Beyond Accommodation: A Human-Centered Approach
Building a genuinely inclusive environment goes beyond simply offering flexible work options. Nicole Cuellar-Lopez, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Etsy, emphasized the importance of keeping work human and celebrating differences. Flexible work fosters inclusivity by focusing on individual strengths and contributions rather than physical limitations.
Self-Identification and Trust-building for Inclusive Datasets
Creating a safe space for self-identification of disabilities is crucial. Experts say that the data we have on disabilities at work are far underreported, and a deficit of trust in the workplace is to blame. Companies can achieve more trust by encouraging open communication between employees and managers regarding accommodations and best practices for remote work with disabilities. What data is being collected, who will have access to it, and how the employees will be able to benefit from the data are critical parts of the communication about data collection and self-ID internally.
Ensuring the data reflects the experiences of employees is crucial in demonstrating shared values. This could look like allowing for a level of disaggregation and breadth of options: the Tech Accountability Coalition’s equity framework gives a starting point for this work. Finally, employees must be clear on the follow-up actions from the data collected to avoid compounding survey fatigue. Employees want to know the time it takes to give their input will not be used against them, will be stewarded responsibly, and will create the change they seek. This fosters trust and allows for a collaborative approach to building a successful work environment.
“When we look at self-identification in disability hiring, the statistics are usually pretty bad, if they exist at all. And so I’m thrilled to see that Etsy actually does include disability in demographic surveys of employees.
That is not the standard.”
– Maria Town, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities
Shifting from Compliance to Belonging
Beth Wiesendanger highlighted the need to shift focus from simply meeting ADA compliance requirements to a more human-centered approach to disability inclusion. Flexible work options present an opportunity to move beyond legal requirements and foster a culture of belonging and trust.
“Historically, when organizations think about disability inclusion, trust building, or belonging, the approach has really been risk mitigation. It’s been that compliance mindset.
We’re just starting to see a more human-centered approach to what disability inclusion can really look like.”
– Beth Wiesendanger, Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility at Etsy
Shifting from the bare minimum of ADA compliance to the human-centered approach that Wiesendanger discusses can put disability inclusion at the forefront of innovation and workplace culture instead of as an afterthought. Leading with disability inclusion ensures that workers with disabilities are not seen as edge cases and that a company is truly building for everyone from the inside out.
Considering disability accommodations creates an opportunity to move beyond just legal requirements and foster a culture of belonging and trust.
“Etsy’s mission is to keep commerce human. Where I sit on the people team, we’re often saying, keep work human, keep management human, really centering the humanity of the people that we work to serve in everything that we do.”
– Nicole Cuellar-Lopez, Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion at Etsy
Read On
Keep reading to learn how you can get involved.

A Call to Action
The current moment has the potential to revolutionize disability inclusion and belonging in general in the workplace.

Trust and Inclusion in a Hybrid Environment
The rise of remote work has sparked a critical conversation about the future of employment, particularly for people with disabilities.

Technology for Disability Inclusion
Technology can be a powerful tool for workers with disabilities – and all workers – enabling them to perform their jobs effectively.