How to make your workplace accessible

Disability is wide-ranging and comes in many forms. We acknowledge that the language around disability is evolving and there is active debate in the community and different preferences about ways to describe disability. We acknowledge the importance of having conversations with individuals about their preferred language and not making assumptions. It is critical to respect individual preferences.

Some people prefer to be referred to as a 'person with disability' and others prefer 'disabled person'. Others prefer the use of language such as 'diverse abilities' rather than disability. The language used on this website is not intended to indicate a particular preference and we do not intend to exclude anyone on the basis that their preference differs to the style used. We welcome feedback on the language of disability.

It's important to ensure your workplace, equipment and work materials are physically accessible to all staff, and that your workplace fosters a culture of diversity and inclusion to ensure equal opportunities for workforce participation.

With around 1 in 5 Queenslanders living with disability, you may not realise that some of your current employees or co-workers have an undisclosed disability. Trauma, illness, age, or other reasons can also change the disability status of employees. Invisible experiences of disability can include physical, mental and neurological disabilities. For example, psychosocial disability or chronic pain can be invisible to others so it is important to provide all employees the opportunity to access adjustments so they can be well supported in their role.

Making your workplace inclusive and accessible may be simpler than you expect. If you do need help or advice, there is plenty of support available.

Training: Disability awareness

There are many online training resources available to learn about disability and inclusion. For example, the Queensland Government's 1-hour Disability awareness course course covers:

  • what disability means, including assumptions and myths
  • support and strategies, including the NDIS
  • workforce and community participation
  • etiquette and appropriate language
  • accessibility.

There is also a 1.5 to 2-hour Introduction to disability awareness course available free online, which allows you to download a certificate of completion.

Common workplace adjustments

In the workplace, employers are legally required to make reasonable adjustments for people with disability when needed. To find out more, view the video on understanding your legal responsibilities.

An employee with disability may only need minor adjustments, and these may be simple and inexpensive. Others may need more extensive modifications to their work environment. Everyone is different; the most important thing is to ask the person.

Ensure all staff are aware of the accessibility features of your workplace, such as the locations of accessible parking and toilets, ramp/lift access, and workplace adjustments that can be made.

Remember: inclusive and accessible workplaces benefit all staff, not just those with disability – for example, many workers want more flexibility in how, where and when they perform their role. Find out how to implement flexible work arrangements.

People who are neurodivergent

As the name suggests, neurodivergence means that not everyone is the same and so their needs will be different as well. Common adjustments may include:

  • altering the work environment – for example, providing a quiet room or noise-cancelling headphones to reduce noise, or using screen filters or changing workplace lighting to adjust visual input
  • redesigning work tasks to suit the employee's strengths
  • using flexible work arrangements – find out more about creating a flexible work environment for people with disability
  • providing more explicit training and logical, step-by-step instructions
  • using time-management or workflow-management apps and reminders.

Ask the person what their requirements are so you can create a suitable work environment. Contact Autism Queensland to find out more about employing people who are neurodivergent under their EmployABLE, Neurodiversity Works and EmployREADY programs.

Video: Robbie's story

'I think it's important not just to have an inclusive workplace, but also an accessible workplace – where there's an understanding of everybody's needs, and people feel able to ask for those needs, and to have those needs met, so that they're able to show up to work and be their true selves and have the opportunity to demonstrate the skills that they have.'

– Nina, Autism Queensland

Transcript of video

People with mental health conditions

Employees may experience temporary or situational mental health challenges – for example, work stress, bullying, or personal relationship breakdown. Employees may also be recently diagnosed with a mental health condition or living with a long-term mental health condition. Take the time to discuss with the employee what their needs are.

Common adjustments include:

  • altering the employee’s work environment to be more quiet and private
  • using flexible work arrangements such as reduced hours, variable start and finish times, and the option to work from home
  • changing or sharing responsibilities or tasks, especially to reduce social interactions, such as providing administrative duties rather than telephone or face-to-face contact with customers
  • implementing strategies to help with memory and organisation, such as using visual prompts (e.g. diagrams, colour coding, labelling), additional planning time and documents, and reminders
  • offering personal support, mentoring, and access to external support services.

