksinimli bireylerin tanılanma ve algılanma biçimleri, onların toplumsal konumları üzerinde derin etkiler bırakmıştır. Özel gereksinimli bireylerin ‘bakıma muhtaç’ ve ‘öğrenemeyen’ olarak görülmesinden topluma eşit bir birey olarak dâhil edilmelerine kadar uzanan süreç, Türk tarihi bağlamında detaylı bir şekilde analiz edilmiştir. Geleneksel olarak, özel gereksinimli bireylerin sürekli yardıma muhtaç olduğu düşüncesi hâkim olmuş ve eğitime erişimleri uzun süre kısıtlı kalmıştır. Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nun son döneminde başlatılan ve Cumhuriyet döneminde devam eden reformlar, özel gereksinimli bireylerin örgün eğitime entegrasyonunu hedeflemiştir. Ancak bu girişimlere rağmen toplumsal önyargılar ve köklü sistemik engeller varlığını sürdürmüş, öncelik bireylerin eğitim sisteminde homojen bir yapı içerisinde eğitilmesine veya okulların çoğunluğun ihtiyacına göre tasarlanmasına verilmiştir. Modern kapsayıcı eğitim anlayışı, özel gereksinimli bireyler dâhil tüm öğrencilerin bireysel ihtiyaçları gözetilerek beraber nitelikli eğitim almasını öncelik olarak benimsemektedir. Bu bağlamda bu bölüm, engellilik konusundaki tarihsel gelişimlerin toplumsal farkındalık ve eğitim politikaları üzerindeki etkisi hakkında derinlemesine bilgi sunmaktadır. Ayrıca, bu gelişmelerin daha da anlamlandırılabilmesi için Kapsayıcı Eğitim İndeksi ve Öğretimde Evrensel Tasarım (Universal Design for Learning) gibi kabul gören yaklaşımlar sunulmuştur. Kapsayıcı eğitim yaklaşımının uygulamaya nasıl aktarılabileceği ve öğrencilerin çeşitli ihtiyaçlarını karşılamayı amaçlayarak adaletli, eşitlikçi ve etkin öğrenmeyi nasıl oluşturabileceği bu modeller yoluyla anlatılmıştır.
&&&&&&& This section provides detailed information on the definition of individuals with special needs, the methods by which they receive education and inclusive education. The way individuals with special needs have been identified and perceived throughout history has had a profound impact on their social status. The process from the time when individuals with special needs were seen as 'in need of care' and 'unable to learn' to their inclusion as equal members of society is analysed in detail in the context of Turkish history. Traditionally, the idea that individuals with special needs are in constant need of help has prevailed, and their access to education has been restricted for a long time. Reforms initiated in the late Ottoman Empire and continued in the Republican era aimed to integrate individuals with special needs into formal education. However, despite these attempts, social prejudices and deep-rooted systemic barriers persisted, and priority was given to educating individuals within a homogeneous structure in the education system or designing schools according to the needs of the majority. The modern inclusive education approach prioritises that all students, including individuals with special needs, receive quality education together, taking into account their individual needs. In this context, the study discusses the impact of historical developments in disability on social awareness and educational policies. In addition, in order to make more sense of these developments, recognised approaches such as the Index for Inclusion and Universal Design for Learning are presented. Through these models, it is explained how the philosophy of inclusive education can be transferred to practice and how it can create fair, equitable and effective learning by aiming to meet the diverse needs of students.
Bu bölümün amacı, eğitim psikolojisi alanının günümüz eğitim sisteminde ve öğretim süreçlerinde oynadığı kritik rolü anlamak için kapsamlı bir içerik sunmaktır. İlk olarak, günümüzde okul sistemi, öğrenme ve öğretim konularını ele alarak, çeşitlilik, teknoloji entegrasyonu, öz-yeterlik inançları ve eğitimdeki beklentiler üzerinde durulmaktadır. İkinci olarak, iyi öğretim ve öğretmenlik kavramları incelenerek, etkili öğretim modelleri ve öğretmenlerin rolü tartışılmaktadır. Üçüncü olarak, eğitim psikolojisi alanının önemi ve bu alanın öğrenci gelişimi ve öğretim stratejilerine katkısı vurgulanmaktadır. Son olarak, eğitim psikolojisinde kullanılan araştırma yöntemleri açıklanarak, bu yöntemlerin öğretim ve öğrenme süreçlerini nasıl desteklediği incelenmektedir. Bu bölüm, eğitimcilere, politika yapıcılara ve diğer eğitim paydaşlarına, daha kapsayıcı, etkili ve sürdürülebilir bir eğitim sistemi oluşturma konusunda rehberlik eden önemli bilgiler sunmaktadır.
Eğitim psikolojisi, bireylerin öğrenme ve gelişim süreçlerini derinleme-sine anlamayı ve bu süreçleri desteklemeyi amaçlayan bir disiplindir. Bu alan, eğitim bilimleriyle psikoloji bilimlerinin kesişim noktasında yer alır ve bu iki disiplinin teorik ve pratik bilgilerini birleştirerek bireylerin çok yönlü gelişimlerini (örn. bilişsel, duygusal ve sosyal gelişim) desteklemeyi hedefler. Ayrıca bu alan, öğrencilerin öğrenme ve gelişim süreçlerini anlamak ve bu bilgileri etkili öğretim stratejileri geliştirmek için kullanmak üzere sistematik araştırmalar yapar. Eğitim psikolojisi öğretmenlerin, diğer eğitimcilerin ve eğitim paydaşlarının öğrencilerin farklı öğrenme ihtiyaçlarını ve potansiyellerini tanımalarına yardımcı olur. Ayrıca öğrenci başarısının artırılması, motivasyonun sağlanması ve öğrenme engellerinin aşılması gibi önemli konularda rehberlik eder. Böylece eğitim ortamlarını daha kapsayıcı ve verimli hale getirir.
Eğitim psikolojisi öğrenme teorileri, bilişsel gelişim, motivasyon, öğrenme ortamlarının tasarımı ve yönetimi ile değerlendirme gibi alanları kapsar ve bu süreçleri bilimsel temellere dayandırarak iyileştirmeyi amaçlar. Pavlov, Piaget, Kohlberg, Freud, Binet, Gardner, Vygotsky, Erikson, Bandura, Bronfenbrenner gibi önemli kuramcıların çalışmaları, eğitim psikolojisinin temelini oluşturur ve öğretim yöntemlerinin gelişimine katkı sağlar. Bu kuramlar, öğretmenlere öğrencilerin zihinsel, sosyal, ahlaki, duygusal ve davranış gelişimlerini daha iyi anlama imkânı sunar. Böylece öğretim süreçlerinin bireyselleştirilmesine ve etkinleştirilmesine olanak tanır. Ayrıca davranışçılık, bilişselcilik ve yapılandırmacılık gibi farklı yaklaşımlar, eğitim psikolojisi sayesinde daha anlaşılır ve uygulanabilir hale gelmiştir.
Bu kuramların çağdaş yorumları eğitimde kapsayıcılık, yapılandırmacılık, motivasyon, teknoloji ve aile katılımı gibi güncel akımları şekillendirmiştir. Kapsayıcılık, eğitimde adalet ve fırsat eşitliği idealini taşır, her öğrencinin potansiyelini gerçekleştirmeyi hedefler. Yapılandırmacılık, öğrenmenin aktif bir süreç olduğunu ve öğrencilerin kendi bilgilerini oluşturduklarını vurgular. Motivasyon teorileri, öğrencilerin içsel ve dışsal motivasyon kaynaklarını anlamaya ve bu kaynakları eğitsel amaçlar doğrultusunda kullanmaya odaklanır. Teknolojinin eğitimdeki rolü öğrenme ortamlarını zenginleştirirken öğretmenlere etkileşimli ve destekleyici öğretim yöntemleri geliştirme fırsatı sunar. Aile katılımı ise öğrencilerin akademik ve sosyal gelişimine katkıda bulunan önemli bir unsurdur. Bu akımlar, eğitim psikolojisinin evrensel ilkelerini çağdaş eğitim uygulamalarına entegre etmeye yönelik önemli bir çaba olarak değerlendirilir.
