Access to Flexible Work Arrangements for People With Disabilities

Abstract

People with disabilities face unique challenges accessing and participating in work. From a digital inclusion perspective, an uptake of anywhere working arrangements may hold significant promise for people with disabilities. This qualitative study explored barriers of flexible work for people with disabilities in Australia. The study focused on manager and worker perspectives and findings indicate that both parties face unique challenges to accommodate people with disabilities in flexible work. Barriers encountered by disabled workers seeking access to flexible working arrangements include management attitudes, physical and infrastructure problems, social isolation misconceptions, insufficient flexible work opportunities, and inadequate management knowledge of IT support and reasonable adjustment for people with disabilities. Management issues involve cultural intolerance towards diversity and disability in general, as well as lack of policies and processes that create a supportive environment for people with disabilities who wish to engage in flexible working arrangements.