Reasonable accommodations are fundamental to creating diverse teams. However, more than half of employers with experience working with people with disabilities are unfamiliar with this concept. Similarly, 71.7% of employees with disabilities have never encountered this term.

These findings come from our latest report, "Say YES to Disability - reasonable accommodations in the workplace for people with disabilities", based on a nationwide survey. The report was made possible with the support of Santander Bank Polska, Orange Polska, the Embassy of the United States of America, and other partners, to whom we extend our sincere thanks.

View the full report: link

Our study also revealed a significant communication gap from those needing accommodations. Only 41.2% of respondents have ever approached their employers with such requests, primarily due to a lack of knowledge and fear of others' reactions. The results clearly indicate that both sides of the labor market require proper education to collaborate more effectively.

This edition of the study focused on assessing awareness, current practices, and companies' readiness to implement reasonable accommodations—measures that facilitate employment, promotion, and job performance for people with disabilities, enhancing their productivity on par with other employees without burdening the employer. Importantly, these accommodations should be requested by the person with a disability, and failure to implement them without justification constitutes a violation of equal treatment principles and may be considered discriminatory. Despite this, few employees request reasonable accommodations, mainly due to lack of awareness and fear of reactions.

In today's world, where diversity (including in the labor market) is a reality, treating everyone the same is not sufficient to level the playing field. Each employee requires an individual approach. Reasonable accommodations help achieve this, yet our study shows they remain an unfamiliar concept in the workplace. We aim to change this by encouraging both employers and employees with disabilities to develop new standards that foster friendly and inclusive workplaces.

— Agata Robińska, President of the TAKpełnosprawni Foundation.

Our survey included 124 employers hiring people with disabilities: 47.6% were large companies, 31.5% medium-sized, 12.9% small, and 8.1% micro-enterprises. Additionally, 449 individuals with disabilities participated, including 374 active in the labor market and 75 seeking employment.

Reasonable accommodations benefit all employees

Employees with disabilities highlighted that workplace barriers pose greater challenges than their disabilities themselves. Therefore, it's crucial to implement measures that mitigate differences in employees' physical and intellectual capabilities through reasonable accommodations. Contrary to common concerns, these adjustments often do not require significant financial investment from employers. Over three-quarters of surveyed employers indicated that only some of the accommodations they implemented involved additional costs. Notably, when expenses are necessary, employers can access funding for workplace adaptations through PFRON, which allocates resources to local governments. Employers can obtain information about available support from their local employment offices or family assistance centers.

The most commonly implemented accommodations by employers include flexible working hours, part-time work, adjusted job responsibilities, and architectural accessibility. Employees frequently cited flexible hours, remote work, ergonomic workstations, and quieter workspaces as beneficial organizational adjustments. The report provides a comprehensive list of effective accommodations and features insights from 35 individuals with disabilities employed in Polish companies, sharing their perspectives and experiences. This challenges the myth that inclusive employers are scarce in Poland. Furthermore, company examples demonstrate that many employers are actively engaged in creating friendly and accessible workplaces, reflecting a growing awareness and commitment to supporting employees with disabilities.

The study also revealed that only 8.6% of employers hiring people with disabilities have a formal reasonable accommodations policy—a set of guidelines outlining the company's approach to this issue. A key component of such a policy is a clear and enduring commitment from senior management to uphold it.

Acknowledgments

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the partners who helped make this report possible. Your support plays a key role in building a more diverse and inclusive labour market for people with disabilities. You are our “Partners who say YES!”

Main partners:

• Santander Bank Polska
• Orange Polska

Honorary patronage:

•  Embassy of the United States of America

Substantive partner:

• ILO Global Business and Disability Network

Digital accessibility partner:

• Atos

Research partner:

• Agencja badawcza SW Research 

Supporting partners:

• ABSL – Association of Business Service Leaders
• Diversity Charter (coordinated by the Responsible Business Forum)
• Konfederacja Lewiatan
• GEST – Association of Polish Sign Language Interpreters and Trainers
• PFRON – State Fund for the Rehabilitation of People with Disabilities
• Atypika – Foundation for Neuroculture
• Poland Business Run Foundation
• ONLEX – Law Office of Anna Pałecka-Błaszczyk
• Polish HR Forum
• Job Impulse Polska
• Diversity Hub
• Flexi.pl

Partnerzy medialni

• My Company Polska
• Polish Press Agency (PAP)
• HR na Szpilkach ( HR on High Heels)
• BRIEF