Günümüzde okullarda ve sınıflarda karşılaşılan akademik başarısızlık, davranış sorunları, düşük öğrenci motivasyonu ve aidiyet duygusundaki yetersizlikler gibi konular eğitim psikolojisi alanının önemini daha da artırmaktadır. Okulda yaşanan bu tür sorunlarla başa çıkılabilmesi için eğitim psikolojisinin sağladığı bilgi ve teknikler büyük önem taşır. Eğitim psikolojisi alanında çalışan uzmanlar, öğrenci davranışlarını anlamak ve bu davranışların ardındaki psikolojik süreçleri analiz etmek için çeşitli araştırma ve değerlendirme yöntemleri kullanır. Bu sayede öğrencilere bireysel destek sağlamak, onların başarı ve motivasyonlarını artırmak ve sınıf içi dinamikleri iyileştirmek mümkün olur. Eğitim psikolojisi öğretmenlerin öğrencilerle daha etkili iletişim kurmalarını, onların ihtiyaçlarına uygun stratejiler geliştirmelerini ve pozitif bir öğrenme ortamı oluşturmalarını sağlar. Böylece öğrenci aidiyeti ve motivasyonu artırılarak eğitim süreçleri daha verimli ve tatmin edici hale getirilir.
Eğitim psikolojisi, eğitim ve öğrenme süreçlerini anlamak ve geliştirmek için vazgeçilmez bir alandır. Bu alan eğitim sisteminin merkezinde yer alarak öğretim ve öğrenme süreçlerinin daha bilimsel, etkili ve bireyselleştirilmiş olmasını sağlar. Öğrencilerin gelişim ve öğrenme süreçlerini anlayarak öğretim yöntemlerini bu bilgiye göre uyarlayan eğitim psikolojisi alanı, aynı zamanda etkili öğretim, sınıf yönetimi ve değerlendirme gibi alanlarda da rehberlik eder. Bu alan öğretmenlerin, öğrencilerin farklı öğrenme ihtiyaçlarını karşılamalarına ve onların potansiyellerini en üst düzeye çıkarmalarına yardımcı olur. Eğitim psikolojisinin sağladığı bu kapsamlı bakış açısı ve bilimsel temeller, eğitim sisteminin daha etkili, kapsayıcı ve yenilikçi olmasını sağlar. Böylece her öğrenciye eşit ve kaliteli eğitim fırsatları sunulabilir.
Hazırlanan bu Eğitim Psikolojisi kitabı, hem klasik akımların derinlemesine incelenmesi hem de güncel tartışmaların ele alınmasıyla zengin bir içerik sunmaktadır. Kitap, alanındaki temel kuramları ve güncel yaklaşımları bir araya getirerek eğitimciler, öğretmenler, öğrenci ve araştırmacılar için kapsamlı bir rehber olma niteliği taşımaktadır. Kitabın her bölümü, alanında uzman akademisyenler tarafından kaleme alınmış olup okuyuculara teorik bilgilerin yanısıra pratik uygulamalar sunmaktadır. Bölümler arasında Piaget ve Vygotsky gibi önemli kuramcıların bilişsel gelişim kuramları, Freud’un psikoseksüel gelişim aşamaları, Erikson’un psikososyal gelişim dönemleri, Bandura’nın sosyal bilişsel teorisi gibi klasik yaklaşımlar detaylı bir şekilde incelenmiştir. Aynı zamanda yapılandırmacı yöntemler, öğrenci merkezli öğretim, bilişsel öğrenme stratejileri, öğrenci çeşitliliği ve kapsayıcılık, aile katılımı, öğretim teknolojileri ve ölçme ve değerlendirme stratejileri gibi güncel ve modern yaklaşımlar da kapsamlı bir biçimde ele alınmıştır. Kitap, bu kapsamda hem klasik akımları hem de güncel tartışmaları bir araya getirerek okuyuculara kapsamlı ve uygulamalı bir rehber sunmaktadır.
Örnek olaylar, tartışma soruları ve uygulayıcılara notlar, kitabın dikkat çekici özellikleri arasındadır. Her bölümde yer alan gerçek hayattan alınmış örnekler, okuyucuların teorik bilgileri pratikle ilişkilendirmelerine olanak tanımaktadır. Tartışma soruları ise okuyucuların konuları daha derinlemesine düşünmelerini ve eleştirel bir bakış açısıyla değerlendirmelerini sağlamaktadır. Ayrıca kitabın her bölümünde uygulayıcıya notlar yer almakta olup bu notlar öğretmenler ve eğitimciler için pratik öneriler sunmaktadır. Bu öneriler sınıf içi ve dışındaki uygulamalarda karşılaşılan sorunlara çözüm getirmekte ve öğretim süreçlerinin daha etkili hale getirilmesine katkıda bulunmaktadır. Bu sayede eğitim psikolojisinin sadece teorik bir bilgi birikimi olarak kalmayıp aynı zamanda uygulamalı bir bilim dalı olduğu vurgulanmaktadır.
On dört bölüm içeren bu kitaptaki her bölüm alanında uzman akademisyenler tarafından yazılmış olup teorik bilgilerin yanı sıra pratik uygulamaları da içermektedir.
1. Bölüm: Öğrenme ve Gelişimin Temeli Olarak Eğitim Psikolojisi adlı bölümde günümüz okul sistemlerinin yapısı, öğrenme ve öğretim süreçleri ele alınmaktadır. Eğitim psikolojisinin rolü, araştırma yöntemleri ve etkili öğretim teknikleri gibi temel konulara odaklanılmaktadır. Prof. Dr. Halis SAKIZ tarafından yazılan bu bölüm, öğretmenlerin ve eğitimcilerin, öğrencilerin öğrenme süreçlerini daha iyi anlamalarına ve geliştirmelerine yardımcı ol-mayı amaçlamaktadır.
2. Bölüm: Bilişsel Gelişim ve Dil Gelişimi adlı bölümde bilişsel gelişim ve dil gelişimi konuları ele alınmaktadır. Piaget’nin bilişsel gelişim kuramı ve Vygotsky’nin sosyokültürel bakış açısı detaylı bir şekilde incelenmektedir. Ayrıca bu kuramların öğretim ve öğrenme süreçlerine etkileri de tartışılmaktadır. Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Nizamettin KOÇ tarafından kaleme alınan bölüm, öğrencilerin bilişsel ve dil gelişimlerini anlamak isteyen eğitimcilere yönelik kapsamlı bilgiler sunmaktadır.
3. Bölüm: Bireylerde Fiziksel, Psikoseksüel, Sosyal, Duygusal ve Ahlaki Ge-lişim adlı bölüm Dr. Lutfi ÖZTÜRK tarafından hazırlanmıştır. Bölümde Bronfenbrenner’in gelişimin sosyal bağlamı, Erikson’un psikososyal gelişim dönemleri, benlik algısı ve fiziksel gelişim gibi konular ele alınmıştır. Ayrıca çocukluk ve ergenlik döneminde sosyo-duygusal gelişim, Freud’un psikoseksüel gelişim kuramı ve Kohlberg’in ahlak gelişimi kuramı gibi önemli teoriler de kapsamlı bir şekilde incelenmektedir.
