Navigating the Selection Process: Challenges and Strategies for Workers with Physical Disabilities
Strategic human resource management (SHRM) is an approach to managing human resources in an organization that emphasizes managing human resources through aligning human resource strategies and organizational strategies. Achieving this alignment helps in improving organizational performance. Concerning diversity, SHRM can help organizations attract, select, and retain diverse and talented workers, including those who live with physical disabilities (Jing et al., 2020, p. 2). SHRM practices help in ensuring that the selection process is free of biases and based on merit. Nonetheless, workers living with physical disabilities face different challenges during the selection process.
SHRM encompasses many practices that many organizations use to ensure that workers are included regardless of their diversity. Organizations can increase the likelihood of selecting workers from diverse backgrounds, including those living with disabilities, using a variety of approaches. For example, organizations that work with disabled worker organizations and rehabilitation agencies can leverage the resources to identify and recruit qualified and talented disabled workers (Sessa, 2019, pp. 1, 18). Besides, posting job ads creatively is also an effective practice. Ads that stress the organization's commitment to including workers affecting disabilities can attract disabled workers. Also, a job ad that highlights work-life balance can attract disabled workers who need work flexibility (Belda et al., 2021, p. 7). Organizations should emphasize their commitment to inclusion in their employer brand and website. Organizations can also have a diversity and inclusion program that provides additional support and resources for disabled workers. For example, a program can offer workplace and assistive technology modifications (Sessa, 2019, p. 1).
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Workers living with physical disabilities face some common problems when applying for a job, preparing for interview, and during the interview. Networks and unwritten rules are an example of a common problem that affects the selection process of workers living with a disability. Lots of business can hire a preferred candidate of the manager, which is always to hire a worker through networks and unwritten rules. There are certain organizations that only prefer workers from networks and friends. Also, a family member or friend of a worker in the position being hired may be a preferred candidate, especially when he or she lives with a disability (Booth et al., 2020, p. 1). Hiring managers assume that this worker will perform exceptionally well because of their personal relationship and because it is the right thing to do. Since organizations must be publicly firm in support of disability accommodation and equality, gossip networks within organizations can encourage discrimination based on disability (dysartgrau et al., 2022, p. 5).
Other common issues with the selection process for workers with physical disabilities include stereotypes and biases, lack of adequate application of state and federal regulations, and inaccessibility. There are different negative stereotypes and biases that employers hold against job candidates with physical disabilities.
These assumptions include people with physical disabilities being less productive and independent, particularly at work. Moreover, some people think that accommodating disabled workers is very expensive. Workers with physical disabilities are not able to hold positions that require travel or physical effort. Candidates whose disability-related requirements are unknown fail faster in formal interviews and simulated work tasks. Moreover, evaluating individuals with physical disabilities are done through the lens of ableist stereotypes, which damages equality before an official interview (Capp et al., 2022, p. 457). Employers have difficulty understanding what people with physical disabilities can do and following regulations to address this (Mari accompanied by jhkjh, 2021, p. 2). Lastly, some organizations are physically inaccessible, such as in the case of stairs and elevators being the only ways to get into the building or between floors.
Organizations employ different strategies to resolve these issues. One of the strategies is to enforce and follow state and federal law and regulations. Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is one of the most important regulations requiring non-discriminatory practices in employment. It also requires organizations to have qualified disabled workers and reasonable accommodation practices (Lum et al., 2021, p. 130). Another common strategy is working closely with non-profit organizations and agencies that advocate for inc
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