Building a DEI Workplace: Exploring the Relationships Among Corporate Disability Inclusion Policies and Practices, Disability Inclusion Climate, and Employees’ Attitudes toward People with Disabilities

Abstract

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In recent years, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) issues have gained attention in the workplace and society, especially regarding gender, sexual orientation, and race. However, people with disabilities are often overlooked as a marginalized group facing discrimination and unequal opportunities in the workplace. This outcome contradicts the goals of organizations committed to fostering an inclusive environment. Corporate policies are critical indicators of a company’s developmental orientation and play a pivotal role in shaping the internal organizational environment. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between disability inclusion policies and practices and the organizational climate regarding disability inclusion, while also investigating whether employees’ affective, cognitive, and behavioral attitudes toward people with disabilities mediate this relationship. This study employed a quantitative approach with convenience and snowball sampling to collect 265 valid responses from employees in Taiwan and analyzed the data with SPSS. Results indicated that disability inclusion policies and practices are positively related to the disability inclusion climate, with cognitive attitudes toward people with disabilities partially mediating this relationship. This study contributes to limited academic research on disability inclusion and provides practical implications for organizations to reassess disability inclusion and HR policies. It also offers recommendations for government to strengthen employment protections, aiming to build a more inclusive society where the rights of people with disabilities are respected across academia, workplace, and the broader community.