4. Bölüm: Öğrenmede Davranışçı Kuramlar adlı bölümde Pavlov ve Skinner gibi önemli isimlerin davranışçı öğrenme kuramları detaylandırılmaktadır. Bölümde klasik ve edimsel koşullanma, uygulamalı davranış analizi ve öğretimde davranışçı teknikler gibi konulara odaklanılmaktadır. Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Suna ÖZCAN’ın yazdığı bu bölüm, davranışsal yaklaşımların eğitimde nasıl uygulanabileceğine dair pratik bilgiler sunmaktadır.
5. Bölüm: Öğrenmede Bilişsel Kuramlar ve Bilgi İşleme Yaklaşımı adlı bölüm bilişsel öğrenme kuramları ve bilgi işlem süreci üzerine odaklanmakta, bilişsel bakış açısının unsurlarını ve davranışçılıkla olan farklılıklarını açıklamaktadır. Hafıza, uzun süreli bellek, bilişsel öğrenme stratejileri, problem çözme ve yaratıcı düşünme gibi konular Doç. Dr. Serap YILMAZ ÖZELÇİ tarafından detaylı bir şekilde ele alınmaktadır.
6. Bölüm: Öğrenci Merkezli ve Yapılandırmacı Yaklaşımlar adlı bölüm, yapılandırmacı bakış açısının tanımını ve yapılandırmacı yöntemleri açıklamaktadır. Doç. Dr. Sultan Selen KULA tarafından yazılan bu bölümde öğrenci merkezli öğretim, iş birliğine dayalı öğrenme, keşfederek öğrenme ve aktif öğrenme gibi konular kapsamlı bir şekilde incelenmektedir.
7. Bölüm: Öğrenmede Sosyal Bilişsel Görüşler adlı bölümde Bandura’nın sosyal bilişsel teorisi ve bu teorinin eğitimde uygulanışı ele alınmaktadır. Öz düzenlemeli öğrenme ve öz yeterlik gibi konular bölüm yazarı Doç. Dr. Arzu BUYRUK GENÇ tarafından detaylı bir şekilde incelenmektedir. Bu bölüm, sosyal bilişsel yaklaşımların öğrenme süreçlerine olan etkisini anlamak iste-yen eğitimcilere yönelik bilgiler sunmaktadır.
8. Bölüm: Öğrenme ve Öğretimde Motivasyon adlı bölüm Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Fatima Zehra ALLAHVERDİ tarafından yazılmıştır. Bölümde motivasyon kavramı ve motivasyon kuramları kapsamı bir şekilde açıklanmakta; öğrencilerin öğrenme motivasyonlarını artırma yolları, ihtiyaçlar, hedef yönelimleri, inanç ve benlik algıları gibi konular detaylı bir şekilde ele alınmaktadır.
9. Bölüm: Öğrenme Ortamlarının Yapılandırılması ve Etkili Ders adlı bölümde öğrenme ortamlarının nasıl yapılandırılacağı ve etkili derslerin unsurları ele alınmaktadır. Örgütleme, olumlu öğrenme ortamı oluşturma, disiplin problemleriyle başa çıkma ve okulda iletişim gibi konular Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Zeynel AMAÇ tarafından kapsamlı bir şekilde açıklanmaktadır.
10. Bölüm: Öğrenme Farklılıkları ve Öğrenme İhtiyacı adlı bölüm Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Kıvanç UZUN tarafından yazılmış ve bölümde zekânın klasik ve değişen tanımları, çoklu zekâ kuramı, öğrenme ve düşünme stilleri gibi konular ele alınmıştır. Ayrıca kültür, sosyoekonomik durum, etnik köken, dil farklılıkları ve cinsiyetin öğrenme ve öğretme üzerindeki rolü de bu bölüm-de detaylı bir şekilde incelenmektedir.
11. Bölüm: Özel Gereksinimli Bireyler ve Kapsayıcı Eğitim adlı bölümde eğitimde özel gereksinimlerin tanımı, desteklenmesi ve kapsayıcı eğitim başlıkları Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Oğuzhan HAZIR tarafından ele alınmaktadır. Engellilik, etiketleme, ayrıştırma ve öğrenme için evrensel tasarım gibi konular kapsamlı bir şekilde incelenmektedir. Bu bölüm, öğrenci çeşitliliğini dikkate alarak tüm öğrencilerine nitelikli eğitim vermek isteyen eğitimcilerin yanı sıra özel gereksinimli bireylerle çalışacak eğitimcilere yönelik önemli bilgiler sunmaktadır.
12. Bölüm: Öğrenme ve Gelişimde Aile Katılımı ve Desteği adlı bölüm Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Betül TANACIOĞLU AYDIN tarafından yazılmış ve aile katı-lımının eğitimdeki rolünü ve önemini ele almıştır. Bölümde okulların aile-lerle nasıl iş birliği yapması gerektiği, aile katılımı modelleri ve bu katılımın önündeki engeller gibi konular bu bölümde detaylı bir şekilde ele alınmaktadır.
13. Bölüm: Eğitim Psikolojisi ve Öğretim Teknolojileri adlı bölüm öğretim teknolojileri ve önemi, öğretim tasarımı, eğitimde teknoloji entegrasyonu, yenilikçi yaklaşımlar ve dijital ortamlar üzerinde durulmaktadır. Doç. Dr. İdris GÖKSU tarafından yazılan bölümde etkili öğrenme ortamları tasarlama sürecinde öğretim teknolojilerinin rolü, paydaşlara düşen görevlere ilişkin bilgilerin yanı sıra eğitim ortamlarını doğrudan ve dolaylı olarak etkileyen faktörler de pratik örneklerle kapsamlı bir şekilde ele alınmaktadır.
14. Bölüm: Sınıf İçi Ölçme, Değerlendirme ve Standart Testler adlı bölümde ölçme ve değerlendirmenin temel özellikleri, sınıf içi değerlendirme araçları ve standart testler ele alınmaktadır. Not verme ve çağdaş değerlendirme araçları gibi konular, Dr. İsmail ÇUHADAR tarafından detaylı bir şekilde incelenmektedir. Bu bölüm, eğitimcilerin değerlendirme süreçlerini daha etkili bir şekilde yürütmelerine yardımcı olmayı amaçlamaktadır.
Bu kitabın hazırlanmasında emeği geçen tüm yazarlarımıza teşekkürlerimi sunuyorum. Her bir yazarımız, alanındaki derin bilgi ve deneyimlerini bu kitapta okuyucularla paylaşmış ve kitabın zengin içeriğine büyük katkı sağlamıştır. Eğitim psikolojisi alanında hem teori hem de pratiği bir araya getiren bu eserin tüm okuyucularımız için faydalı olmasını diliyorum.
Sevgi ve saygılarımla,
Prof. Dr. Halis SAKIZ
Editör
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities establishes that changing community attitudes is key to improving the experience of people with disability. We conducted a scoping review of studies of interventions to change knowledge, attitudes or behaviours toward people with disability. Results are presented within the six outcome areas of Australia’s Disability Strategy and categorised based on level of intervention, types of intervention and types of policy. Most interventions were at the organisational, community, and intrapersonal levels and consisted of education, training or modelling. Service provision, legislation, and guidelines were the main types of policy to implement attitude change. We found very little evidence of interventions at the governmental and interpersonal levels and no reference to other types of policies. We conclude that changing attitudes and behaviours about disability requires a combination of complementary intervention types, policy types and levels of intervention.
