Top Ten: What You Need to Know About Managing People with Disabilities
Author: Mitchell Wanless
Over the past eight years, I’ve managed teams with a wide diversity of people, including employees with disabilities. While I’ve always been committed to supporting them in their journeys, I’ve often had to come up with new and innovative ways to overcome outdated norms and attitudes that don’t reflect today’s realities.
But make no mistake: managing people with disabilities isn’t a burden for me. Rather, I approach these challenges as opportunities to build stronger, more adaptable teams and foster a culture where everyone can contribute fully.
As a deaf person with a cochlear implant, I know all about the challenges people with disabilities face. I find loud environments to be challenging on a number of levels, including sometimes needing people to repeat themselves, then giving me the time to process and respond. My personal experiences have helped to shape my leadership style, deepening my understanding of the importance of fostering inclusive workplaces.
The following top 10 statements are the lessons and insights garnered from working with some of the most brilliant people in my career. I hope that they inspire and educate you as much as they’ve influenced the person I am today.
1. A disability is not a limitation of talent or ambition.
Avoid making assumptions about what others can or cannot do. Instead, focus on their skills, experience, and potential.
When managers focus on ability rather than assumptions, they unlock the vastly untapped potential of their employees. Teams that feature a diversity of experiences and realities often outperform teams that value homogeny and conformity. Their diversity is the rocket fuel that spurs their levels of innovation and problem-solving.
2. Ask, don’t assume.
Everyone experiences their disability differently, so it’s important to ask them what accommodations or supports they need to thrive. Personalized support leads to higher engagement and encourages employee retention. Employees who feel heard are more likely to be loyal to the project or company, resulting in enhanced productivity.
3. Accessibility is productivity.
Don’t regard providing the right tools, technologies, and environments as doing anyone a favor. Having accessible to efficient, appropriate tools, and environments reduces friction and increases efficiency for everyone, not just for employees with disabilities.
4. Flexible structures build trust and deliver quality results.
Supporting employees with disabilities may involve making tailored, intentional adjustments to maximize alignment with your business needs. These adjustments can include modified schedules, working remotely, or using alternative communication methods.
Structured flexibility improves productivity and morale, while meeting team standards. By reducing turnover and absenteeism, you can avoid going through the needles, lengthy process of rehiring and retraining, saving precious time and valuable company resources.
5. Respect personal privacy because confidentiality matters.
Never disclose someone’s disability status without their consent. Mutual trust and respect are the cornerstones of any team. Respecting people’s privacy fosters psychological safety, which nurtures better collaboration and heightened innovation.
6. Normalized accommodations.
Treat accommodations as a routine part of workplace support, rather than as special treatment. When accommodations become normal routine, the perception of stigma fades away. When employees feel safe, they ask for what they need to thrive, reducing burnout and turnover.
7. Representation matters.
Including people with disabilities in leadership and decision-making, increasing their visibility.
This type of representation fosters inclusion and challenges stereotypes. Diverse leadership drives better decision-making and reflects the communities these organizations look to serve. Diverse representation also signals to all employees that advancement is not only possible, it’s encouraged.
8. Language shapes culture.
Use respectful, person-first language (e.g., “person with a disability” vs. “disabled person”) unless someone prefers otherwise. Inclusive language fertilizes a respectful workplace culture, reduces microaggressions, and helps everyone feel valued, boosting employee morale and teamwork.
9. Feedback should be inclusive.
Consider the context of accommodations and communication styles to ensure performance reviews and feedback are accessible. Thoughtful, accessible feedback helps employees grow, while ensuring performance reviews are fair and actionable. Being mindful throughout the review process provides everyone with the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the accommodation measures in place.
10. Be an advocate, not just a manager.
Speak up for inclusive policies, challenge ableism, and support disability awareness in your organization. Advocacy strengthens your organization’s reputation and helps attract socially conscious talent and customers. Passionate advocacy also drives systemic improvements that benefit all employees.
Inclusive management isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing things differently with intention so that everyone wins.
A short bio on Top 10 contributor
Mitchell Wanless is an Assistant Director in Canada’s Federal Public Service, with leadership experience across multiple departments including Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and Employment and Social Development Canada.
Before entering public service, Mitchell worked as a frontline social worker, supporting individuals facing addiction, youth at risk, and those with developmental disabilities.
He is a passionate advocate for the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities, committed to advancing accessibility and equity in all aspects of life.