More information and resources are available from:

Training: Supporting mental health in the workforce

The Supporting mental health in the workforce micro-credential helps you understand and identify potential signs of mental health challenges at work. You will learn how to support employees' mental health, make appropriate workplace adjustments and remove stigma.

Topics covered

  • Understanding mental health
  • Workforce management strategies
  • Team and culture
  • Training and support

This course was developed as part of the Back to Work program. There are a range of short courses available to support small business employers to create diverse and inclusive workplaces.

People with physical or sensory disability

People with physical and sensory disability may have very different needs. A range of adjustments for an employee with physical or sensory disability may include:

  • flexibility in working hours, such as working part-time or starting and finishing later
  • allowing work from home, or another location, one or more days per week – find out more about creating a flexible work environment for people with disability
  • moving furniture, widening doorways, or providing a ramp
  • redistributing some minor duties
  • purchasing or modifying equipment, such as text-to-audio software for someone with vision impairment, an amplified phone for a person who is hard of hearing, or a digital recorder to help someone take notes.

Ask the person what their requirements are so you can create a suitable work environment. The employee is often a good source of information about purchasing specialised equipment or accessing support services. If they would like assistance with this, an occupational therapist can be arranged at no cost through JobAccess. Find out more about available support and getting your workplace ready.

If equipment or physical changes are required, funding of up to $30,000 may be available from the Australian Government. Learn more about funding for workplace changes.

Video: Jess's story

Jess is a Local Area Coordinator. She uses a number of workplace accommodations to carry out her role, such as:

  • assistive touch on her phone
  • her cane, tactile carpet tape and Braille signage to guide her through the workplace
  • JAWS, a screen reading program that converts onscreen text into speech
  • support from admin staff to process client paperwork.
Transcript of video

Website and document accessibility

For staff and customers with vision impairment, it is important that they are able to access key information using assistive technologies such as screen-reading software.

If you are unsure where to start, Vision Australia provides auditing services to help you ensure your business documents and online content are accessible to blind or low-vision users.

Use the following tips when designing your documents or websites.

Document design tips

  • Tables
    Avoid tables in documents where possible. If required, ensure columns and rows are labelled correctly and programmed to be read in a logical order. Avoid using split cells as they can cause confusion about reading order.
  • Text styles
    Ensure all text has the correct styles applied – title, body text, caption, heading 1, heading 2, etc. – rather than manually adjusting the text size, font or colour to denote headings. Nest headings correctly using an appropriate hierarchy (for example, all major headings should be heading 1). It can be a good idea to develop business templates with locked text styles so anyone creating a document uses consistent, pre-defined styles and formatting.
  • Labelling and alt-text (alternative text)
    All document elements should have the appropriate labels and metadata tags applied. Images such as photos, illustrations, graphs, diagrams, flow charts, etc. should all have descriptive alt-text explaining what the image shows.
  • Colour contrast
    Ensure enough contrast between a background colours and text colours. Use the colour contrast checker to make sure your choices work. To cater for readers who are colour-blind, design graphs using pattern or gradient rather than colour.

Website design tips

  • Accessibility guidelines
    Ensure your website provides information in multiple formats and complies with contemporary accessibility guidelines. Information should be readable by screen-reading software. Many content management systems have inbuilt accessibility features.
  • Videos
    Ensure you include a transcript for all videos. Embedded captions can also be helpful, especially for social media.
  • Link labelling
    Avoid linking words such as 'click here'. Instead, place the link on meaningful words that describe the content being linked to.
  • Avoid PDFs
    Web content tends to be more accessible than documents such as PDFs, even when those PDFs are made accessible. If a PDF is required, you could publish a summary on the website along with contact details in case users are unable to access the document.

Video: Brendon's story

Brendon is a disability advocate who is legally blind. He uses his expertise in assistive technology such as screen readers and Braille displays to teach organisations how to improve their document accessibility.

'I think the main barrier is the not knowing, and people being really scared about really wanting to hire somebody who is blind and not actually understanding that technology exists, and technology is available ... I can also give back to organisations that actually do want to be inclusive, hopefully increasing their employment of people who are blind.'