BACKGROUND: Despite legislation that promotes the transition of young people from school to work and the increasing knowledge of the factors that contribute to successful transitions, young people with disabilities face lower rates of participation in employment, education, and vocational training compared to their non-disabilities peers. OBJECTIVE: The paper aims to examine the perspective of special education teachers (SET) regarding the success factors of the transition to the labor market for persons with disabilities after graduating from secondary school in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: To conduct the research, we used a questionnaire; participants were sampled intentionally, and they were a representative sample at the level of Riyadh city (N = 180) of secondary school SET in the 2022/2023 school year. RESULTS: Educators have identified several factors critical to success in the labor market transition which can be separated into three categories; 1) person-centered factors, 2) family-specific factors, and 3) community instruction-specific factors. There were no statistically significant differences between the responses of participating SET according to their demographic characteristics (gender, educational level, and years of teaching experience) and the factors for successful labor market transition for persons with disability questionnaire. The results were interpreted in light of the theoretical framework and previous studies, and many recommendations were made for those that employ persons with disabilities. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight some of the areas that are critical to the labor market transition: employment and vocational skills’ training in secondary school, and families and community members’ attitudes and high expectations for the future of persons with disabilities.
This is a scoping review of literature on positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities (PWD) and stakeholders in the organization. The aim is to investigate the connection between workplace practices and positive employment outcomes contributing to sustainable employment. Methodologically, the scoping process commenced with four electronic databases and resulted in a total of 42 articles. We identified seven categories of workplace practices that contributed to positive employment outcomes: accommodation, cultural practices, human resource management (HRM) practices, leadership, participation, support, and training. We identified five categories of positive employment outcomes: employment experiences of PWD, employment outcomes of PWD, employment outcomes of stakeholders in the organizations, work performance, and organizational outcomes. The article discusses the findings in relation to studies on employment of PWD which often focus on discrimination and barriers faced by PWD. The scoping process revealed a research gap where the majority of articles described positive employment experiences of PWD, while only a few articles described positive employment experiences of stakeholders in the organization. We propose that future research focus on workplace practices that can advance our theoretical and empirical understanding of what contributes to sustainable employment of PWD.
BACKGROUND: Autistic adults continue to experience high rates of unemployment and underemployment. OBJECTIVE: A scoping review was undertaken to: a) synthesise key findings in the literature regarding autism and employment from the employers’ perspective; b) examine trends in employer attitudes, theoretical frameworks and interventions; c) highlight gaps in the literature; and d) propose avenues for further research. METHODS: Literature published between January 1, 2009 and January 1, 2023 was examined using the following databases: CINAHL via Ebsco, Cochrane Library, EMBASE via Ovid SP, ERIC via Ebsco, Medline, PsycINFO via Ebsco, Scopus, Web of Science and ProQuest for dissertations and theses. RESULTS: The search identified 55 studies that met inclusion criteria. Selected articles were organised into the following themes: theoretical frameworks from the employer perspective, autism employment supports from the employer perspective and employer-specific interventions. CONCLUSION: This scoping review suggests that minimal research has been conducted on employer interventions that specifically target work environmental factors. The promotion of diversity in the workplace is an encouraging trend but this has not necessarily included the promotion of neurodiversity. Future research should include interventions to improve current and prospective employer knowledge and attitudes in not just hiring but supporting autistic persons in the workplace.
Academic performance of the student in higher education are among of the important data for educators and employers in this new era. The issue to analyse a large number of data has always been a constraint to most employers and educators. Data mining techniques were seen as one of the suitable approaches to reduce the delay in the analysis and the generation of output. However, proper, and high accurate techniques that serve as best fitted models for student performance prediction have yet to be found Therefore, an effective automated student performance prediction mechanism for higher education is very much in demand. This paper reviews the data mining techniques that are specific for the student performance evaluation. Data mining techniques that are reviewed include the SVM, KNN, Naive Bayes and Decision Tree. These techniques are evaluated for accuracy and the best fitted models for the student performance are higlighted.KeywordsStudent performanceAcademic performanceHigh educationData mining
Due to the spread of COVID-19 virus, the Palestinian government imposed strict lockdown, panned vehicular travel, and imposed paying the government sectors’ employees through ATMs only on specified paydays to limit traveling and avoid crowding. This paper investigates the performance of queuing at ATM machines during the emergency period in Nablus city, Palestine and optimizes the service while maintaining the required health instructions. Field observations and analysis showed high congestion levels and long queues at ATMs, which is contrary to what the government planned for. Under the specified payday schedule and the current ATMs, waiting time extended to two hours and queues reached up to 39 persons. It is concluded that by redistributing the paydays based on demand and the spatial distribution of demand and ATMs, as well as adding mobile ATMs to meet excessive demand, waiting time and queue length will be considerably reduced with various levels from one payday to another. This will reduce the risk of spreading the virus due to crowding at ATMs.
Keywords: Queuing Analysis; ATM; Quarantine; COVID-19; Spatial model.
The current study aimed to identify the extent of the use of information and communication technology on the quality of higher education at Palestine Technical University Kadoorie, where a sample was selected deliberately from the deans of faculties and quality staff at the university and the study sample consisted of (12) of a dean and an employee. The descriptive analytical approach was used through the formulation of an open paper questionnaire to obtain information, and the results were reached after analyzing the interviews and the most important of which was the consensus of everyone that the university uses media and communication technology in the educational process, and interested in ensuring the quality of higher education, and the results of the repetitions showed that the majority of obstacles are represented by the weakness of the Internet and networks and the lack of modern computers, and one of the most important recommendations is the need to work to find a radical solution to the problem of Internet interruption and replace it with the connection of an alternative fiber line to the Internet and work to hold training courses on how to use technology for lecturers, administrators, and students.KeywordsInformation and communication technologyQuality of higher educationPalestine Technical University Kadoorie
This paper briefly explores employers’ perspectives on hiring people with disabilities (PWDs) in their organizations. Precisely, the relationship between Employability Skills, Recruitment Efforts, Factors in Hiring, Challenges & Barriers, Concerns and Perceptions, Career Development Barrier and Strategies and Incentives for Employers concerning hiring PWDs were examined in this research. A questionnaire, adopted from the viewpoint of U.S. employees, was developed and implemented as the key data collection instrument. Relevant information from employers was gathered using an online survey. The Pearson correlation was chosen to perform the analysis. A total of 200 employers were selected as participants. The results identified a strong relationship between Challenges & Barriers in Hiring PWDs and Career Development Barrier for PWDs. The discussion of the results centred on the profiles of the employers and the seven employment factors/constructs relative to the employer’s perspectives. The implications of the findings for employers and the organizations are further discussed.KeywordsPeople with disabilityEmploymentIndustry acceptance
Objective
Young adults with disabilities are less likely to be employed and more likely to have poor mental health than peers without disabilities. Growing evidence shows that social determinants of health may be causally related to mental health outcomes of people with disabilities. We aimed to assess if the disability to mental health association was mediated by employment status among young adults aged 20–35 years.
Methods
Four consecutive years (2016–2019) of data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey were used to conduct a causal mediation analysis. We decomposed the total causal effect of disability status on mental health (Short Form-36 Mental Health Inventory-5) into the natural direct effect from disability to mental health and the natural indirect effect representing the pathway through the employment mediator (being employed; being unemployed or wanting to work).
Results
3435 participants (3058 with no disabilities, 377 with disabilities) were included in the analysis. The total causal effect of disability status on mental health was an estimated mean decrease in mental health of 4.84 points (95% CI −7.44 to –2.23). The indirect effect, through employment status, was estimated to be a 0.91-point decline in mental health (95% CI −1.50 to –0.31).
Conclusions
Results suggest disability has an effect on the mental health of young adults; a proportion of this effect appears to operate through employment. The mental health of young adults with disabilities could potentially be improved with interventions to improve employment outcomes among this group, and by supporting individuals with disabilities into suitable employment.
Purpose
Many workers with disabilities face cultures of exclusion in the workplace, which can affect their participation in decisions, workplace engagement, job attitudes and performance. The authors explore a key indicator of engagement—perceptions of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)—as it relates to disability and other marginalized identities in the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
Using an online survey, legal professionals answered questions about their workplace experiences. Ordinary least squares (OLS) multivariate regression analysis with progressive adjustment was used to investigate the effect of demographic and organizational factors on perceptions of OCB.
Findings
The authors find that employees with disabilities have lower perceptions of OCB, both before and after controlling for other personal and job variables. The disability gap is cut nearly in half, however, when controlling for workplace culture measures of co-worker support and the presence of an effective diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy. Disability does not appear to interact with gender, race/ethnicity and LGBTQ + status in affecting perceptions of OCB.
Originality/value
The results point to the workplace barriers faced by people with disabilities that affect their perceptions of engagement, and the potential for supportive cultures to change these perceptions.
Purpose:
People with disabilities (PWD) experience barriers to accessibility and employment, harming their quality of life. Strategies aimed at reducing disparity for PWD have not changed key statistics such as unemployment rates. Previous research has focused on explicit attitudes, generally found to be positive, prompting investigation into factors such as implicit bias. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated implicit bias toward PWD and associated factors.
Method:
Forty-six peer-reviewed studies published between January 2000 and April 2020 utilizing the Implicit Association Test were included. Of these, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis.
Results:
A significant moderate pooled effect (mean difference = 0.503, 95% CI [0.497-0.509], p < .001) was found, suggesting moderate negative implicit attitudes toward general disability. Negative implicit attitudes were also found toward physical, and intellectual disability. PWD were implicitly stereotyped as incompetent, cold, and "child-like." Findings were inconsistent for factors associated with bias including age, race, sex, and individual differences. Contact with PWD may be associated with implicit bias; however, measures were inconsistent.
Conclusion:
This review has found moderate negative implicit biases toward PWD, however, factors associated with this bias remain unclear. Further research should investigate implicit bias toward specific disability groups and strategies to shift such biases. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
BACKGROUND: Work-related soft skills can be an important factor for successful employment outcomes, particularly for individuals with disabilities.
OBJECTIVE: This study conducted two focus groups with stakeholders for two state Rehabilitation Councils to identify the needs of specific work-related soft skills for employment success of transition age youth with disabilities.
METHODS: 30 participants including 10 individuals with disabilities, 5 family members of individuals with disabilities, 5 disability service providers, 9 disability advocates and 1 unidentified, completed two focus groups to identify a list of soft skills by importance for transition age youth with disabilities to succeed at work.
RESULTS: Focus group participants reported that communication skills (face to face communication and emails to coworkers, customers, and employers), conflict resolution skills, advocacy skills, and professionalism are the most important soft skills for transition age youth with disabilities to be successful at work.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicated soft skills are critical to work success for transition age youth with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation providers should teach these critical soft skills when serving transition age youth with disabilities.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the challenges facing people with disabilities in acquiring equitable employment in small and medium enterprises in the urban context. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employed mixed methods research design and data were collected using a questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using SPSS, and MAXQDA software respectively. Findings: Findings show that challenges facing people with disabilities in acquiring equitable employment in urban-based small and medium enterprises include a lack of awareness about job opportunities and labour laws, negative perception by the community, stigma by employers and employees, financial constraints that limit them to apply for jobs, poor job application skills among others. Implications/Research Limitation: This study focuses on urban settings notably Dar as Salaam owing to the heterogeneous nature of SMEs and employment opportunities. However, generalization of findings to another urban setting may not be possible. Practical Implication: The study recommends improvement of policy-related labour policies and more especially equitable employment for disabled people. It is also a good source of policy advocacy material on equal employment in Tanzania. Originality/Value: This study addresses the problem of stigma to equal employment of people with disability. The study recommends that relevant stakeholders should promote equal employment opportunities for both abled and disabled people.
Purpose
Managers are responsible for implementing reasonable accommodation (RA) for people with disabilities (PwD). Yet, little is known about the extent to which managerial views of RA shape attitudes toward PwD. The study draws on conservation of resources (COR) and job demands and resources (JD-R) theories to examine the relationship between managerial views of RA availability and implementation ease on attitudes towards hiring PwD.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 162 full-time managers at a large New Zealand (NZ) healthcare organisation completed an online survey. Moderated multiple regressions were conducted to test the main effects and interactions between perceptions of RA process and attitudes towards hiring PwD.
Findings
The study results indicate that line managers held positive attitudes towards hiring PwD when they viewed RA implementation as easy, particularity around the provision of flexible work arrangements.
Research limitations/implications
This study shows the importance of gaging managers' views of RA processes to understand their attitudes toward PwD and highlights potential linkages between managerial perspectives on RA, PwD experiences in the organisation and the effectiveness of disability support and inclusion initiatives.
Practical implications
RA availability from the organisation is insufficient to elicit positive managerial attitudes toward hiring PwD. Policies and procedures that reduce RA implementation complexity are expected to foster positive managerial attitudes toward PwD and improve employment outcomes for this employee group.
Originality/value
This study is the first to test how managerial attitudes towards hiring PwD are influenced by views of RA availability from the organisation and of RA implementation ease. It also provides a multidimensional measure that captures managerial views of RA availability from the organisation and RA implementation ease.
Students’ knowledge and attitudes towards individuals with special needs contribute to the realization of inclusion. This study aims to describe the graduate students’ knowledge and attitudes towards graduate students with special needs. The number of participants in this study was 130 (37.14% response rate) with an age range of 18-28 years. Correlation analysis, t-test analysis, and ANOVA was conducted to determine the relationship between student knowledge and their attitudes, and comparison of the demographic data. The results showed that there was a positive relationship between knowledge and attitudes towards inclusion but the correlation between knowledge and attitudes towards inclusion tended to be weak. The low correlation coefficient between knowledge and attitudes indicates that knowledge about disabilities is not the main factor determining student attitudes towards inclusion. The experience of interacting with individuals with special needs did not significantly contribute to knowledge and attitudes towards inclusion. The reported interactions with individuals with special needs are in the form of very close and close relationships such as relation with family members, close enough relationships such as relation with colleagues or staff, and acquaintances such as relation with neighbors.
This chapter consists of qualitative case reports based on the experiences of persons with differing disabilities across the Caribbean region. Each case study will outline the nature of the individual’s disability and their experiences in seeking, obtaining and retaining full employment. Interviewees committed 30–40 minutes to the interviews which were conducted via Zoom, at their convenience. All protocols regarding vulnerable groups and ethics approvals were received from the University of the West Indies prior to the start of this project. Every effort was made by the interviewers to disguise the identity of the interviewees when providing the interview summaries. To this end the names used herein are pseudonyms and their professions were changed to preserve their anonymity. The accounts from three interviewees are described here along with analysis of the relevant literature offering insights into employees with amputations, employees with non-work-related injuries and employees who have been diagnosed with a depressive disorder. In addition, following each interviewee’s report, is a review of the extant literature in relation to each of the disabilities discussed.KeywordsInterviewsAmputationsInjuriesMental disorderDepressive disordersDiabetesTemporary disabilities
This review of 37 studies found that employers continue to express positive global attitudes toward workers with disabilities. However, they tend to be more negative when specific attitudes toward these workers are assessed. Although employers are supportive of the ADA as a whole, the employment provisions evoke concern. When appropriate supports are provided, employers express positive attitudes toward workers with intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. Affirming earlier reviews, employers with prior positive contact hold favorable attitudes toward workers with disabilities. Employers' expressed willingness to hire applicants with disabilities still exceeds their actual hiring, although this gap is narrowing. Workers with physical disabilities continue to be viewed more positively than workers with intellectual or psychiatric disabilities.