Transcript of video

Managing employees with disability

Supporting employee wellbeing

  • As you would with all other employees, schedule time to check in regularly with employees with disability.
  • Ask whether their needs are being met or if their circumstances have changed and adjustments are required.
  • Ask what they need to function at their best and form relationships, so these discussions are easier and more likely to happen.
  • Ensure they are supported to do their job and development opportunities are equitable.
  • Value and support their perspectives and perhaps they can assist you to tap into new markets, customers, and clients.
  • Ensure social activities are inclusive and accessible.
  • Promote psychological safety in the workplace by working together to proactively minimise psychosocial hazards to create healthy work environments and cultures. Mentally healthy workplaces are where people thrive and achieve their best.

Professional development and career progression

  • Ensure any internally run development and career progression opportunities are accessible for people with disability. Consult with people with disability to improve the accessibility of training provided.
  • Identify and champion leadership mentors to support people with aspirations for leadership roles.
  • Take steps to understand your workforce diversity and organisational profile. Involve employees with disability in identifying ways to build a culture of inclusion where employees feel supported to share information about their disability if they wish to do so.
  • Ensure you have a process for discussing improvements in the workplace within your exit interview.

Learn more in Career progression for people with disability: A guide for employers.

Increasing diversity on boards and committees

Research suggests that less than 1% of people serving on public entity boards or committees identify as having a disability. People with disability have valuable, first-hand knowledge and experience that could assist in making services, organisations, and communities accessible to everyone. A diversity of representation on boards and committees ensures Queensland doesn't miss out on the wealth of experience, knowledge, and innovative ideas that people with disability can contribute across the broad range of leadership and civic participation opportunities.

Read the Diversity and inclusion on boards toolkit (PDF, 1.9MB) to learn more how to increase the representation of people with disability on Queensland boards.

Inclusive business policies

To help make your workplace more inclusive and accessible, and to be able to demonstrate this to your customers and prospective employees, you may wish to implement business policies such as the following.

Develop an HR strategy

Your human resources (HR) strategy should address the needs of a range of potential employees, including those with diverse abilities, and should be championed at all levels. Get guidance from the Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS).

Join the Australian Network on Disability

Consider organisational membership with the Australian Network on Disability (AND) and adopt their Employment Charter for the Employment of People with Disability. AND is a not-for-profit organisation resourced by its members to advance the inclusion of people with disability as employees, customers, and suppliers.

Developing a disability action plan

Consider developing a disability action plan (DAP). A DAP details your strategy for making your workplace, products and services accessible and inclusive to people with disability. Having a DAP demonstrates that your business is proactively working to avoid discriminatory practices.

See examples of disability and accessibility action plans from a variety of organisations.

Actions you can take include:

  • consulting people with disability in the development of your DAP
  • ensuring legislation, policies and programs are consistent with national commitments under international conventions
  • considering the needs or interests of people with disability and carers
  • promoting and upholding the human rights of people with disability
  • working with your management committee or board to gain commitment to inclusion.
  • engaging an organisation from the disability sector to provide disability awareness sessions for your employees
  • identifying opportunities to employ people with disability and improving accessibility and removing barriers over time.

Find out more about developing a DAP and registering your DAP with the Australian Human Rights Commission.

On your website, you may wish to publish your disability action plan or disability inclusion plan as well as a statement about how your company is working towards creating a more inclusive and accessible workplace.

You can also learn more about Queensland's Disability Plan 2022–27, which promotes access and inclusion for all Queenslanders with disability.

Human rights and anti-discrimination

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) makes disability discrimination unlawful and promotes equal rights, opportunity, and access for people with disability, including mental illness. Learn more about anti-discrimination and equal opportunity.

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) administers the Disability Discrimination Act. AHRC can provide you with information about:

  • the meaning of human rights and anti-discrimination
  • disability discrimination legislation and employment
  • understanding reasonable adjustments
  • the 'inherit requirements' of a job and discrimination claims
  • privacy and disclosure
  • Commonwealth industrial law
  • occupational health and safety.

You can contact the AHRC on 1300 656 419 or TTY 1800 620 241.

You can also find resources for employers from the Queensland Human Rights Commission.

Also consider...

  • Last reviewed: 18 Oct 2024
  • Last updated: 18 Oct 2024