Research dealing with various aspects of* the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985,
1987) is reviewed, and some unresolved issues are discussed. In broad terms, the theory is
found to be well supported by empirical evidence. Intentions to perform behaviors of different
kinds can be predicted with high accuracy from attitudes toward the behavior, subjective
norms, and perceived behavioral control; and these intentions, together with perceptions of
behavioral control, account for considerable variance in actual behavior. Attitudes, subjective
norms, and perceived behavioral control are shown to be related to appropriate sets of salient
behavioral, normative, and control beliefs about the behavior, but the exact nature of these
relations is still uncertain. Expectancy value formulations are found to be only partly
successful in dealing with these relations. Optimal rescaling of expectancy and value
measures is offered as a means of dealing with measurement limitations. Finally, inclusion of
past behavior in the prediction equation is shown to provide a means of testing the theory*s
sufficiency, another issue that remains unresolved. The limited available evidence concerning
this question shows that the theory is predicting behavior quite well in comparison to the
ceiling imposed by behavioral reliability.
The present study focused on the intentions of employers to reach out toward qualified workers with disabilities as part of their hiring pool recruitment activity. An employer survey was developed in accord with the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 2005). According to the tenets of the model, it was hypothesized that through multiple regression, it would be demonstrated that employer attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control variables predict the intention to engage in hiring behavior toward qualified workers with disabilities in the next six months. Overall, the model accounted for 67% of the variance in the survey of Northwest employers (n = 92) in relation to hiring intentions with normative influences (CEOs, CFOs, etc.) accounting for the greater proportion of the variance, beta coefficient 0.48, p < 0.01. Attitudes toward the hiring behavior and perceived control had lesser beta weights, 0.24 and 0.22, p < 0.05. Implications of these findings and those from the focus groups used to develop the survey are reviewed in detail relative to more effective vocational rehabilitation marketing efforts.
Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics has made it possible to assess the impact of the Great Recession on employed persons with disabilities in the United States. The labor market experiences of employed persons with and without disability during the recession are compared for 16 of the 22 months of its duration. Disability had a serious and negative impact on all unemployment indicators. In terms of under-employment, differences favoring people without disabilities were detected in the levels of involuntary part-time employment and insufficient wages among full-time workers. On balance the traditional insulation provided by age and level of educational achievement do not offer the same levels of protection for persons with disabilities in a serious recession. Finally, the overall impact of the Great Recession in terms of both unemployment and under-employment is summarized.
Objective: To study the effects of curriculum on changing the attitudes of students toward people with disabilities. Participants: Seventy-three rehabilitation students and 107 business students in either their 1st or 3rd year at a Chinese university. Main Outcome Measures: The Attitude Towards Disabled Persons (ATDP) Scale and a questionnaire on course work and personal experience. Results: At the end of the 1st year, rehabilitation students had significantly more positive attitudes, whereas the business students were more negative. In the 3rd year, these attitudes were also found among both groups of students. Conclusion: Rehabilitation psychologists should expand their practice to foster positive attitudinal changes in students in nonrehabilitation programs, which helps create a positive environment for people with disabilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This study examined the impact of attitude and hypothetical situational encounters on affective, behavioral and cognitive responses of nondisabled employees toward coworkers with disabilities. Subjects completed the Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons Scale, and responded to 1 of 9 situations of varying levels of intimacy in which they imagined themselves and a person with an immediately obvious disability. Their affective, behavioral and cognitive reactions were assessed by 3 different measures. Both more negative attitudes and situations with higher discomfort levels resulted in the most negative responses. Attitude and situation independently influenced responses. These findings provide a basis for interventions by rehabilitation professionals who work with individuals with disabilities and for employers seeking to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Examined perceptions of the interview process in a correlational field study of 70 applicants (APs) with disabilities and 36 interviewers (IRs) without disabilities. IRs provided ratings of APs. 56 APs responded to questions about the IR and the interview. Results support hypotheses contending that the interview is a mutual influence process. IRs' preinterview impressions were positively correlated with their postinterview evaluations. However, time spent actively recruiting the AP was negatively correlated with the APs' ratings of IRs. AP disclosure of some types of disability-related information was positively related with IRs' ratings of APs' interview performances. Findings suggest that APs may want to discuss job-related aspects of their disability in the interview. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Investigated the effect of the label of mental retardation (MR) on the factors underlying the employment selection (ES) process. A sample of 296 employers who were members of the Wisconsin Manufacturing and Commerce Association responded to a survey, in which the appearance of the label of MR was manipulated between control and experimental groups. Factor analysis suggested that 56.3% of the variance in ES was accounted for by the following 7 factors: fundamental skills; advanced skills; job knowledge, skills, and abilities; personal liability; personal assets; dependability; and organizational demands. Results seem to support the contention that the label of MR negatively affects employers' ratings of fundamental and advanced skills in ES. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
To determine factors that influence hiring, 120 employers and potential employers of workers with disabilities in NorthEastern Ohio, USA, were interviewed by psychologists to identify the characteristics of individuals with disabilities that influence hiring decisions. Significant differences exist between those employers with and those without experiences in hiring workers with disabilities in their respective assessments of workers' dependability, performance levels, and fellow workers' likely reactions. Employers with and those without experience in hiring workers' with disabilities expressed a strong desire for additional information regarding incentives for hiring and information that might ease their task in employing persons with disabilities. Implications for workforce readiness and transition into independent adulthood supported by employment are discussed.
Demand-side employment research can play an important role in advancing the knowledge base of occupational rehabilitation. Research contributes to theory building and provides the foundation for empirically supported interventions that can improve the return-to-work success of injured workers and/or the overall labor force participation rate of people with disabilities.
In this article, we present our rationale for developing this special section on demand-side factors related to employment of people with chronic illness and disability. We discuss the important relationship between employer practice factors and hiring and retention of people with chronic illness and disability. We highlight in this paper some of the exciting new findings reported in the articles contained in this special section as well as some recent demand-side employment and disability research.
We intend for this special section to stimulate thinking and discussion about Incorporating demand-side strategies in vocational rehabilitation and return-to-work interventions for people with disabilities and work injuries.
As part of the planning process for a larger survey study to examine factors affecting employers' intention to hire and hiring of people with disabilities, a series of three semi-structured focus groups were held with key hiring decision makers, such as Human Resources directors, Chief Operating Officers (COOs), or Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of small, medium, and large Seattle area companies.
The chief goals of the focus groups were to elicit and refine the participants' beliefs, normative influences, and perceived control relative to hiring workers with disabilities.
Narrative data obtained from the focus group discussion were examined using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to identify themes expressed by the focus group participants within the context of company size.
Themes did vary by company size, but a prevailing concern across all companies related to questions about the efficiency/effectiveness of contact with vocational rehabilitation agencies. For both small- and mid-sized companies, there was a belief that people with disabilities could not do the work or were somehow less qualified. For large companies, convincing departmental and team managers that outreaching workers with disabilities would be a worthwhile hiring practice remained a challenge.
The themes derived from this study can be used to help occupational rehabilitation professionals develop educational and marketing interventions to improve employers' attitudes toward hiring and retaining individuals with disabilities.
Robert Stensrud is Association Professor of Education, National Rehabilitation Institute, Vocational Rehabilitation in the School of Education at Drake University. He can be contacted at robert.stensrud@drake.edu This article describes a study of employers' attitudes toward hiring people with disabilities and toward the state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency. The study examined attitudes of employers in two states, one in the Midwest and one in the Southeast. In all cases, en-~ployers were known to have hired people with disabilities and to have worked with the state VR agency. The study found that employers stated that they were glad they hired the person they did, but expressed reservations about hiring people with certain types of disabilities. Employers did not express a high degree of knowledge about the state VR program, and satisfaction with VR was mixed.
To describe and discuss the process used to write a narrative review of the literature for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Publication of narrative overviews of the literature should be standardized to increase their objectivity.
In the past decade numerous changes in research methodology pertaining to reviews of the literature have occurred. These changes necessitate authors of review articles to be familiar with current standards in the publication process.
Narrative overview of the literature synthesizing the findings of literature retrieved from searches of computerized databases, hand searches, and authoritative texts.
An overview of the use of three types of reviews of the literature is presented. Step by step instructions for how to conduct and write a narrative overview utilizing a 'best-evidence synthesis' approach are discussed, starting with appropriate preparatory work and ending with how to create proper illustrations. Several resources for creating reviews of the literature are presented and a narrative overview critical appraisal worksheet is included. A bibliography of other useful reading is presented in an appendix.
Narrative overviews can be a valuable contribution to the literature if prepared properly. New and experienced authors wishing to write a narrative overview should find this article useful in constructing such a paper and carrying out the research process. It is hoped that this article will stimulate scholarly dialog amongst colleagues about this research design and other complex literature review methods.
This study examined the effect of vocational rehabilitation services on employment outcomes of people with sensory/communicative, physical, and mental impairments in the United States.
The sample frame includes 5,000 clients for each of the three disability groups whose cases were closed as either rehabilitated or not rehabilitated by state vocational rehabilitation agencies in the fiscal year 2005. The dependent variable is employment outcome. The predictor variables include a set of personal history variables and vocational rehabilitation service variables.
Sixty-two percent of the clients in this study were gainfully employed after receiving vocational rehabilitation services. Individuals with sensory/communicative impairments had the highest success rate (75%) compared to 56% for the physical impairments group and 55% for those with mental impairments. Logistic regression analyses identified job placement, on-the-job support, maintenance, and other services (e.g., medical care for acute conditions) as significant predictors of employment success across all impairment groups. In addition, diagnostic and treatment (D&T) services (odds ratio [OR] = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.35-1.82) and rehabilitation technology services (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.67-2.33) were found to uniquely contribute to employment outcomes for the sensory impairments group as well as the physical impairments group (D&T services: OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.15-1.48; RT services: OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.13-1.75), but not the mental impairments group. Substantial counseling was associated with employment outcomes for the physical (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.02-1.32) and mental impairments groups (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.03-1.35). Miscellaneous training (OR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.09-1.49) was specifically associated with employment outcomes of the mental impairments group.
This study provides some empirical support documenting the association between vocational rehabilitation services and employment outcomes of people with disabilities.
Executives (N = 341) responsible for hiring decisions in Fortune 500 industrial and service corporations returned a mail questionnaire measuring their attitudes toward persons with severe disabilities and their employability. Responses indicated that attitudes were favorable to persons with disabilities and to their employability, both in terms of advantages for the individual and lack of disadvantages for others in the work setting. Significant differences in attitudes existed among subgroups of executives. Executives who had contact with persons with disabilities in the corporate work world had more positive attitudes than did executives who did not have such experiences.
The authors used nationwide survey data to characterize current public conceptions related to recognition of mental illness and perceived causes, dangerousness, and desired social distance.
Data were derived from a vignette experiment included in the 1996 General Social Survey. Respondents (n = 1444) were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 vignette conditions. Four vignettes described psychiatric disorders meeting diagnostic criteria, and the fifth depicted a "troubled person" with subclinical problems and worries.
Results indicate that the majority of the public identifies schizophrenia (88%) and major depression (69%) as mental illnesses and that most report multicausal explanations combining stressful circumstances with biologic and genetic factors. Results also show, however, that smaller proportions associate alcohol (49%) or drug (44%) abuse with mental illness and that symptoms of mental illness remain strongly connected with public fears about potential violence and with a desire for limited social interaction.
While there is reason for optimism in the public's recognition of mental illness and causal attributions, a strong stereotype of dangerousness and desire for social distance persist. These latter conceptions are likely to negatively affect people with mental illness.
The effects of three strategies for changing stigmatizing attitudes--education (which replaces myths about mental illness with accurate conceptions), contact (which challenges public attitudes about mental illness through direct interactions with persons who have these disorders), and protest (which seeks to suppress stigmatizing attitudes about mental illness)--were examined on attributions about schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses. One hundred and fifty-two students at a community college were randomly assigned to one of the three strategies or a control condition. They completed a questionnaire about attributions toward six groups--depression, psychosis, cocaine addiction, mental retardation, cancer, and AIDS--prior to and after completing the assigned condition. As expected, results showed that education had no effect on attributions about physical disabilities but led to improved attributions in all four psychiatric groups. Contact produced positive changes that exceeded education effects in attributions about targeted psychiatric disabilities: depression and psychosis. Protest yielded no significant changes in attributions about any group. This study also examined the effects of these strategies on processing information about mental illness.
Two stigmatizing attitudes related to dangerousness and personal responsibility may undermine the opportunities of persons with serious mental illness. This study set out to examine path models that explain how these attitudes lead to discriminatory behavior and to assess the impact of antistigma programs on components of personal responsibility and dangerousness models. Two hundred thirteen persons were randomly assigned to one of five antistigma conditions: education on personal responsibility, education on dangerousness, contact with a person with serious mental illness where personal responsibility is discussed, contact where dangerousness is discussed, or no change. Persons completed an attribution questionnaire (AQ) representing personal responsibility and dangerousness path models at pretest, posttest, and 1-week followup. They also completed tasks that represented helping behavior. Goodness of fit indexes from linear structural modeling were mixed for both models but suggested that fear of dangerousness was a key attitude leading to discriminatory behavior. Results also showed that subjects who had contact with persons with serious mental illness experienced greater changes than subjects in the education or control groups did on measures of attribution and helping behavior.
The current study investigated the effectiveness of the In Our Own Voice (IOOV) mental health education program in improving knowledge and attitudes about mental illnesses. Undergraduate participants (N = 114) completed three pre-test measures of knowledge and attitudes, attended either an In Our Own Voice presentation or a control presentation about psychology careers, and repeated the three measures following the presentation. Results indicated that the IOOV group showed significant positive change across time, as well as significantly greater improvement than a control group in their knowledge and attitude scores on all measures. These findings support the effectiveness of the IOOV program.
p> The number of people with health problems and disabilities living outside the labor market and on public income security puzzles politicians. The problems associated with having a disability seem to be countered by measures directed either towards people with disabilities (employability programs) or towards employers (anti-discrimination legislation). These problems are at the forefront of many policy discussions. In this article I discuss an alternative perspective, reflecting on whether, in some segments of the labor market, there are dynamics which indicate that disability is an asset, not a liability. I use the Norwegian labor market as the case for this discussion.
The proportion of workers with disabilities is higher in the health and social care sector than in the total Norwegian labor market. This overrepresentation of workers with disabilities has remained constant since 2000 and may indicate a particularly unhealthy and impairment-producing sector. This article examines whether this overrepresentation might also indicate that this sector of the labor market considers disability to be an asset – a unique qualification required for certain tasks in the sector.
Keywords: disability concepts, labor market, employment, health sector, employer attitudes</p
Examined perceptions of the interview process in a correlational field study of 70 applicants (APs) with disabilities and 36 interviewers (IRs) without disabilities. IRs provided ratings of APs. 56 APs responded to questions about the IR and the interview. Results support hypotheses contending that the interview is a mutual influence process. IRs' preinterview impressions were positively correlated with their postinterview evaluations. However, time spent actively recruiting the AP was negatively correlated with the APs' ratings of IRs. AP disclosure of some types of disability-related information was positively related with IRs' ratings of APs' interview performances. Findings suggest that APs may want to discuss job-related aspects of their disability in the interview. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This article attempts to address partially the problem of ascertaining employers' decisions in the real world about hiring job applicants with a disability. Over a three month period, the research team responded to all (409) job advertisements for clerical positions that met certain parameters in the two major Hong Kong newspapers. Each advertisement received four application letters that were identical in every respect except one. One letter did not mention disability, one mentioned a hearing impairment, one mentioned walking with the assistance of crutches and one mentioned having recovered from a reactive depression. A positive outcome was judged to have occurred if the applicant was offered a job interview. A total of 1636 letters of application were sent and 331 positive responses were received. Multiple pairwise comparisons were made that demonstrated statistically significant differences between the non-disability group when compared with each of the disability groups. Comparisons of the disability groups with each other did not achieve levels of statistical significance. There was, however, a clear ranking of preference; people without a disability, followed by those with a hearing impairment, those using crutches to walk and finally, those who had had a depression.
The Employer Attitude Questionnaire (EAQ) was created to assess employer attitudes toward hiring persons with psychiatric disability. A total of 373 employers representing various industries in the Boston metropolitan area were interviewed by telephone to assess their concerns in four major areas: symptomatology, work personality, work performance, and administrative concerns. The results were arranged according to 8 employer sectors derived from the Department of Employment and Training's 10 Standard Industry Classifications (SICs) for employers (Sum & Harrington, 1996). Results suggested that employers differ in their level of concern by industry type. The implications of these findings for vocational programs for persons with psychiatric disability are discussed.
This paper is based on results of a national study in Australia. Questionnaires were completed by 643 employers, each of whom had employed a person with a disability between 1996-1998. Employers rated the importance of several factors relevant to decisions to hire and retain a person with a disability. Individual factors were rated most important, with grooming/hygiene and work-performance factors rated highest. Management factors and cost factors were rated moderately important. Social factors were rated least important. Analyses of variance were conducted, identifying several employer differences in ratings. The paper discusses employer values as well as the need to include employers in a partnership approach.
New data available from the Current Population Survey (CPS) indicate that between October 2008 and June 2010, job losses among workers with disabilities far exceeded those of workers without disabilities; this labor market volatility resulted in the proportion of employed U.S. workers identified as having disabilities declining by 9 percent
The treatment of cancer will frequently require that individuals temporarily modify or discontinue their occupational activities. Following the successful management of disease activity in individuals diagnosed with cancer, issues concerning the resumption of occupational responsibilities are often raised. Rehabilitation interventions might be considered as a viable option to assist cancer survivors in resuming occupational involvement [1].
This paper is based on survey responses from 656 employers who used disability employment services to employ someone with a disability. Relationships between employer satisfaction and employer perceptions of job-match and future hiring intentions toward people who have a disability are outlined and discussed. Employers' perceptions of the job-match process were found to be an important determinant of their perceptions of work performance and employer satisfaction. Comparative ratings on employer satisfaction for employees with and without a disability were seen as an important indicator of future hiring intentions toward people with a disability. Findings reported in this paper provide important information on which to base strategies for improving future employment outcomes for people who have a disability.
In this study, employers with and without experience in hiring individuals with developmental disabilities were surveyed regarding their perceptions. Respondents were surveyed and their responses were divided based on location (small or large city), type and size of business, average length of employment, and educational qualifications. Most respondents with experience indicated the employment usually or sometimes worked well and they were likely to hire again. Many inexperienced respondents were also receptive to hiring. Experienced respondents identified advantages to employing individuals with disabilities at higher rates than inexperienced respondents. The most frequently identified advantages were consistent attendance, workforce diversity, long-term employment, and co-worker partnerships. Experienced respondents also identified more concerns than inexperienced respondents. The most frequently identified concern was safety. Implications of the research are examined.
The study discussed in this article used a correlational design to examine the discrepancies among employers' employability
ratings of hypothetical job applicants with different disability statuses. A survey packet was mailed to a random sample of
1,000 employers selected from a national membership list of human resources professionals. The survey included a standardized
measure for rating employers' impressions of job applicants' employability with respect to 22 key employment-related traits.
Employers were asked to rate the job applicants' suitability for employment in a hypothetical administrative assistant position.
Findings show that job applicants without a disability received the highest mean employability ratings. Job applicants with
an acquired brain injury were rated substantially the same as those with schizophrenia. Implications for social work practice
and research are discussed.
It is often suggested that workers with disabilities are the first to be fired in bad economic times and the last to be hired once conditions improve. The recent introduction of new, state-of-the-art disability measures into the monthly U.S. Current Population Survey (CPS), coinciding with the early stages of the current recession, offers an unprecedented opportunity to test the last-hired-first-fired hypothesis over one of the worst economic downturns since the Great Depression. This study tracks the employment of people with disabilities, using a nationally representative household survey, from late 2008 until mid-2010. As of this writing, the size of the workforce with disabilities declined by 13.6 percent over a one-year period, more than three times the rate (4.2 percent) for the workforce without disabilities. The number of employed workers with more significant disabilities (people with difficulty conducting daily activities) declined by 22.7 percent. Especially large declines were also seen for younger workers, men, people with less education, and people with medium skilled occupations. As the recession deepened, the unemployment rate continued to increase for workers with disabilities even after that for workers without disabilities at leveled off, reaching 17.2 percent of labor force participants with disabilities by October 2009, compared to 9.2 percent for labor force participants without disabilities. These figures compare unfavorably even to those of racial/ethnic minorities, who also experienced disproportionate effects of the downturn. Disability employment policy needs to focus particular attention on keeping people with disabilities employed and participating in the workforce during poor economic times.
An applied sample was randomly assigned to evaluate the credentials of a job candidate with or without a physical disability and whose interview responses varied in quality (positive vs. average vs. negative). In addition to making hiring decisions, participants completed a number of measures including the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (Crowne & Marlowe, 1964), the Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale (Gething, 1991), an interview comfort measure, and an EEOC knowledge quiz. Results consistently indicated that participants evaluated the job candidate with a disability more favorably than the job candidate without a disability. Data also indicated a relationship between participants' level of comfort when interacting with persons with disabilities and their interview evaluations of such individuals. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for diversity management.
The attitudes of employers of people with mental retardation were examined through a survey distributed nationally. Employers of all sizes have favorable experiences in employing people with mental retardation and value the training provided by supported employment service providers. Common accommodations to employees with mental retardation include extra supervision time, providing flexible hours and using the services of a job coach. These accommodations are perceived to be of minimal cost to the company. In terms of human resource management, employees with mental retardation are viewed as costing companies the same or less than employees without disabilities, except in the area of supervision and training. In this area, employees with mental retardation are perceived to cost more than employees without disabilities. The implications of these findings for employment support providers are discussed.
Rehabilitation counseling must embrace an evidence-based practice paradigm to remain a vital and respected member of the future community of professions in rehabilitation and mental health care and to fully discharge its responsibility to assist consumers in accessing effective rehabilitation interventions and exercising truly informed choice. The goals of this article are to (a) discuss the importance of using model-driven and culturally sensitive evidence-based rehabilitation counseling practices to enhance rehabilitation outcomes for people with disabilities, (b) highlight the needs for an integrative conceptual framework of disability that can be used to conduct systematic rehabilitation counseling research and to examine mediators and moderators affecting vocational rehabilitation outcomes, and (c) recommend changes in rehabilitation counseling practice, education, and research.
This article reports a foundation survey of the extent of employment of disabled people in three sectors of industry--transportation, IT and financial services--in two UK counties, identifies which specific disabilities and limitations on personal skills are seen by employers as the greatest impediments to employment, proposes a new model for analysis by using a modification of established recording models and provides a springboard for further work. The survey reported here was based on structured interviews with personnel officers conducted by telephone. No separate question was devoted to invitation of free comment, but the interview delivery of the questionnaire normally led to a general discussion of the issues raised, and some typical quotes and comments from respondents are included in the Results.